Search Results (24)

This study develops a conceptual framework for reimagining Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17) in Africa through a reinterpretation of the Marshall Plan’s governance logic. The primary focus is to address persistent failures in development partnerships—namely, fragmentation, weak coordination, power asymmetries, and limited institutional capacity—by proposing a structured model of partnership governance. Using a theory-building methodology grounded in historical analysis and documentary evidence, the study applies a systematic adaptation logic in which core governance mechanisms from the Marshall Plan are re-specified to reflect African institutional realities. These mechanisms—coordination, mutual accountability, collective action, state capacity, and trust—are translated into eight operational pillars: co-development, institutional strengthening, structural transformation, regional integration, blended finance, digital public infrastructure, knowledge co-production, and resilience. The framework conceptualizes SDG 17 as a meta-governance system that aligns actors, institutions, and resources across sectors. By moving from historical abstraction to context-sensitive application, the study contributes a coherent, Africa-centered governance model that enhances partnership effectiveness and informs post-2030 development policy. Full article

Experimental Governance (EG) has emerged as a strategic framework for managing complexity in high-uncertainty environments. However, its application in the private sector remains fragmented, often conflated with purely operational tools. This study addresses this gap by performing a conceptual transfer of EG principles into the domain of business processes. Through an expanded Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 41 peer-reviewed articles (covering the period 2004–2026), we identify what we term the ‘Internalization Paradox’: while firms rapidly adopt experimental methodologies like Agile or Lean, they often fail to embed them into formal governance structures that ensure long-term accountability and institutional learning. This updated review incorporates cutting-edge discussions on Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance, experimentalist metagovernance, and the strategic regulation of uncertainty. Our findings suggest that organizational resilience is not merely a byproduct of technological readiness, but an emergence of ‘Institutionalized Experimentalism’. We propose a Conceptual Framework that operationalizes EG through iterative feedback loops, corporate sandboxes, and adaptive decision rights, providing a robust roadmap for future empirical research in management and organizational theory. Full article

The Korean government has established a goal of ‘carbon neutrality by 2050’ to prepare for an era of energy and carbon transition. As one of the measures to achieve the goal, the Korean government is also focusing on expanding offshore wind power generation. However, throughout the power generation project, delays and interruptions frequently occur due to public conflicts that arise between key stakeholders such as local residents, developers, and the government. The existing liberal governance model used to resolve public conflicts is revealing limitations due to the power imbalance between stakeholders and the uncertainty of the responsibility structure. In response, this study proposes a meta-governance model in which the government takes on the coordinating and mediating role among stakeholders as a meta-governor. Through qualitative research methods such as categorizing cases of offshore wind conflicts that have occurred in Korea and analyzing prior studies and policy reports, the analysis demonstrates that this framework can be more effective in resolving public conflicts between stakeholders. Notably, this article integrates the government’s roles as legislator, facilitator, provider, and enforcer mentioned individually in existing meta-governance model research. And it proposes an implementation system designed to manage public conflicts and increase project acceptance in the process of promoting offshore wind power generation. This paper addresses the limitations of existing liberal governance and redefines the role of the meta-governor in meta-governance, thereby providing sustainable implementation strategies for large-scale infrastructure projects including offshore wind power development. Full article

This conceptual article examines the shift of circular business models from policy-driven sustainability initiatives to commercially viable strategies in fast-moving product categories, with particular attention to repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and end-of-life recovery. Drawing on a structured narrative review and theoretical synthesis, it argues that circular models seldom scale within a single firm because slowing and closing resource loops require ecosystems that integrate product design, reverse logistics, and secondary markets. The paper develops an analytical framework that combines ecosystem strategy, complex adaptive systems, and common agency theory to explain how distributed complementarities, feedback dynamics, and multi-principal incentives jointly shape ecosystem trajectories. Reinforcing and balancing loops can accelerate, stabilise, or lock ecosystems into low-value routines, while incomplete contracts and divergent metrics may fragment effort and produce measurement traps. To address these coordination externalities, the framework introduces the super-principal as a meta-governance role that aligns principals through shared performance indicators, pooled funding rules, and investments in enabling infrastructures such as traceability. The framework offers implications for circular economy policy and ecosystem strategy aimed at sustaining higher-value circular loops. Full article

