The Micro-Governance of Collaborative Networks for Water Protection: A Configurational Analysis

Abstract

This article aims to identify the configurations of micro-governance functions (aligning, mobilizing, integrating, organizing, arbitrating, monitoring) that foster an internal collaborative environment in collaborative networks. We collected data from 36 networks for water protection in Brazil and performed a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). Results yield four configurations, three of which have been adopted by collaborative networks whose members have not collaborated before. The fourth configuration is specific to networks whose members have a previous history of collaboration. Our study contributes to theory and practice since the extant literature on micro-governance is purely theoretical, with no empirical studies.