This paper presents views on the increasingly important and frequent emergence of inter-organizational networks in the public sector. The evidence shows that this trend will continue and expand in the future. The paper deals with ways in which economic and socio-organizational prospects give rise to the formation and development of inter-organizational networks, particularly networks in the public sector and networks between the public sector and the private and social, non-profit sector. In this regard, it constitutes a first step in developing a reference framework that, at a later stage, leads to the formulation of hypotheses on the formation and development of networks in the public sector. An attempt is made to identify the coditions and circumstances under which inter-organizational networks may have a comparative advantage and, consequently, may emerge and develop or disappear in the public sector. To this end, a select group of articles and documents on the subject have been reviewd. Given that the bulk of knowledge in this field refers to private sector networks, a group of papers on this sector has been perused; the principal input dealing with the public sector has also been reviewed. The major arrangement in network structure are described, particularly those of the public sector, and the differences between the latter and the private and mixed networks are discussed. A summary is offered of the more prominent features in the economic approach, essentially the theory of transaction and agency costs, as well as of the socio-organizational network approach, which on the one hand, uses hierarchical organization theories in a broad sense and, on the other, attempts to understand the configuration theories in a broad sense and, on the other, attempts to undestand the configuration of the network and the need for coordination. A synopsis of two recent approaches that try to integrate economic and social prospects is included. The highly condensed final thoughts suggest a possible continuation of recent developments, pointing to varying combinations of both approaches, depending on the type of network under discussion