Participation and Political Influence in Complex Governance Systems

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6329921
AutoresJack Mewhirter (0000-0003-0116-5942), Eric A Coleman (0000-0002-5315-7111), Ramiro Berardo (0000-0003-2314-5053)
Ano2019
Volume47
Fascículo4
Páginas1002-1025
Data de publicação2019-11-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPolicy Studies Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0190-292X • E-ISSN: 1541-0072
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/psj.12227
OpenAlexW2754924695
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas29
Referências citadas32

Public policy generally emerges from interactions among actors embedded within complex governance systems, composed of multiple actors and forums (issue‐based arenas where stakeholders repeatedly interact to resolve collective action problems). Such systems allow actors multiple forums wherein they can influence policy decisions. But actors do not value the decisions made in each forum equally, and it remains unclear how actors allocate resources across forums. This article links actor strategy to their influence within the forums the actors identify as most important (their primary forum). There is theoretical ambiguity about how actors invest their limited resources across the forums that affect their interests to maximize primary forum influence. Do they concentrate all their effort within the primary forum or participate more broadly? To answer this question, we offer two competing theories. First, broad participation may allow actors to develop political capital necessary to influence other actors and thus influence primary forum policies. The second approach notes the opportunity costs of broad participation—actors have fewer resources to invest in their primary forum. An analysis of stakeholder participation in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and Tampa Bay Watershed governance systems demonstrates that broader participation is associated with greater primary forum influence

Ambiguity · Business · Collaborative governance · Collective action · Corporate governance · Political capital · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Stakeholder · Stakeholder engagement · Policy Transfer and Learning · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research · Water resources management and optimization