COMPLEX GOVERNANCE NETWORKS Göktuğ Morçöl Professor of Public Policy and Administration Special Faculty Seminar April 23, 2014
Why Complex Governance Networks? This is the conceptual basis of the new journal my colleagues and I have launched: Aim: To contribute to the philosophical, theoretical, methodological, and empirical developments in complexity, governance, and network studies in public administration, public policy, politics, and nongovernmental organizations. Editorial Board: Scholars form the US and Europe. Affiliation: ASPA SCNS Erasmus University of Rotterdam Journal Website: http://www.cgnj.info/
Three Conceptual Roots of Complex Governance Networks Governance studies Network studies/analyses Complexity theory
Key observations: Governance Studies Societies have become multi-centered (Castells, 1996; Jessop, 1990). The role of governments in policy processes has diminished, or changed (Kettl, 2002; Koliba, Meek, & Zia, 2010; Rhodes, 1997; Salamon, 2002; Torfing, Peters, Pierre & Sørensen, 2012).
Key observations (cont.): Governance Studies In today s world no governmental or private actor has the capacity to solve the increasingly complex and dynamic problems of societies (Kooiman, 1993). The fragmentation of political and administrative authority creates institutional collective action dilemmas (Feiock, 2013). This fragmentation makes governance inherently complex (Feiock & Scholz, 2010)
Governance Studies The concept of governance is important and insightful, but it has not been defined specifically. The World Bank popularized the concept, but defined it loosely: Governance is the process by which authority is conferred on rulers, by which they make the rules, and by which those rules are enforced and modified (World Bank, undated).
Governance Studies There are multiple and overlapping definitions of governance in different contexts (Provan & Kenis, 2007): Private corporations: Governance is about the roles of boards of directors in representing and protecting the interests of shareholders of corporations. Nonprofit organizations: It is about the roles of board of trustees in protecting the rights of community members or politically important constituencies. Public management: Governance refers to the funding and oversight roles of government agencies over organizations that have been contracted to provide public services.
In my view, as well as many others : Governance Studies Governance refers to the complex processes of public policy making and public service delivery. Despite the lack of clarity in its conceptualization, governance is a valuable concept. The concepts connotes that there are multiple actors in policymaking and public service delivery processes. The power relations among actors, their resources, and worldviews should be studied.
Governance Studies Governance studies have some relations with the established theories in political economy and policy studies: Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (Ostrom, 1990, 2005) Advocacy Coalition Framework (Sabatier & Jenkins- Smith, 1993)
The roots: Network Studies/Analyses Sociometric studies of Moreno and others in the 1930s Today: Social network analyses (SNA): An increasingly sophisticated and popular tool Some of the recent advances: Dynamic network analyses, network text analyses (ORA, Automap, Carnegie Mellon University, http://www.casos.cs.cmu.edu/projects)
Network Studies/Analyses A particularly important conceptualization: Governance networks Governance networks challenged the conventional wisdom that the market is the only efficient system of nonhierarchical coordination (Provan & Kenis, 2007). Key observations about governance networks: They are self-organizing (no sovereign authority). Network members are interdependent. They are dynamic.
Complexity Theory In both governance and network studies, there is a common theme/concept: Complexity Then, what is complexity? Does understanding complexity in public policymaking and public service delivery matter?
Does Understanding Complexity Matter? Charles Perrow s book Normal Accidents (1984) Title of the second chapter of the book: Why We Have Not Had More TMIs but Will Soon Three Mile Island (1979) Chernobyl (1986) Fukushima Daiichi (2011) 13
Normal Accidents Charles Perrow s argument: Accidents with some high-risk technologies, like nuclear power plants, are inevitable. They are normal accidents. Why are these accidents inevitable ( normal )? Because these are complex systems. Perrow: The President s Kemeny Commission on the TMI accident tried to single out who was responsible and failed. 14
Deep Water Horizon: A More Recent Example In April May 2010 a massive oil leak occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. Two investigative reports were issues on this accident: BP s report The report by the President s commission
BP s Report (September 2010) An Example of Simplification The main conclusion of the report: The accident resulted from a series of technical problems. (i.e., it was a simple, linear problem) 16
Report by the President s Commission: An Example of Understanding Complexity National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling The main conclusion of the report: The accident was not the result of a single failure. Complex Systems Almost Always Fail in Complex Ways. 17
Complexity Theory Complexity theorist have made advances in understanding complex systems in recent decades. For example, what is complexity? It is not a residual category! Complexity can be conceptualized and understood in term of Large numbers Multiple types of relationships among elements Nonlinearity
Complexity Theory The theory poses conceptual challenges to our traditional ways of thinking: It challenges some of the traditional epistemological and methodological assumptions in science. Post-Newtonian Postpositivistic (?) Suggests phenomenology (?) (Morçöl, 2002)» Morçöl, G. (2005). Phenomenology of complexity theory and cognitive science. Administrative Theory & Praxis» Morçöl, G. (2001). What is complexity science: Postmodernist or postpositivist? Emergence» Morçöl, G. (forthcoming). Can we discover the Higgs Boson of public administration theory? A complexity theory answer (book chapter)
Complexity Theory The implications of complexity theory should be refined and applied in areas of study. In my recent book (Morçöl, 2012), I demonstrated: How complexity theory concepts and methods can be applied in policy studies Key concepts: Complexity Nonlinearity Self-organization Emergence Co-evolution Primary Methods: Social network analyses Agent-based simulations Qualitative case studies
Complexity Theory A problem in complexity theory applications: How to conceptualize governance/policy/public management systems/networks? Two emerging theoretical frameworks in the literature: 1. The micro macro conceptualization My 2012 book and more recent articles and presentations 2. The socio-ecological systems conceptualization Perrow s book; works of Zia, Koliba, & Kauffman (U. Vermont); works of Gerrits (Erasmus U.)
