P28 Relational public management and place-based social complexities
Panel chairs
Corresponding Chair
Prof Rob Wilson, Professor, Northumbria University
Review Group Chair
Dr Paula Rossi, Senior Researcher, University of Vaasa
Co-chairs
Dr Helka Kalliomäki, Associate Professor, University of Vaasa
Dr Jonathan Wistow, Associate Professor, University of Durham
Dr Max French, Assistant Professor, Northumbria University
Dr Benedetta Trivellato, Associate Professor, University of Milano-Bicocca
Dr Veronica Moretti, Assistant Professor, Bologna University
Relational public management and place-based social complexities
In the context of increasing complexity in the public management environment and service delivery, global agencies, policy makers and citizens are demanding significant reform in provision whilst in parallel government and public service organizations strive to respond to local and community-based needs. Both require a move to distributed and relational form of management, capable of responding to complexity rather than delivering efficiency, staffed and led by capable generalists rather than specialists, and, perhaps above all, designed around human relationships rather than bureaucratic interactions or market transactions (Cooke and Muir 2012; Lowe et al 2021).
Indeed, and as widely acknowledged, wicked challenges of our contemporary societies such as climate crisis, socioeconomic inequalities, social injustices, mental health crisis and environmental issues such as environmental exposure defy linear, single-actor solutions. These complex, ambiguous and unstructured challenges are diffused to different policy fields (Rossi, 2024) and spatial locations. Thus, solutions aiming towards, for example, equity, sustainable urban and regional planning, and increasing the wellbeing of the citizens, are sought throughout and crossing the boundaries of multi-level, multi-actor governance systems. Responding to these wicked challenges, Wilson et al. (2024) set out a research agenda in relational public service, noting how new tools, methods and approaches are emerging which reify what Bartels and Turnbull (2020) have called a ‘relational turn’ in public management.
Through exploring how relational approaches to public management address place-based social complexities (Castellani & Gerrits, 2024) this panel will utilize a complexity approach as a heuristic device (Castelnovo and Sorrentino, 2018; 2024; Jalonen, 2024) to understand these wicked challenges and ways to address them impactfully. Through the complexity-approach, simplistic individuated dichotomies can be overcome, thus paying attention to the plurality of interactions and intersections that public management needs to respond to. Therefore, acknowledging the importance of relationships – a key instrument in managing complex needs and variety in service interactions (French et al. 2023) and cocreating value (Baines et al 2024) – becomes crucial.
The question of where increased attention to relationality might lead is at best emergent. The recommendations for reform range from a focus on technical development of transactional tools to accommodate or even bolster relational capabilities in hybrid institutional forms such as alliances, multi-agency collaborations, community assemblies, public-private partnerships, inter-organizational contracting arrangements or co-creation initiatives. The literature has begun formalizing relational alternatives, for instance Human Learning Systems (Lowe et al 2021, French et al 2023).
To this panel, abstracts exploring relational public management at the intersections of social complexities in different places such as national, regional and local communities as well as digital environments are welcomed. We encourage scholars with multidisciplinary backgrounds exploring a variety of conceptual, theoretical, empirical and methodological underpinnings of the topic to contribute to this panel.
First, we welcome theoretical and/or conceptual explorations addressing societal and environmental challenges that focus on relational public management topics and place-based social complexities. The topics can include (but are not limited to):
- The effect of variables such as social capital, social justice, social investment, community values, personality traits, and affective states (including emotions) on relational dynamics and on the outcomes of inter-organizational collaborations.
- The role played by different forms of organizational approaches - such as distributed, horizontal, integrative, etc. - on the relational dimension of interactions both within and across organizational boundaries (e.g. in the context of interactions between professionals and service users).
- The role played by sociotechnical systems including the design and implementation of AI, machine learning, data platforms and information systems in scaffolding or hampering relational practices, in the context of interactions among organizations, communities and/or individuals
Second, we welcome methodological explorations aimed at better addressing the nature of complex societal and environmental challenges. These methods can include (but are not limited to): Action Research and Participatory methods including dynamic network analysis, TJ-QCA, COMPLEX-IT, agent-based modelling, or urban ethnography.
Third, empirical reports and case studies about methods and tools for relational practices and approaches to public management and place-based social complexities are also welcomed.
Authors of the accepted abstracts will be asked to (1) submit a full paper following the conference schedules and guidelines, and (2) present their papers in panel sessions. Panel sessions are aimed at fostering co-creation, inclusiveness and emergence of novel approaches and ideas around the core panel theme. Therefore, we wish to arrange a set of co-creative discussions in which all authors of the accepted papers are warmly encouraged to participate. We also aim to explore publication opportunities such as a special issue or an edited book for those contributing to this panel.
References
Baines, S., Wilson, R., Fox, C., Narbutaite Aflaki, I., Bassi, A., Aramo-Immonen, H., & Prandini, R. (eds.). (2024). Co-creation in public services for innovation and social justice 1st edn, Policy Press, Bristol https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447367185
Bartels, K., & Turnbull, N. (2020). Relational public administration: A synthesis and heuristic classification of relational approaches. Public Management Review, 22:9, 1324–1346. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2019.1632921
Cooke, G., & Muir, R. (2012). The relational state: How recognising the importance of human relationships could revolutionise the role of the state. Institute for Public Policy Research. https://ippr-org.files.svdcdn.com/production/Downloads/relational-state_Nov2012_9888.pdf
Castellani, B., & Gerrits, L. (2024). The Atlas of Social Complexity. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing. Retrieved Aug 13, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789909524
Castelnovo, W., & Sorrentino, M. (2024) Public sector reform trajectories: A complexity-embracing perspective, Public Money & Management, 44:2, 165–173.
Castelnovo, W., & Sorrentino, M. (2018). Engaging with complexity in a public programme implementation. Public Management Review 20:7, 1013–1031.
French, M, Hesselgreaves, H, Wilson, R, Hawkins, M & Lowe, T (2023), Harnessing Complexity for better outcomes in Public and Non-profit Services. 1st edn, Policy Press, Bristol. https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447364139
Jalonen, H. (2024) A complexity theory perspective on politico-administrative systems: Insights from a systematic literature review. International Public Management Journal. Doi:10.1080/10967494.2024.2333382
Lowe, T, French, M, Hawkins, M, Hesselgreaves, H & Wilson, R (2021), 'New development: Responding to complexity in public services—the human learning systems approach', Public Money and Management, vol. 41, no. 7, pp. 573-576. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2020.1832738
Rossi, P. (2024). Conflicts in Public Policy Implementation. In: van Gerven, M., Rothmayr Allison, C., Schubert, K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Public Policy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90434-0_103-1
Wilson, R, French, M, Hesselgreaves, H, Lowe, T & Smith, M (2024), 'New development: Relational public services—reform and research agenda', Public Money & Management, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2024.2344902