Collaborative Research: Integrated City Sustainability: Administrative Apparatus for Overcoming Collective Dilemmas of Agency Fragmentation

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Nontechnical Description of Significance and ImportanceLocal governments face complex crosscutting policy issues that transcend traditional administrative silos organized around function. When a single issue or objective crosses multiple independent units, collective action and coordination problems can arise from fragmented authority. Local sustainability is a broad and complex issue and provides an ideal lens through which to study these organizational challenges. Despite the widespread adoption of sustainability goals by local governments, an administrative apparatus to coordinate their implementation is lacking or inconsistent in many communities. This research examines the impact that different administrative arrangements have on policy efforts and outcomes and assesses the institutional structures necessary to facilitate the success of local sustainability efforts. Functional coordination and collective action problems within a single government are similar to institutional collective action problems that arise from fragmented governmental authority within metropolitan areas. In both cases, the connectedness of services, objectives, and resource systems produces positive and negative externalities. Resolution of these dilemmas requires additional resources and expertise, as well as the development of administrative structures to integrate decision-making. This work intends to initiate a general theory of institutional collective action that encompasses administrative dilemmas within as well as between organizations. It proceeds in two stages: First, it will collect quantitative data on administrative institutions via surveys administered to local government officials. Second, eight cities will be selected for in-depth analysis based on characterizations developed from their survey responses. An analytic narratives approach and social network analysis will be applied to explore the mechanisms available for overcoming functional collective action dilemmas in local sustainability. Technical DescriptionAlthough functional coordination has long been a concern within public administration, these issues are not emphasized in contemporary policy theories. Little is known about how the design of administrative mechanisms influences organizational ability to integrate decisions and resolve functional collective action problems. Even less is known about how administrative mechanisms affect policy outputs and outcomes at the organizational level. Through an exploration of city sustainability policy, this research will initiate a theory of functional collective action that extends institutional collective action research beyond its current focus on horizontal and vertical fragmentation among independent governments. Findings will provide insight to address the common problem of "fuzzy boundaries," whereby the lack of clear lines of responsibility for tackling complex policy issues necessitates more coordinated efforts. This research will systemically identify the strengths and weaknesses associated with different mechanisms for overcoming functional collective action and enable municipalities to make more informed choices and minimize administrative dilemmas within as well as between organizations. The results of this analysis are expected to be of applied value to local government practitioners. Additionally, the empirical survey data collected from this research will contribute to the broader study of urban governance and policy in the US and enable researchers to better examine sustainability and local government administration questions.