Leadership effectiveness and interorganizational solidarity formation

Network approaches to understanding the recruitment of social movement adherents and their involvement in collective action have proven highly useful, especially when established personal and organizational networks are considered important. Yet how networks evolve — which greatly affects whether they significantly influence social movements — has been understudied. This article uses comparative, empirical research to analyze organizational network formation (here, networks connecting unions, not interpersonal networks) by the attempts of Korean white-collar unions to intensify interunion solidarity. Networks are created by organizers' tactical efforts — based on participants' endorsement — to elevate the collective power of their movements. My analysis reveals that successful networks feature moderate organizational leadership centralization and intervention in the activities of discrete unions. Such leadership best promotes a democratic network structure and directs coalition efforts — two, mutually conflicting, requirements for effective networks. Excessive leadership centralization and decentralization equally attenuate network cohesion and effectiveness. The former impedes internal organizational democracy, whereas the latter hinders interorganizational coalition.