In this article, the authors describe and illustrate what they call a “network of networks” perspective and map the development of a lead network for the Antwerp Port Authority that governed organizations and networks in the port community before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. They find that setting a collective focus and selective integration are crucial in the creation and reproduction of an effective system to adequately deal with a wicked problem like the COVID‐19 pandemic. The findings on crisis management and network governance are used to engage practitioners and public policy planners to revisit the current design and governance of organizational networks within organizational fields that have been hit by the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Introduction: In this article, network governance is examined by using a network game that enables participants to interact and communicate about the coordination of service delivery by playing a role in a simulated organizational network. Methods: The research design can be described as a data-driven inductive approach in which data were collected during two stages based on a participatory model building approach as a form of action science. The data analysis was a reflexive and iterative process of going back and forth to the thematic analysis of the audiovisual recordings and the content analysis of the surveys. We report the interim findings as well as evaluate the network game based on two game sessions each with 18 participants held in 2017. Results: The interim findings of the two game sessions provide various instances in which participants acknowledged the validity of day-today practices of network governance. The findings suggest that appointing a network governance form is necessary to coordinate and integrate interactions among and between networks. Conclusion: This study presents how a gaming and simulation approach to scholars, public leaders and managers replicates the functioning of organizational networks. Moreover, the approach was experienced as being supportive for informing its participants on how organizational networks are effectively structured, governed and managed in the context of coordinated service delivery for people with a chronic illness in Flanders (Belgium). It is recommended for future research to apply a quasi-experimental research design in which dimensions of network governance are manipulated to examine the behavioral underpinnings of goal-directed networks.

Whole networks, defined as three or more autonomous organizations collectively working together to achieve not only their individual organizational goals, but also a common network goal [i] are argued to be the appropriate approach to address wicked problems [ii]. These networks, either emergent or mandated, are complex systems, hence understanding how they can be effective is also a complex endeavor [iii]. In this article the authors conducted an in-depth case study of an emergent whole network in Flanders, Belgium. In particular, the focus was on the combination of three integration mechanisms: network governance, structure and management processes to explain what drives the development, integration and effectiveness of this network. The authors propose to use a configurational framework taking into account not only isolated effects of network characteristics, but also, as recent literature suggests, conceptualizing whole networks as clusters of structures and practices [iv].The contribution of this article is threefold. First, this article advances our understanding on how whole networks organize the joint action of various organizations in the network. In particular, we contribute to the literature on emergent whole networks in a developmental phase [v]. Second, we evaluate a configurational framework of whole networks that allows for causal complex recipes of explaining network effectiveness. Third and especially relevant for practitioners and administrators, the authors discuss whether the particular combination of network governance, network structure and management processes in the emergent network explains whether the network was perceived effective by the network members and constituents as a whole in delivering the requisite care and support to multi-problem clients in a region of Flanders, Belgium.