Some days are better than others: Examining time-specific variation in the structuring of interorganizational relations

The generative mechanisms controlling change in interorganizational relations are typically assumed to be time-independent, i.e., operate homogeneously and synchronously over time. In this paper we consider some of the implications of violating this assumption. We adopt and extend statistical models for relational events to reveal time-specific variations in mechanisms underlying interorganizational relations observed within a small community of health care organizations. We find that aggregate estimates of parameters associated with mechanisms of theoretical interest mask fine-grained temporal variation in relational events sequences. We discuss the implications of this result for studies of interorganizational relations – and social networks more generally.