Goals for future studies: Complexity Theory To refine the micro-macro conceptualization/framework Possibly synthesize the two frameworks Demonstrate the applicability of the micro macro framework The implications of the complexity of governance networks
Complexity of Metropolitan/Urban Governance An element of metropolitan complex governance networks: Business improvement districts (BIDs) They are micro local governmental entities that illustrate the complexity of urban/metropolitan governance networks A sample of studies on BIDs:» Morçöl, G., & Gautsch, D. (2013). Institutionalization of business improvement districts: A longitudinal study of the state laws in the United States. Public Administration Quarterly.» Morçöl, G., Vasavada, T., & Kim, S. (2013). Business improvement districts in urban governance: A longitudinal case study. Administration and Society.
An area of concern: Democratic Governance implications of complex governance networks for democracy. Governance may be inevitable, but democratic governance should be constructed (Torfing, Peters, Pierre & Sørensen, 2012).
Democratic Governance There are numerous challenges for democratic governance in the US, other Western countries, and the rest of the world. In a recent book I co-edited, the authors address some of these issues.
References Castells, M. (2000). The rise of the network society. Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Feiock, R. C. (2013). The institutional collective action framework. Policy Studies Journal, 41(3), 397 425. Feiock, R. C., & Scholz, J. T. (Eds.). (2010). Self-organizing federalism: Collaborative mechanisms to mitigate institutional collective action. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Jessop, B. (1990). State theory: Putting the capitalist state in its place. State College, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press. Kettl, D. F. (2002). The transformation of governance: Public administration for twenty-first century America. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Koliba, C., Meek, J. W., & Zia, A. (2011). Governance networks in public administration and policy. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
References Kooiman, J. (1993). Social-political governance: Introduction. In J. Kooiman (Ed.), Modern governance: New government society interactions (pp. 1 6). London: Sage. Morçöl, G. (2001). What is complexity science: Postmodernist or postpositivist? Emergence: A Journal of Complexity Issues in Organizations and Management, 3(1), 104-119. Morçöl, G. (2002). A new mind for policy analysis: Toward a post-newtonian and postpositivist epistemology and methodology. Westport, CT: Praeger. Morçöl, G. (2005). Phenomenology of complexity theory and cognitive science. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 27(1), 1-22. Morçöl, G. (2012) A complexity theory for public policy. London: Routledge. Morçöl, G. (in press). Can we discover the Higgs Boson of public administration theory? A complexity theory answer. In R. Geyer & P. Cairney (Eds.), Handbook on complexity and public policy, Cheltenham Glos, UK: Edward Elgar (anticipated publication date: 2014).
References Morçöl, G., & Gautsch, D. (2013). Institutionalization of business improvement districts: A longitudinal study of the state laws in the United States. Public Administration Quarterly, 37(2), 238-277. Morçöl, G., Hoyt, L., Meek, J., & Zimmermann, U. (Eds.). (2008). Business improvement districts: Research, theory, and controversies. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Morçöl, G., Vasavada, T., & Kim, S. (2013). Business improvement districts in urban governance: A longitudinal case study. Administration and Society (published online before print January 31, 2013, doi: 10.1177/0095399712473985) Mudacumura, G., & Morçöl, G. (Eds.) (2014). Challenges to democratic governance in developing countries. New York: Springer. Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
References Ostrom, E. (2005). Understanding institutional diversity. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Perrow, C. (1984). Normal accidents: Living with high-risk technologies. New York: Basic Books. Provan, K. G., & Kenis, P. (2007). Modes of network governance: Structure, management, and effectiveness. Journal of Public administration Research and Theory, 18, 229 252. Rhodes, R. A. W. (1997). Understanding governance: Policy networks, governance, reflexivity and accountability. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press. Sabatier, P. A., & Jenkins-Smith, H. (1993). Policy change and learning: An advocacy coalition approach. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Salamon, L. M. (Ed.) (2002). (Ed.), The tools of government: A guide to new governance. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
References Torfing, J., Peters, G. B., Pierre, J., & Sørensen, E. (2012). Interactive governance: Advancing the paradigm. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. World Bank (undated). What is governance. http://web.worldbank.org/wbsite/external/countries/menaext/extmnaregtopgoverna NCE/0,,contentMDK:20513159~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:497024,00.html. Accessed on February 28, 2014.