Does Network Management Matter? The Coordination of Integration Policy Delivery at the Local Level in Sweden

Abstract

Swedish integration policy is primarily implemented at the local level. In a policy area where many public and non-public actors are involved, the municipal administrations are responsible for coordinating public action. In seeking to make the local integration process work, each municipal administration faces the challenge of managing a complex network of actors as efficiently as possible. The focus of this comparative study is on the relationship between network management and the integration situation in the municipalities. Two hypotheses are tested in an empirical analysis which combines quantitative and qualitative techniques in a two-level design: that (1) local cooperation agreements and (2) high densities in the local implementation networks are positive for integration. None of the hypotheses are supported empirically. Network management does not matter a result which calls into question the high attention and priority that network solutions get in present-day public administration.