Comprehensiveness in the implementation of social policies. Analysis of an inter-organizational network in Uruguay.

The literature on collaborative and policy networks has identified that they can go beyond the limitations of traditional policy designs to address complex problems such as poverty, educational dropout or exclusion. However, not all networks allow for comprehensive responses, since in addition to a high level of collaboration, comprehensiveness requires the existence of intersectoral (or not exclusively intrasectoral) relationships. A network of organizations dedicated to the design and implementation of policies in a city with a high incidence of socioeconomic vulnerability in Uruguay is analyzed. Social network analysis of the relational structures of the organizations is carried out. First, the main characteristics of the network are described. Second, segregation measures are calculated to test the level of association of the relationship structure with respect to the sectoral characteristics of the organizations or whether they are independent of the sector to which they belong. In this case, the network would allow a comprehensive response to the problems addressed by the policies.