Role Of Actors Research Articles

The role of third parties in shaping transboundary cooperation of the Sixaola river basin (Costa Rica and Panama): an analysis through States’ involvement, technocratic turn, and reterritorialization

Transboundary water management in the Sixaola basin, shared by Costa Rica and Panama, has historically involved significant contributions from thrid - third and not thrid - parties. This study investigates their evolving roles and the implications for governance in this context. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of non-State actors interventions over time, focusing on changes in strategies, priorities, and their impact on transboundary basin governance. Our findings indicate that while non-state actor initiatives have attracted attention and financial resources, they have also introduced significant governance challenges, leading to inconsistencies in basin development. The analysis reveals that limited governmental involvement and the technocratic turn in development strategies have raised questions about basin development and its tangible impacts. Additionally, reterritorialization efforts highlight a local tendency to better align existing functional spaces with local concerns. This study contributes to the literature on transboundary basin management by providing insights into the multifaceted role of non-state actors in the Sixaola basin. It explores a case where governments remain distant in defining governance systems, highlighting the added value of focusing on non-state actors to grasp the complexity of hydropolitics and discussing the politics of river basin development.

Listening to regulators about the challenges in regulating emerging disruptive technologies

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the regulatory challenges of emerging disruptive Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Brazil and the strategies regulators use to address them.Design/methodology/approachIt is an empirical qualitative research on Brazil’s three administrative levels, focusing on the legislative houses’ specialised Science and Technology Committees. It combines archival analysis of public meeting records with elite interviews of parliamentarians and technocrats who participated in Public Hearings in 2019, which results in this paper analysed through the Theory of Communicative Action with a critical stance.FindingsThe research reveals that regulatory challenges gain new dimensions by involving discussions about emerging ICT. Factors such as time constraints, rapid technological evolution and widespread adoption compound these challenges, straining the preference for the incremental pace of regulation and the traditional model of specialised regulatory agencies. The research captures some regulators’ values, underlying concerns and perceived necessities for surmounting these challenges. It also outlines the preferred process for ICT regulation, revealing parliamentary assistants and executive intermediate-level specialists as gateways for interest groups’ action.Social implicationsThe study's findings highlight the crucial role of specific actors as gateways to the covert action of interest groups, particularly Big Tech firms. This contribution is significant as it empowers civil society and academia to monitor and mitigate the risk of regulatory capture, thereby promoting a more transparent and equitable regulatory environment.Originality/valueThis research is original in directly engaging with the key figures (lawmakers, legislative assistants and specialised bureaucrats) involved in the critical and timely issue of regulating emerging disruptive technologies.

The impact of NOCs in Chinese foreign policy: the cases of Angola and Sudan

AbstractChinese companies have invested substantially in countries abroad in recent years, including countries in Africa. This article investigates the activities of Chinese energy companies in Africa, looking at the cases of Angola and Sudan. It develops a theoretical framework that can examine the role of non-state actors in foreign policy. The article presents evidence that non-state actors play a role for Chinese foreign policy and sometimes go against the policy line from Beijing. Theoretically, it illuminates the increasing role played by national oil companies (NOCs) in foreign policy and contributes with explicitation of the role played by NOCs for the foreign policy of the state. The article also contributes with insights regarding the importance of concerns with domestic stability (weiwen) to Chinese foreign policy and how this motive relates to the Chinese NOC activities in a number of countries.

Cybersecurity and Italian critical infrastructures: the return of the state?

ABSTRACT Security strategies have increasingly come to include references to critical infrastructures, seen as security assets to be preserved. In the Italian case, the rise in cyberattacks against critical infrastructures has been associated with a perception of their increasing relevance as potential threats. This has led to renewed attention towards the governance model adopted in this issue area and, in particular, towards the role of private actors and public-private partnerships, the actual owners of the infrastructures, now called upon to contribute to the provision of security as a public good, but with limited capabilities and a limited interest in doing so. Looking at the Italian case, the article shows that the traditional cybersecurity governance model, involving private actors in an equal relationship with public actors, has seen a subtle and gradual shift towards an increasing strengthening of the authority of public actors (verticalization).

The role of scientists in regional innovation system transformation: shaping the direction to a biomass-bioeconomy

ABSTRACT Following evolutionary approaches, regional innovation systems (RISs) scholarship has begun investigating RIS transformation processes. Recently, the focus has shifted towards understanding more sophisticated changes needed to tackle grand societal challenges. So far, the changing roles of RIS actors within these processes have remained underexplored. This paper analyses the role of scientists in supporting transformative changes in RISs, drawing on existing literature on agency and asset modification. Taking the case of the bioeconomy in Lower Austria, the paper shows that scientists, expanding beyond their traditional roles as knowledge generators and disseminators, are crucial in modifying and mobilising regional assets to support the biomass-bioeconomy. The findings indicate that scientists’ activities in asset modification have influenced the development of the biomass bioeconomy path in the region.

Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Promoting Transparency in Collaborative Governance through Non-State Actors: A Comparative Case Analysis of South Africa and Zimbabwe

Objective: Collaborative governance is an innovative approach to address complex societal challenges, involving partnerships between state and non-state actors. Consequently, social media is powerful tools for promoting transparency and accountability. Methodology: The study examines the role of non-state actors in leveraging social media to enhance transparency in collaborative governance initiatives. The research analyses two case studies - the #FeesMustFall campaign in South Africa and the #Tajamuka/Sesijikile campaign in Zimbabwe. Results: Through a qualitative analysis of the case studies, the study explores how non-state actors, such as civil society organizations and activist groups, have utilized social media to amplify their voices, mobilize public support, and exert pressure on government entities. Findings reveal that effective use of social media can empower non-state actors to overcome information asymmetries, facilitate public scrutiny, and foster collaborative problem-solving. Conclusions: However, contextual factors, such as political environments and digital access, shapes the dynamics of social media-driven transparency efforts.