This study aims to answer the research question what are the characteristics of existing institutional governance factors within Lithuanian coastal municipalities that lead to the establishment of a common aim of sustainable development across different coastal municipalities. The method employed includes a systematic academic literature review and document analysis. The data collected were coded according to predefined themes and sub-themes, facilitating the determination of extent to which institutional factors influencing the public governance of sustainable development are integrated into the structures and credentials of municipalities. The findings reveal that while some municipalities incorporate sustainability into their vision and strategic plans, there is a general lack of dedicated policies and accountability for sustainable development. The absence of a dedicated unit or responsible employee for sustainable development implementation further fragments the approach to addressing these issues. Communication methods and public engagement vary, impacting the effectiveness of sustainable development initiatives. This study concludes that meta-governance serves as a unifying factor in public governance coordination among municipalities. To foster sustainable development in Lithuanian coastal cities, recommendations for policymakers are provided to increase transparency and civic trust, lead initiatives, and enhance dialogue through regional stakeholder forums or digital platforms for the co-creation of solutions across coastal municipalities. Full article

The proliferation of diverse multi-stakeholder partnering arrangements that seek to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has prompted calls for overarching standards to enhance their governance, legitimacy and effectiveness. This conceptual article critically examines the limitations of applying universal partnership standards across complex and context-sensitive collaborative arrangements. Drawing on a purposive sampling of approximately 115 academic, policy-oriented and practitioner sources, identified through targeted database searches, we explore the historical development of sustainability-related partnership norms and identify some of the tensions in their alignment with socio-historic, institutional and relational dynamics. We examine the concept of partnership meta-governance as a way of both ensuring and enabling effective collaborative initiatives working to meet the targets of the 2030 Agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Using a methodology that combines conceptual analysis with practitioner-tested support mechanisms, we propose a principles-based approach to enrich the enabling dimension of partnership meta-governance by privileging contextual responsiveness, co-creation and relational values over prescriptive compliance. This approach seeks to reinforce the transformational intent of the 2030 Agenda by offering a foundation for more inclusive and adaptive collaboration that supports the long-term aspirations of the United Nations’ Pact for the Future. Full article

While the planet Earth will survive the accelerating climate and nature crisis, humankind may not. As part of its work to halt the global climate and nature crisis, while generating a distributed prosperity, the United Nations has unanimously agreed on sustainable development goals. The achievement of these goals depends on the mobilization of local knowledge and resources, and the creation of a sense of joint ownership over new and bold solutions. Co-creation that brings together relevant and affected actors in emergent processes of collaboration, learning, and innovation offer a path to localized green transitions. However, little is known about how public governance can prompt, support, and scaffold the local co-creation of green solutions. Bridging extant literatures in the field of collaborative and networked governance, this theory-building article aims to identify a number of governance factors conducive for the local co-creation of green transitions. The resulting theoretical framework allows us to conjecture about which governance factors will be critical in different socio-political contexts, thus facilitating future studies of contrasted governance paths to local green co-creation. Full article

Relationship management is critical in public–private partnership (PPP), especially when the PPP concept is adopted to build community flood disaster resilience. In this regard, this study aims to conduct a systematic review to explore the relationship management strategies for using public–private partnership to build community flood disaster resilience. A systematic literature review was conducted to retrieve relevant publications related to the subject area. Through a thorough three-stage search using Scopus, a total of twenty-nine relevant journal articles were selected for analysis. From the review, a total of twenty-eight individual relationship management strategies for building community flood disaster resilience using PPP were derived. These strategies were put into six categories based on their individual meaning and relation to other factors; these include effective communication, legal and coordination, knowledge co-production, monitoring and evaluation, social initiatives, and consistent funding. Further, a conceptual framework was developed using a meta-governance approach, in which a four-step process is proposed to make the derived relationship management strategies actionable. The outputs of this study will be impactful for future empirical investigations on the use of PPP in building flood resilience. Full article

