Understanding the role of partnerships in the food policy landscape and implications for food system governance

本研究的目的是通过考察“伙伴关系”作为英国食品系统治理机制的重要性，进一步了解英国食品系统治理的性质和对食品系统转型的影响。本研究将利用权力和治理的政治学理论来研究“伙伴关系”作为英国食品系统治理机制的作用，特别关注私营部门的参与。该项目包括两个阶段：首先，将建立伙伴关系的类型学，以了解和确定目前在英国食品政策领域运作的伙伴关系的特征，包括不同参与者如何定义角色和期望。这将通过案头研究和与公共、私营和民间社会部门利益攸关方的访谈相结合来制定。其次，将进行案例研究，以确定伙伴关系在特定政策或商品背景下如何发挥作用。案例研究能够“在现实世界的背景下”深入探索复杂现象（Yin 2018; Flyvbjerg 2006）。在这种情况下，确定合作伙伴关系如何在英国食品政策领域运作。为此，选择2个案例研究可能是合适的，例如：多方利益相关者伙伴关系在制定有关塑料污染的公私政策方面的作用2。一项关于如何在新兴海藻产业中实施伙伴关系的研究。准确的目标将在第一阶段的过程中确定。这将是混合方法/多成分调查，涉及社会网络分析和利益相关者访谈。这种方法的先例来自城市食品政策发展的研究（Brons, Oosterveer & Wertheim-Heck 2022）。社会网络分析是对个人或机构之间联系模式的研究，可以围绕一个主题或事件分析社会组织的重要方面，例如识别网络中的核心行动者（Ward, Stovel & Sacks, 2011）。考虑到DEFRA（2022）最近表达的合作意向，即采用合作方式来实施食品战略，这项研究是及时的，具有国家相关性。研究结果将有助于确定政策影响和建议。

The aim of this study is to further understanding of the nature of food system governance in the UK and the implications for food system transformation through an examination of the significance of 'partnerships' as a food systems governance mechanism in the UK. This study will draw on political science theories of power and governance to examine the role of 'partnerships' as a governance mechanism in the UK food system, with a particular focus on private sector involvement.MethodologyThis project comprises 2 stages:First, a typology of partnerships will be developed to understand and identify the characteristics of partnerships currently operating in UK food policy space, including how the roles and expectationsare defined by different actors. This will be developed through a combination of desk-based research and interviews with stakeholders from the public, private and civil society sectors. Second, a case study will be conducted to identify how partnerships function in a particular policy or commodity context. Case studies enable the in-depth exploration of complex phenomenon "within its real-world context" (Yin 2018; Flyvbjerg 2006). In this case, to identify how partnerships operate in the UK food policy landscape. For this purpose, it may become appropriate to select 2 case studies, for instance:1.the role of multi-stakeholder partnerships on the development of private- and public policies regarding plastic pollution2.a study of how partnerships are operationalised in the emerging seaweed industry.The precise target will be identified in the process of phase 1. This will be mixed methods/multi-component inquiry involving a social network analysis and stakeholder interviews. Precedence for this approach comes from the study of urban food policy development (Brons, Oosterveer & Wertheim-Heck 2022). Social network analysis is the study of patterns of connections between individuals or institutions that enables an analysis of important aspects of social organisation around a topic or event, such as identifying central actors within a network (Ward, Stovel & Sacks 2011).Given the recent expression of intent towards partnerships by DEFRA (2022) to adopt a partnerships approach to deliver the food strategy, this study is timely and of national relevance. The results will enable the identification of policy implications and recommendations.