An Analytical Framework for Understanding Governance, Public Action, and Organizational Coordination: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Background: The increasing complexity of public policy challenges has transformed governance systems, requiring effective coordination among diverse institutions. However, existing studies often examine governance paradigms, public action approaches, and coordination mechanisms separately. Objective: This study develops and proposes an integrated analytical framework for understanding the interrelationships among governance forms, public action approaches, and organizational coordination modes within the public sector. Methods: This study applies a systematic review of 45 scholarly works published between 2000 and 2024, drawn from major academic databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using predefined selection criteria. Thematic coding and conceptual framework construction were employed to trace recurring patterns within governance scholarship. Results: The findings reveal three key contributions: first, the framework traces how public-sector governance has evolved from classical bureaucratic administration to managerial reforms and, subsequently, to collaborative governance arrangements, with each transition generating distinctive coordination mechanisms. Second, the analysis synthesizes four coordination modes (hierarchy, markets, networks, and collaboration) and establishes their alignment with specific governance paradigms. Third, the study identifies critical coordination challenges including specialization-coordination tensions, departmentalism, and accountability gaps. Conclusion:  The proposed framework provides a structured diagnostic tool for researchers and practitioners to analyze coordination effectiveness within specific governance contexts. Future research should empirically test this framework across diverse institutional settings.