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Network Governance Study Summary
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Detailed summary network governance
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2.2: Network Governance: Summary of reading material and lectures
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PRA - Governance Networks in the Public Sector
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BLOCK 2.2: NETWORK GOVERNANCEEXAM STUDY GUIDE
, Lecture 1: Introduction - Network Governance
Reading: Governance Networks in the Public Sector (Chapters 1-2)
1.1 Introduction: governance networks as the answer to complexity
Wicked problems (i.e. complex societal problems) are characterized by issues that:
1. Lack information or knowledge; these problems require in-depth knowledge to solve them
2. Technologically advanced by nature
3. Have various actors with conflicting/diverging interests and perceptions
4. Cut across the traditional jurisdictions of organizations, divisions of responsibilities between
layers of government, and the boundaries between the public, private, and societal domains
Governments, businesses, and civil society cannot solve wicked problems on their own. Therefore,
network governance is needed to solve these wicked problems.
- Network governance represents a shift from top-down (government) approach to horizontal
cooperation (governance)
What differentiates complex problems from complicated problems?
Complicated problems consist of many components that interact in a complicated way with one another,
but these problems can be solved by gathering more information. Complex problems involve not only a
large number of variables, but also conflicting opinions, uncertainties, and dynamics, thus making it hard
to predict how they will evolve and how they can be resolved.
Wicked problems are complex, not complicated
1. Strategic complexity: many actors with conflicting interests and strategies
2. Substantive complexity: many ideas on the problem and the solution, conflicts over facts,
numbers, and knowledge (relates to the content of the problem)
3. Institutional complexity: various rules, governments, and institutions
EXAMPLE 1: HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
The extraction of unconventional oil and gas using high-volume hydraulic fracturing is considered a
wicked problem
1. Lack of information: the nature of transactions among mineral rights owners and industry is
highly privatized creating obstacles to accessing water-quality data which limits shared
understanding of the issue
2. Technologically advanced nature: in order to understand the controversy about this topic,
scientists and researchers are needed to understand the impacts of hydraulic fracturing
3. A multiplicity of actors: coordinated action among various stakeholders who disagree about
values is required to solve this issue
4. Cross-boundary: the issue is unstructured, crossing different areas of policy jurisdiction
1
,1.2 Government, governance, and governance networks: a conceptual clarification
Government refers to public problem solving, policymaking, and service delivery according to the
Traditional Public Administration Model → problems, policies, and services are assigned to
specialized governmental units (command and control systems using task differentiation
and procedures)
There are four dominating meanings and four misconceptions of the term governance
MEANINGS MISCONCEPTIONS
Good governance / corporate governance Governance is everywhere
refers to the principles of a properly functioning Emphasis on the functioning of an
public administration that is characterized by the institution/government is merely good
fair treatment of citizens and an organization that practices of public administration that are
adheres to the basic principles of the rule of law. important for the functioning of these
- emphasis is placed on the operation of organizations, but governance ≠ good
government, not the way it is organized practices of organization, therefore
governance cannot be everywhere.
New Public Management (NPM) Governance is NPM
the role of government is to steer not row, so they NPM theories indicate that governments should
should set goals and policies but should leave the set clear goals but leave implementation to other
delivery of these policies to other organizations organizations, but governance actually
that can be held accountable emphasizes the horizontal relationship between
actors
Multilevel governance Governance is a-political or technocratic
networks are needed for problems that cross the While governance does consist of the way
boundaries of public organizations and their governments get its job done, these processes are
hierarchical levels inherently political. For example, climate change:
the debate is not only about whether it is real and
how to solve it, but also about the
preservation/attack on a way of life and the
distribution of wealth
Network governance (self-steering) Governance is composed of self-governing
complex interaction processes in a network of networks
public, private, and societal actors; network This statement assumes that networks function
governance through self-governing entities without deliberate government intervention (this is
only true in professionally oriented networks);
however, self-governance can get blocked
because of competing interests which indicates
that networks cannot function properly that way
Conclusion: governance should be understood as network governance.
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, Table 1.1: Three dominant perspectives in public administration
Traditional Public New Public Management Governance Network
Administration
Focus Differentiation and Internal functioning of Relations between
coordination within a governmental bodies and governments and with other
bureaucracy contractual relations actors
Objectives Production of effective and Improving effectiveness Improving inter-
uniform policies terms of and efficiency of public organizational
equality, legitimacy, service delivery and coordination and quality
and legality public organizations of policymaking and
service delivery
Core ideas/ Hierarchy, command and Business and Using network
management control, and line market instruments (e.g. management: activating
techniques management; policy cycle performance indicators) to actors, organizing
as a control mechanism improve service delivery research and
information gathering
Politics Politicians set goals; civil Politicians set goals; policy Goals are developed and
servants implement these implementation negotiated during
executives; accountability is and service delivery is done interaction processes,
held to both civil servants by independent agencies with no sharp distinction
and elected administrators between formation,
implementation, and
delivery
Complexity Complexity is dealt Complexity emerges from Complexity emerges from
in society with by deconstruction and giving implementers the interaction and network
assigning task to discretion to achieve these relations between actors
specialized units; ‘clear’ goals; does not because of their
dealt with as involve the complex interdependencies. Network
intellectual design interactions with society. governance is unavoidable
process with input despite its complexity
of policy analysts, because it is necessary to
professionals, and reach effective outcomes
scientific knowledge
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