Management of Participation Practice: Reconstruction of Lithuania's Formal Policy Networks by Means of Social Network Analysis

The present research aims to evaluate whether a policy making environment with an integrated network paradigm exists at the government's operational policy level and to determine barriers that impede management of participatory practice. The research is based on case studies of participatory decision-making groups that operated under the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania in 2007 and 2010. Assuming that these groups constitute segments of wider policy networks, the research methodology incorporates a social network analysis. Empirical studies exhibit a low level of interest representation and a high willingness of public administrators to acquire expertise.