Organizational Parochialism: “Placing” Interorganizational Network Ties

Are interorganizational network ties “placeless” or “placed”? The study of organizations, particularly the study of interorganizational network ties, has reemerged in urban sociology, yet the urban literature on place and the organizations literatures on organizational network activity are not fully integrated. This article bridges these theories through an investigation of the social and spatial underpinnings of interorganizational network ties. Quantitative analysis of data from 152 interviews with nonprofit organizations serving youth across 12 contiguous neighborhoods in Boston reveals a propensity for organizations to share resources within the local neighborhood, controlling for proximity to other organizations, organizational characteristics, and various network properties. Qualitative data suggest a multilevel social process underlying the parochial network structure, illustrating the context for collaboration, restrictions on extra-local exchange, and incentives guiding a local focus. Based on this evidence, I propose a theory of organizational parochialism, extending research on organizations, networks, and urban social processes.