Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
important in the pre-development phase of the transition (where CRIE Montado now
stands), in which collaboration concerns mainly 'horizontal cooperation' and functions as a
critical means for the niche establishment process - promoting innovation and actively
experimenting and defining viable and coherent alternatives or solutions to the problems
the regime is facing. It was also important in the take-off phase, where collaboration
between niche and regime actors shape anchoring (and later mainstreaming) of the
transition, concerning mostly 'vertical cooperation' processes. In this way, while vertical
cooperation was important for anchoring the niche into the regime in the machinery rings
and Regionalwert AG cases, horizontal cooperation seemed to be more relevant during
initial phases. This was seen in CRIE where members expressed their need to increase it
and delay vertical cooperation.
Factors affecting collaboration
To further understand how and which forms of collaboration have impacted on transition
processes, it is necessary to understand the particular driving forces and barriers to
collaboration in the three initiatives. The factors which influence cooperation can be
grouped into those concerning actor relationships (roles, capacities, trust and commitment),
objectives (expected benefits) and technical means, which are of course all interrelated.
Interpersonal and power relations are important, in particular, in the development of
bonding and trust, envisioning common concepts and strategies, and establishing
functioning structures. These were particularly evident in the Regionalwert AG and CRIE
Montado cases. The latter case showed that asymmetries in social status can create
asymmetries in power relations and communication, with consequences for collaboration
processes. In the case of machinery rings, it was found that many farmers lacked a sense of
ownership of the ring, despite the fact that they are de facto owners of the cooperative.
However, the case study also revealed that this does not necessarily lead to failure of the
initiative, as members perceived other benefits for themselves. Also, due to the nature of
machinery rings, interesting power dynamics between members were observed. For
example, collective buying power is a benefit for members who purchase commodities
within the ring (e.g. farmers), which results in prices and income being driven down for
other members (e.g. fuel suppliers). Commitment to collaboration was another key factor,
in particular, concerning leadership: a committed personality with strong local networks
and strong visions was a key factor for the success of the Regionalwert AG, while the
continuously changing leadership did not support the development of CRIE Montado. In
terms of formalized structures, both the machinery rings and Regionalwert AG cases have
shown that management structures have a central role in facilitating collaboration between
partner businesses (and between businesses and shareholders). Furthermore, they are
essential in communication with regime actors. The fact that machinery rings have become
involved in national level consultations and bodies can be interpreted as a sign of anchoring
at regime level. In a very different way, niche-regime interaction is evident in the
Regionalwert AG; the substantial public attention, increased visibility and a number of
awards have made the group part of national level discourses.
Learning has played an important role in all of the initiatives and is relevant for the
success or failure of the transition process. Two learning aspects are particularly important :
learning regarding organizational functions and processes within initiatives; and learning on
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