Integrating Formal and Relational Contracting: The Link Between Network Structure and Contract Design in Interlocal Collaboration Agreements
分析了地方政府间合作协议中网络结构（尤其是紧密联系）如何影响合同设计，发现第三方间共享联系强时合同正式化程度降低，对公共管理者有参考价值。
ABSTRACT Local governments increasingly rely on contractual relationships with third parties for public service delivery, blending formal agreements with relational mechanisms to reduce risks and uncertainties. While most research on these contracts has focused on relationships between two parties, this work adopts a network perspective to analyze how the structure of these networks—especially close‐knit connections—influences contract design. We analyzed 6576 agreements between local governments in Iowa related to public safety from 2007 to 2017 and selected 300 to qualitatively code for contractual provisions. Our findings show that when there are strong shared connections between third parties, contracts tend to be less formal. These results expand the typical focus on two‐party relationships, showing how larger networks can shape the balance between formal and relational contracts in public service management.