As humanity’s moral failure leads to wild aquatic resources decline, habitat destruction and community tension, an ethically sound path towards good governance is increasingly needed globally. To epitomize sustainable paradigm shifts of grassroots practicalities in the fish sector, an ethical governance framework is initially conceptualized with a meta-governance infrastructure and a value-based decision-making mechanism. The ethical approach is then contextualized by using fish-specific evidence and outlining evolution of participatory fisheries and aquaculture management in rural China as a case study. The empirical investigation of socio-ecological justice manifested in social empowerment, ethical conduct and ecological resilience reveals that in China: fisheries and aquaculture governance models have been transforming from hierarchical governance to integrated governance combining hierarchy, market and community; participatory ethics are embedded in civil organizations upgraded from fishery association, offices, leagues to societies and cooperatives, indicating a multi-stakeholder governance mechanism steered by the government as meta-governor; villagers’ committees play a critical intermediary role in extending township governance and promoting autonomy of fishermen (farmers); local knowledge and traditional code of conduct regulates fish activities of fishermen (farmers) ready for community cooperation and mutual assistance; fish communities adopt socio-ecological measures to ensure property rights to fish (farm) and conserve aquatic resources. The current study aims to provide value reference in leveraging justified policy tools while promoting legitimacy of fish grassroots governance, in hope of contributing to a greener future of fisheries and aquaculture worldwide. Full article

New players are entering the new and important digital data market for agriculture, increasing power asymmetries and reinforcing their competitive advantages. Although the farmer remains at the heart of agricultural data collection, to date, only a few farmers participate in data platforms. Despite this, more and more decision support systems (DSSs) tools are used in agriculture, and digital platforms as data aggregators could be useful technologies for helping farmers make better decisions. However, as these systems develop, the efficiency of these platforms becomes more challenging (sharing, ownership, governance, and transparency). In this paper, we conduct a case study for an accessible and scalable digital data platform that is focused on adding value to smallholders. The case study research is based on meta-governance theory and multidimensional multilayered digital platform architecture, to determine platform governance and a data development model for the Andalusian (Spain) fruit and vegetable sector. With the information obtained from the agents of this sector, a digital platform called farmdata was designed, which connects to several regional and national, and public and private databases, aggregating data and providing tools for decision making. Results from the interviews reflect the farmer’s interests in participating in a centralized cloud data platform, preferably one that is managed by a university, but also with attention being paid toward security and transparency, as well as providing added value. As for future directions, we propose further research on how the benefits should be distributed among end users, as well as for the study of a distributed model through blockchain. Full article

China’s sustainable development goals and carbon neutrality targets cannot be achieved without revolutionary transitions of the agricultural sector. The rapid development of digital technologies is believed to play a huge role in this revolution. The ongoing prevention and control of COVID-19 has greatly boosted the penetration of digital technology services in all areas of society, and sustainable transformation driven by digital technologies and services is rapidly becoming an area of innovation and research. Studies have shown that the rapid advancement of digitalization is also accompanied by a series of new governance challenges and problems: (1) unclear strategic orientation and inadequate policy and regulatory responses; (2) various stakeholders have not formed a sustainable community of interest; (3) information explosion is accompanied by information fragmentation and digital divide between countries and populations within countries. Meanwhile, current research has focused more on the role of digital services in urban governance and industrial development and lacks systematic research on its role in sustainable agricultural and rural development. To address the realities faced by different stakeholders in the process of digital transformation of agriculture, this paper aims to propose an inclusive analytical framework based on the meta-governance theory to identify and analyze the demand, supply, actor networks, and incentives in the digital technology-and-services-driven sustainable agricultural transformation, starting from the goals and connotations of sustainable agricultural and rural transformation and the interactions among different stakeholders in governing information flows. This analytical framework is further applied to analyze the cases of China and the EU. Although China and the EU represent different development phases and policy contexts, the framework is valid for capturing the characteristics of information flows and actor networks along the flows. It is concluded that a common information platform based on the stakeholder network would benefit all stakeholders, help reach common framing of issues, and maintain a dynamic exchange of information. Depending on the country context, different types of stakeholders may play different roles in creating, supervising, and maintaining such platforms. Digital infrastructures/products as hardware and farmers digital capacity as ‘software’ are the two wings for digital sustainable transformation. Innovative incentives from different countries may inspire each other. In any case, farmers’ actual farming behavior changes should be an important criterion for evaluating the effects and effectiveness of digital transition governance. Full article

