Formal structures, relational realities: Unpacking cross-domain coordination in Dutch municipalities
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2025-08-19
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en
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Cross-domain collaboration is increasingly essential for Dutch municipalities to address complex societal challenges. While organisational design theory offers guidance on designing adequate structures, little is known about how such structures shape the conditions for coordination across formal boundaries. This thesis examines how organisational structure influences relational coordination in the cross-domain collaboration of municipal assignments. A qualitative comparative case study was conducted in two Dutch municipalities, focusing on educational housing assignments. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using the Gioia methodology, enabling a systematic progression from participants’ perspectives to higher-order theoretical insights. The findings show that structural design affects the coordination context (the amount of coordination dependencies, the scope of focus, ad-hoc involvement, and the reliance on individual initiative) which in turn shape whether relational coordination can emerge or remains fragile. Structural shortcomings, such as structural ambiguity, fragmentation, misalignment of responsibility and expertise, and the absence of mechanisms for shared direction, increase reliance on informal and individual efforts. This research bridges De Sitter’s sociotechnical design perspective with relational coordination theory, highlighting how organisational design can proactively create conditions in which relational coordination thrives. Practically, the results underline the importance of aligning structure, foundational design conditions, and resource allocation to enable effective cross-domain collaboration.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen