Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 5
PRCM regional capacity
building model
Knowledge
exchange and
networking
Regional
expertise
Identification of
best practices
Training grounded
in local and
regional context
Pilot activities to
apply knowledge
that has been
acquired
Developm
ent of data
tools
governance mechanisms can cause local communities to
cede to the agendas of well-funded international organiza-
tions or NGOs. Achieving a common vision is particularly
difficult
dispersed, which contributes to communication difficulties.
Creating accessible meeting spaces, harnessing technology,
and funding opportunities for exchanges are helpful but can
sometimes be costly. In a region where there are multitudes
of local languages, where the Internet connection can be
unreliable in many areas, and where electricity outages are
frequent, even the simplest communication efforts can be
challenging. For example, language differences, cultural
barriers, and sheer distance worked against greater com-
munication among various regional actors in the WAMI
project (Borner and Guissé
2010
; WAMI
2010
). Further-
more, diffuse and ill-defined authority makes democratic
decision-making processes difficult particularly when power
and capacity is unequally distributed spatially and organi-
zationally (Skelker
2005
).
Furthermore, ensuring the durability and financial sus-
tainability of such partnerships is often a major obstacle to
the long-lasting changes they hope to achieve. Like any
program that depends on uncertain funding, the PRCM is
not a permanent structure, particularly in times of economic
crisis. However, the motivation for working together will
only increase over time and will remain a necessity in the
when
organizations
at
all
scales
compete
for
funding and projects that reflect their priorities.
The tension between competition and collaboration can
become high, when a group creates a network and then ends
up competing with members of the same network. In this
situation, distrust and a refusal to share information can
result. Furthermore, in networked governance, the hierarchy
of responsibility is replaced by a hierarchy of interactions,
which sometimes allows certain institutions to avoid com-
pleting tasks and makes ensuring accountability difficult.
The difficulty of coordinating activities can increase the
transaction costs related to the extensive consultations
needed to develop and enforce agreements. All of these
problems are exacerbated when the network is particularly
extensive
and
comprises
a
host
of
diverse
actors
and
interests like the PRCM.
Additional obstacles to effective networked governance
comprise communications failures, and data and capacity
shortages. In networks, roles and responsibilities are often
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