How to support the endurance of long-term networks: The pivotal role of the network manager

This article focuses on interorganizational networks in an attempt to contribute to the research on network endurance. Specifically, we will focus on service delivery networks created to endure, and explore the impact on network endurance of some key variables, such as the configuration of the modes of network governance, the formalization of coordination mechanisms and the concentration of managerial skills in the network manager. Our results show that a Network Administrative Organization alone is not sufficient to enable network endurance. Having skilful network managers who can activate formalized coordination mechanisms is also important. Hence, skilful network managers seem to be pivotal for long-term public networks, thanks to their ability to link network structures to network mechanisms and bring about network endurance.