Putting Polycentric Governance into Practice

Abstract

[A later version of this paper is available on the DLC at http://hdl.handle.net/10535/10693] "How can organizations cooperate? This chapter looks at practical implications of polycentricity for improving governance, focusing on opportunities for organizing collective action among multiple autonomous organizations. Putting polycentricity into practice may involve assessing the extent to which a situation is already polycentric, analyzing institutional options and feasible pathways for change, and crafting institutional arrangements for polycentric governance. Key activities include convening stakeholders, sharing information and experience, and creating or improving institutions that facilitate cooperation and help resolve conflicts, as well as developing enabling legal frameworks that facilitate self-organization and autonomous cooperation."