Navigating Bureaucratic Complexity through Social Networks and Human Capital in Informal Governance

Authors

  • Zeynap Nur Celal Bayar Üniversitesi, Türkiye

Keywords:

social networks, human capital, informal governance, bureaucratic complexity, public administration, organizational performance, adaptability

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay between social networks and human capital in facilitating informal governance mechanisms within public organizations. Through a comprehensive literature review, the research examines how informal structures complement formal bureaucratic processes, enabling individuals and organizations to navigate complex administrative environments. The analysis highlights the role of social networks in fostering collaboration, enhancing information flow, and promoting adaptability. Simultaneously, human capital—encompassing skills, knowledge, and experience—empowers individuals to leverage these networks effectively. The findings underscore the significance of integrating informal governance mechanisms into public administration practices to address multifaceted challenges and improve service delivery. By recognizing and harnessing the potential of social networks and human capital, policymakers and practitioners can enhance organizational performance and responsiveness. The study contributes to the discourse on governance by elucidating the value of informal structures in navigating bureaucratic complexity.

References

a Theory of Informal Supply Networks: An Exploratory Case Study of the Za'atari Refugee Camp. Journal of Operations Management, 67(7), 853-881.

Akintimehin, O. O., A. A. Eniola, O. J. Alabi, D. F. Eluyela, W. Okere, & E. Ozordi. 2019. Social Capital and Its Effect on Business Performance in the Nigeria Informal Sector. Heliyon, 5(7), 1-13.

Bernstein, E. S., J. C. Shore, & A. J. Jang. 2023. Network Centralization and Collective Adaptability to a Shifting Environment. Organization Science, 34(6), 2064-2096.

Blijleven, W., & M. van Hulst. 2021. How Do Frontline Civil Servants Engage the Public? Practices, Embedded Agency, and Bricolage. The American Review of Public Administration, 51(4), 278-292.

Bourdieu, P. 1986. The Forms of Capital. In J. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (pp. 241–258). Greenwood, Santa Barbara, CA.

Bowman, J. S., J. P. West, M. Berman, & M. Van Wart. 2016. The Professional Edge: Competencies in Public Service. Routledge, London.

Buckley, R. P., D. A. Zetzsche, D. W. Arner, & B. W. Tang. 2021. Regulating Artificial Intelligence in Finance: Putting the Human in the Loop. Sydney Law Review, 43(1), 43-81.

Budhwar, P., S. Chowdhury, G. Wood, H. Aguinis, G. J. Bamber, J. R. Beltran, & A. Varma. 2023. Human Resource Management in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Perspectives and Research Directions on ChatGPT. Human Resource Management Journal, 33(3), 606-659.

Burt, R. S. 1992. Structural Holes: The Social Structure of Competition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

Cao, J. X., Y. Ding, & H. Zhang. 2016. Social Capital, Informal Governance, and Post-IPO Firm Performance: A Study of Chinese Entrepreneurial Firms. Journal of Business Ethics, 134(4), 529-551.

Coleman, J. S. 1988. Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94(1988), S95–S120.

Donate, M. J., I. Peña, & J. D. Sánchez de Pablo. 2016. HRM Practices for Human and Social Capital Development: Effects on Innovation Capabilities. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(9), 928-953.

Doz, Y. 2020. Fostering Strategic Agility: How Individual Executives and Human Resource Practices Contribute. Human Resource Management Review, 30(1), 1-14.

Fukuyama, F. 1995. Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity. Free Press, Los Angeles, CA.

Granovetter, M. S. 1973. The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380.

Halseth, G., & L. Ryser. 2016. Rapid Change in Small Towns: When Social Capital Collides with Political/Bureaucratic Inertia. Community Development, 47(1), 106-121.

Hasyim, H., & M. Bakri. 2023. Organizational Evolution: Navigating Change and Innovation for Sustainable Development. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 10(2), 889-909.

Horak, S., & Y. Paik. 2023. Informal Network Context: Deepening the Knowledge and Extending the Boundaries of Social Network Research in International Human Resource Management. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(12), 2367-2403.

Janssen, M., & H. Van Der Voort. 2016. Adaptive Governance: Towards a Stable, Accountable and Responsive Government. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 1-5.

