ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................... 34 3.2 Collaborative Networks .................................................................... 35
3.2.1 Social Networks in Theory and Practice............................... 35 3.2.2 Success Factors for Collaborative Networks.......................... 36
3.3 Actors in Health Care Networks in Developing Countries............... 37 3.3.1 Civil Society ......................................................................... 37 3.3.2 Private Sector Organizations................................................. 38
3.3.2.1 Profit-Oriented Business Actors............................. 38 3.3.2.2 Non-Governmental Organizations......................... 38
3.3.3 Public Sector Organizations ................................................. 39
3.4 Applications ..................................................................................... 40 3.4.1 Knowledge Sharing Systems ................................................. 40
3.4.1.1 Potentials of KSS in Health Care in Developing Countries .............................................................. 40
3.4.1.2 Recommendations for Implementing and Operating KSS in Health Care in Developing Countries ....................................... 41
3.4.2 Public-Private Partnerships in Health Care in Developing Countries ...................................................... 42 3.4.2.1 Challenges for Collaboration in PPPs.................... 42 3.4.2.2 The International Trachoma Initiative-An
Example for a Successful Public-Private Partnership ............................................................ 43
3.5 Conclusion....................................................................................... 45 References ................................................................................................. 46
3.1 Introduction Health care in developing countries faces significant difficulties. To successfully meet the arising problems, the collaboration of many different providers needs to be enhanced. But because the successful formation and operation of collaborative networks bears certain challenges, their creation and implementation must be thoroughly planned. The main intention of this chapter is to discuss the central challenges with which collaborative networks are faced and to develop recommenda tions for overcoming these difficulties. Therefore, an approach for understanding the functioning of collaborative networks will be presented, which has proven its appropriateness in the fields of sociology and business administration. This frame work can be considered particularly beneficial for health care practitioners and researchers in developing countries, because it offers a new perspective.
