Network Administrative Organizations Legitimizing Multi-Stakeholder Networks (WITHDRAWN)

Abstract

Drawing on a multi-method case study of a development organization that worked for an inclusive dairy value chain in Ethiopia, this paper examines the role of Network Administrative Organizations (NAOs) in building multi-stakeholder networks to address social challenges in emerging markets. We highlight how NAOs promote the exchange of knowledge as well as the development of the governance capacity among network participants by organizing event-series. We further identify the boundary conditions for the success of these activities. Not only are internal and external network legitimacy relevant as existing literature suggests but we also found that the legitimacy of the NAO itself is critical for explaining the efficacy of multi-stakeholder networks. Overall, this article contributes to the literature on cross-sector collaborations by uncovering the evolution and outcomes of purposefully engineered multi-stakeholder networks by NAOs.