Exploring the Role of Dynamic Social Capital in Collaborative Governance

Abstract

The literature indicates that social capital plays a crucial role in facilitating collective action in collaborative governance. Despite this important role, the extant literature has not systematically conceptualized what forms of social capital exist in the context of collaborative activities and when and where such social capital contributes to the effectiveness of collaborative regimes. Reviewing the role of social capital as addressed by prior studies, this article advances a theoretical lens to assess how social capital fosters collaborative governance. Specifically, multiple forms of social capital can help participants to achieve collaborative goals throughout sequential phases and substantive arenas of collaboration.

The Environmental Performance of Participatory and Collaborative Governance: A Framework of Causal Mechanisms

“…Exchanging perspectives and knowledge of different types appears to be particularly beneficial in situations of radical uncertainty, where problems are characterized by indeterminacy, complexity, or incommensurability (Ansell, ; Pellizzoni, ).As the mechanisms underlying innovation are centered on knowledge and learning, the same conditioning factors as discussed for M II.1 to M II.3 apply. Apart from process design that allows for open and fair dialogue, high levels of trust and a shared sense of purpose among participants provide favorable conditions for positive outcomes (Connick & Innes, ; Heikkila & Gerlak, ; Oh & Bush, ). Facilitation is held to be conducive to effective knowledge exchange, and to compensate for strategic behavior (Fazey et al, ). Deliberation and environmentally beneficial outputs .…”

“…As the mechanisms underlying innovation are centered on knowledge and learning, the same conditioning factors as discussed for M II.1 to M II.3 apply. Apart from process design that allows for open and fair dialogue, high levels of trust and a shared sense of purpose among participants provide favorable conditions for positive outcomes (Connick & Innes, ; Heikkila & Gerlak, ; Oh & Bush, ). Facilitation is held to be conducive to effective knowledge exchange, and to compensate for strategic behavior (Fazey et al, ).…”

“…Either new networks are formed, or pre‐existing networks may be strengthened, thus facilitating joint action. It is assumed that participants come to recognize that others have important knowledge and capacities, or common interests (Layzer, ; Oh & Bush, ), which helps to build shared motivation for joint action (Emerson & Nabatchi, ; Innes & Booher, ; Sayles & Baggio, ).Networks of stakeholders potentially mobilize collectively held knowledge and capacities in ways that are appropriate to and supportive of implementation (Weible & Sabatier, ). First, the sense of common purpose and shared motivation (Emerson & Nabatchi, ) that underpins network development increases the potential of collective action (Poocharoen & Ting, ).…”

“…Either new networks are formed, or pre‐existing networks may be strengthened, thus facilitating joint action. It is assumed that participants come to recognize that others have important knowledge and capacities, or common interests (Layzer, ; Oh & Bush, ), which helps to build shared motivation for joint action (Emerson & Nabatchi, ; Innes & Booher, ; Sayles & Baggio, ).…”

Environmental Activism and Big Data: Building Green Social Capital in China

“…The cognitive dimension of social capital is primarily concerned with the shared understanding and interpretations among actors who play a motivational role in fostering and facilitating collective actions of people or groups within a network [45,53,54]. The development of social capital requires a degree of shared meaning and understanding among actors about their common goals and the ways that enable them to effectively draw on their collective knowledge and capacity to achieve mutually compatible ends [37].…”