The application of mass collaboration in different areas of study and work has been increasing over the last few decades. For example, in the education context, this emerging paradigm has opened new opportunities for participatory learning, namely, “mass collaborative learning (MCL)”. The development of such an innovative and complementary method of learning, which can lead to the creation of knowledge-based communities, has helped to reap the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the creation and development of knowledge. In other words, MCL allows for enhanced connectivity among the people involved, providing them with the opportunity to practice learning collectively. Despite recent advances, this area still faces many challenges, such as a lack of common agreement about the main concepts, components, applicable structures, relationships among the participants, as well as applicable assessment systems. From this perspective, this study proposes a meta-governance framework that benefits from various other related ideas, models, and methods that together can better support the implementation, execution, and development of mass collaborative learning communities. The proposed framework was applied to two case-study projects in which vocational education and training respond to the needs of collaborative education–enterprise approaches. It was also further used in an illustration of the MCL community called the “community of cooks”. Results from these application cases are discussed. Full article

Governance researchers have repeatedly discussed how to make public governance more accountable given the relatively ‘thin’ accountability of representative government. Recent decades have seen the growth of new, compensatory forms of accountability. However, these measures do not seem have satisfied the demands for strengthening public sector accountability. Drawing on the concept of social accountability, this article challenges common wisdom in arguing that collaborative governance may enhance public governance accountability, although it also raises new accountability problems that must be tackled. The article develops a heuristic framework for empirical studies of accountability, which improves the impact of collaborative forms of governance. Full article

Integrated river basin management (IRBM) has been proposed as a means to achieve water security (WS), maximizing economic and social well-being in an equitable manner and maintaining ecosystem sustainability. IRBM is regulated by a governance process that benefits the participation of different actors and institutions; however, it has been difficult to reach a consensus on what good governance means and which governance perspective is better for achieving it. In this paper, we explore the concept of “good water governance” through the analysis of different governance approaches: experimental (EG), corporate (CG), polycentric (PG), metagovernance (MG) and adaptive (AG) governances. We used the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) water governance dimensions (effectiveness, efficiency and trust and engagement) as a “good enough water governance” that regards water governance as a process rather than an end in itself. Results indicate that each of the five governance theories presents challenges and opportunities to achieve a good governance process that can be operationalized through IRBM, and we found that these approaches can be adequately integrated if they are combined to overcome the challenges that their exclusive application implies. Our analysis suggests that a combination of AG and MG encompasses the OECD water governance dimensions, in terms of understanding “good enough water governance” as a process and a means to perform IRBM. In order to advance towards WS, the integration of different governance approaches must consider the context-specific nature of the river basin, in relation to its ecologic responses and socioeconomic characteristics. Full article

The United Nations has recently recognised the global community’s environmental interests in ocean governance through the Sustainable Development Goal 14. The marine environmental protection targets stand in need of rejuvenating international environmental law, which fosters interconnection between oceans, climate, and terrestrial ecosystems. The existing literature on this aspect of ocean governance, however, is segregated and lacks an ecosystem-based approach. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the literature on ocean governance with an ecosystem-based approach becomes essential and is conducted through this research. This research has proposed that ocean governance programmes and plans need to be re-arranged under established legal frameworks at national and regional levels. Such a challenge can be addressed by taking the elements of governance provided by the list of targets of sustainable development goals. This research has facilitated the given hypothesis via a meta-ocean-governance framework that incorporates a deliberate regional monitoring system, intergovernmental review, capacity building techniques, national action through strong institutions, scientific decision making, and policy coherence. The idea is to fit the conceptualisation of ocean governance under international environmental law in the existing initiatives within a box of institutions to coordinate and encourage an ecosystem-based approach. Full article