We reviewed the literature on leadership in linked social-ecological systems and combined it with the literature on institutional entrepreneurship in complex adaptive systems to develop a new theory of transformative agency in linked social- ecological systems. Although there is evidence of the importance of strategic agency in introducing innovation and transforming approaches to management and governance of such systems, there is no coherent theory to explain the wide diversity of strategies identified. Using Holling's adaptive cycle as a model of phases present in innovation and transformation of resilient social- ecological systems, overlaid by Dorado's model of opportunity context (opaque, hazy, transparent) in complex adaptive systems, we propose a more coherent theory of strategic agency, which links particular strategies, on the part of transformative agents, to phases of system change.

/pdf/a-theory-of-transformative-agency-in-linked-social-136jl6wy98.pdf

A Theory of Transformative Agency in Linked Social-Ecological Systems

For people living in Scotland's remote and rural Highlands, user networks and drop-ins offer a vital space of safety and community. Reports on a two year research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council into 'social geographies of rural mental health'. The study interviewed 107 service users, 44 mental health service providers and 17 carers, and surveyed 229 Highland GPs by postal questionnaire. In addition ten focus groups were held with members of the Highland User Group (HUG). Reports some of the key findings with regard to exclusion, stigma and the role of these voluntary sector support services in offering an alternative, safe 'community' to people with mental health problems.

Geographies of exclusion.

This special feature aims to further our understanding of the way in which transitions occur in water management. We contend that if we want to understand such transitions, we need to understand policy change and its opposite, policy stability. These issues have attracted considerable academic attention. Our interest is, however, very specific and thereby unique: we review the role that (groups of) individuals play in the process of preparing, instigating, and implementing policy change. In this article, a review of the literature on policy change provides the basis from which we extract a set of strategies which are available to policy entrepreneurs. The questions for the rest of this special feature are first, can we detect the influence of policy entrepreneurs in actual cases of major policy change, and second, which strategies have they actually used to affect policy change?

/pdf/realizing-water-transitions-the-role-of-policy-entrepreneurs-4av5qg21h3.pdf

Realizing water transitions : The role of policy entrepreneurs in water policy change

This paper focuses on the role of policy entrepreneurs in realizing water policy transitions.
The central questions are to what extent have policy entrepreneurs played a role in realizing major change
in water policies, who are these policy entrepreneurs, and what strategies have they used to bring about
change? The policy science literature suggests that policy entrepreneurs have an "arsenal" of possible
strategies for achieving change. Based on a comparative analysis of water policy changes in 15 countries
around the globe and the European Union, we investigate which strategies have in practice been used by
policy entrepreneurs, to what effect, and which lessons for managing water transitions we can draw from
this. The comparative case analysis shows that individuals play complementary roles; hence,
entrepreneurship in water management is often collective entrepreneurship. Strategies of coalition building,
the manipulation of decision making forums, and the strategic framing of issues and windows are crucial
to understanding water policy change, which suggests that the management of water policy transitions is
a highly political game. We conclude by listing recommendations for those who would like to direct water
policy change.

/pdf/policy-entrepreneurs-and-change-strategies-lessons-from-3fno7kt76d.pdf

Policy entrepreneurs and change strategies: lessons from sixteen case studies of water transitions around the globe

https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5173329.pdf

En la espiral de la energía

Los autores de este libro, profesores de reconocido prestigio en universidades de Suiza, Francia y Espana, proponen diversas vias y dimensiones de analisis y gestion de politicas publicas, al mismo tiempo comprensibles y solidas, bien fundamentadas en multitud de ejemplos y experiencias concretas sacadas de los contextos de sus respectivos paises. Los temas de gobernanza, participacion social y las complejidades del ejercicio de gobierno en un escenario como el europeo con tantas esferas de gobierno, estan bien presentados, y hacen que el libro pueda ser util para personas que se mueven en contextos politicos, de gestion y administracion publica, organizaciones sociales, estudiantes y estudiosos de las politicas publicas y los problemas contemporaneos.

Análisis y gestión de políticas públicas

The role played by policy entrepreneurs in preparing, initiating, and implementing water policy change in Spain over the last two decades is examined in an effort to understand how transitions in water management occur. The main questions considered are whether policy entrepreneurs can influence water policy change, and which strategies they actually adopt to promote change. John Kingdon's multiple streams framework was used to assess the ways in which policy entrepreneurs succeed in challenging the dominant agenda, mobilizing alternative policy ideas, and making use of multiple venues for initiating policy change. The data set comprises secondary documentation and interviews with state and non-state actors involved in Spanish water management. The main findings are that policy entrepreneurs from certain social, scientific, and political organizations have indeed played a central role in fracturing the traditional and long-standing approach and decision making process to water management as well as in opening new avenues for policy change. The main implication is that accounts of water management transitions should place greater emphasis on the role of agency in bringing about policy change.

https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss2/art25/ES-2009-3344.pdf

Water Management in Spain: the Role of Policy Entrepreneurs in Shaping Change

Se han escrito paginas y mas paginas sobre los efectos que lallamada «crisis» de los setenta y sus «flecos» han tenido en todoelmundo y,en especial, en los paises occidentales avanzados.
No quisieramos anadir «mas lena al fuego». Quisieramos soloconstatar como, con tantas otras cosas que se han llevado losnuevos vientos,nos hemos quedado sin buena parte de laslegitimidades y recetas que las democracias occidentales lucianorgullosas en aquellos ya lejanos anos 60. En los agonicos 80 sepostula adaptabilidad al cambio,imaginacion y capacidad deinnovacion de los poderes publicos ante una sociedad que haaprendido, con fuertes perdidas y dificultades evidentes, amoverse en los nuevos parametros.
La democracia es un tipo de regimen politico que, dejando almargen explicaciones institucionalistas, permite el perfecciona-miento constante del sistema gracias a los recursos plurales deque dispone y gracias tambien a los mecanismos correctores queincorpora. A medida que la democracia se ha ido consolidando,se hahecho mas complejo su funcionamiento, apareciendo masactores, grupos y colectivos que reclaman su parte en losmecanismos de decision y en los resultados de la accion de lospoderes publicos. Y ha variado asi el norte de esa imprescindibley constante necesidad de perfeccionamiento.

Análisis de políticas públicas y eficacia de la administración

Políticas públicas en España : contenidos, redes de actores y niveles de gobierno.

https://negociacionytomadedecisiones.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/analisispoliticassubirats-2001.pdf

Joan Subirats

Papers

Análisis y gestión de políticas públicas

Water Management in Spain: the Role of Policy Entrepreneurs in Shaping Change

Análisis de políticas públicas y eficacia de la administración

Políticas públicas en España : contenidos, redes de actores y niveles de gobierno.

El análisis de las políticas públicas