International Organisation and Co-operation: An Interorganizational Perspective

The nexus of international cooperation and international organization is the focus of this article. It proceeds from a critique of extant approaches. Specifically, the relative negligence of organization theory in the study of international organization and the overreliance on structural theories in the study of international cooperation are noted. An interorganizational perspective is proffered as an alternative approach. Abandoning the traditional view of organizations as formal and self-contained units, interorganization theory directs attention to informal relations between formally autonomous organizations. The role of transnational organizational networks is explored in three kinds of contexts: (1) the creation, maintenance, and transformation of international regimes; (2) the implementation of international programs; and (3) national policy-making. An interorganizational perspective amplifies aspects which traditional approaches have placed in the shade, such as individual leadership, the role of international secretariats, and IGO-NGO relations.