Kafouros, M., S. P. Chandrashekar, M. Aliyev, & A. K. M. Au. 2022. How Do Formal and Informal Institutions Influence Firm Profitability in Emerging Countries? Journal of International Management, 28(1), 1-49.

Kanter, R. M. 2019. The Future of Bureaucracy and Hierarchy in Organizational Theory: A Report from the Field. In Social Theory for a Changing Society (pp. 63-93). Routledge, London.

Karpouzoglou, T., A. Dewulf, & J. Clark. 2016. Advancing Adaptive Governance of Social-Ecological Systems Through Theoretical Multiplicity. Environmental Science & Policy, 57, 1-9.

Koliba, C. J., J. W. Meek, A. Zia, & R. W. Mills. 2017. Governance Networks in Public Administration and Public Policy. Routledge, New York.

Koster, M. 2019. Assembling Formal and Informal Urban Governance. Anthropologica, 61(1), 25-34.

Kotlarsky, J., B. Van den Hooff, & L. Geerts. 2020. Under Pressure: Understanding the Dynamics of Coordination in IT Functions Under Business-As-Usual and Emergency Conditions. Journal of Information Technology, 35(2), 94-122.

Lin, N. 2001. Social Capital: A Theory of Social Structure and Action. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Matheus, R., M. Janssen, & T. Janowski. 2020. Design Principles for Creating Digital Transparency in Government. Government Information Quarterly, 38(1), 1-11.

Nahapiet, J., & S. Ghoshal. 1998. Social Capital, Intellectual Capital, and the Organizational Advantage. Academy of Management Review, 23(2), 242–266.

Oedl-Wieser, T., K. Hausegger-Nestelberger, T. Dax, & L. Bauchinger. 2020. Formal and Informal Governance Arrangements to Boost Sustainable and Inclusive Rural-Urban Synergies: An Analysis of the Metropolitan Area of Styria. Sustainability, 12(24), 1-22.

Onyango, G. 2019. Organizational Trust and Accountability Reforms in Public Management: Analysis of Inter-Agency Implementation Relations in Kenya. International Journal of Public Administration, 42(14), 1159–1174.

Oreg, S., & Y. Berson. 2019. Leaders’ Impact on Organizational Change: Bridging Theoretical and Methodological Chasms. Academy of Management Annals, 13(1), 272-307.

Ostrom, E. 1990. Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Park, A. Y., R. M. Krause, & C. V. Hawkins. 2021. Institutional Mechanisms for Local Sustainability Collaboration: Assessing the Duality of Formal and Informal Mechanisms in Promoting Collaborative Processes. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 31(2), 434-450.

Putnam, R. D. 1995. Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital. Journal of Democracy, 6(1), 65–78.

Rye, T., J. Monios, R. Hrelja, & K. Isaksson. 2018. The Relationship Between Formal and Informal Institutions for Governance of Public Transport. Journal of Transport Geography, 69(1), 196-206.

Schmitt, U. 2020. Designing Decentralized Knowledge Management Systems to Effectuate Individual and Collective Generative Capacities. Kybernetes, 49(1), 22-46.

Scott, W. R. 2001. Institutions and Organizations. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Soltis, S. M., D. J. Brass, & D. P. Lepak. 2018. Social Resource Management: Integrating Social Network Theory and Human Resource Management. Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), 537-573.

Stadtler, L., & Ö. Karakulak. 2020. Broker Organizations to Facilitate Cross‐Sector Collaboration: At the Crossroad of Strengthening and Weakening Effects. Public Administration Review, 80(3), 360-380.

Whetsell, T. A., A. Kroll, & L. DeHart-Davis. 2021. Formal Hierarchies and Informal Networks: How Organizational Structure Shapes Information Search in Local Government. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 31(4), 653-669.

Zeng, Y., Q. Zhang, Q. Zhao, & H. Huang. 2023. Doing More Among Institutional Boundaries: Platform‐Enabled Government in China. Review of Policy Research, 40(3), 458-478.

Downloads

Published

2025-05-30

How to Cite

Nur, Z. (2025). Navigating Bureaucratic Complexity through Social Networks and Human Capital in Informal Governance. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society, 4(1), 69–74. Retrieved from https://inti.ejournalmeta.com/index.php/inti/article/view/107

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.