Contesting the Securitization of Migration: NGOs, IGOs, and the Security Backlash

Abstract Studies of migration-related security concerns have focused on the emergence of these concerns through securitization or their potential dissolution through desecuritization. This paper challenges the conventional view of these processes—securitization and desecuritization—as oppositional and mutually exclusive. Instead, it argues that they are imbricated in complex ways in an arena of contestation where actors vie for legitimacy and justify their claims through ongoing actions and reactions. Focusing on the Global South case of securitized migration in the Dominican Republic, this paper conceptualizes desecuritization not as a discrete outcome measured by success or failure, but as a dynamic process evolving through interactions with securitization. By examining the role of non-state actors in contesting securitized policies, the paper reveals that such contestation can paradoxically intensify securitization through a “security backlash” that delegitimizes these actors and discredits their rights-based claims. This dynamic underscores the “resilience” of securitization amidst persistent contestation. Ultimately, the paper demonstrates desecuritization as iterative contestation rather than static outcomes, emphasizing the agency of non-state actors in shaping security narratives and practices while acknowledging their limitations against powerful state actors. These insights from a study of South–South migration extend the application of the securitization framework beyond convenient Western contexts and challenge perceived geographic boundaries.

Bringing the state back in the lithium triangle: An institutional analysis of resource nationalism in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia

International efforts to tackle climate change have ignited a global surge in demand for the “critical metals” that are used in the production of lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles (EVs). Among them, lithium represents a critical strategic component that is concentrated in only a limited number of extractive zones. In theory, limited availability and strong demand creates favourable conditions for producer states. In practice, many states have struggled to nationalize the production of battery-grade lithium, reflecting the dominant role that multinational corporations play in the sector. This paper explores the strategies that producer states in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia have used to navigate this rapidly changing dynamic, making the case that the recent surge in demand for battery metals has created new opportunities for challenging the oligopoly of multinational capital but the ability of governments to reorient production linkages for enhancing incomes, technical capacity, and economic opportunity in the production of lithium derivatives remains structurally and historically constrained by the institutional legacies of nationalization and social mobilization that vary across the three states. Drawing upon the “political settlements” literature, we contend that national and subnational efforts to exert greater control over the lithium sector can be attributed to the institutional legacy of political contestation and the role of social actors in crafting new power configurations that challenge dominant state-business coalitions.

The role of non-human actors in the acceptance of management accounting: the case of a Moroccan public establishment

Like private companies, public service establishments are seeking to improve their performance by adopting management control tools. However, their acceptance in this context raises specific challenges. Unlike the private sector, where profitability is often the main driver for the acceptance of such tools, the public sector has to deal with more complex organizational dynamics involving many actors. This article examines the reasons underlying the acceptance of a management control tool, in particular a management accounting system, in the Moroccan public sector. The research is based on a qualitative case study carried out in a Moroccan public establishment that recently introduced a management accounting system, using the Actor-Network Theory (ANT), also known as the translation theory, developed by Callon and Latour in the 1980s. Traditionally mobilized to analyze the innovation diffusion process, this approach is used in our research to study the pre-adoption, or ex-ante, phase of innovation introduction. The results of this study highlight the complex dynamics of management accounting acceptance in the Moroccan public sector, showing how non-human actors play a crucial role in the pre-adoption phase of management control instruments. Our research reveals the decisive influence of the tax variable, as a non-human actor, on the acceptance of the management accounting system. This link between taxation and management accounting is a significant contribution, particularly due to the lack of studies on legal and fiscal variables in management control. These results underscore the importance of considering both non-human and human actors equally in the translation process (generalized symmetry).

The Role of Actor- Network Theory in the Effective Implementation of Activity- Based Costing: Case Study in Construction Company

The Role of Actor- Network Theory in the Effective Implementation of Activity- Based Costing: Case Study in Construction Company

Toni HAASTRUP, Luis MAH and Niall DUGGAN (eds.), The Routledge Handbook of EU-Africa Relations

The Routledge Handbook of EU-Africa Relations is a timely and pioneering volume that offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolving interaction and collaboration between the European Union (EU) and Africa. The work brings together contributions from scholars with diverse viewpoints, critical analysis, and expertise on EU-Africa relations. By blending historical contexts, contemporary dynamics, and future-oriented insights, this seminal volume offers a holistic understanding of EU-Africa relations with five parts that each part delve into specific aspects of the relationship, including historical and theoretical perspectives (Part I), governance frameworks (Part II), key issues (Part III), the role of external actors (Part IV), and opportunities for cooperation in tackling global challenges (Part V). One of the most remarkable aspects of this volume is its bold interrogation of the asymmetrical relationship between the EU and Africa, as well as the prevailing Eurocentric narratives in the study of EU-Africa relations. In fact, some chapters deliberately use the term “Africa-EU relations” to emphasize a shift in literature, challenging dominant narratives and promoting a more inclusive and diverse scholarship. By navigating the complexities of this relationship, the handbook sheds light on underlying dynamics and offers practical modalities for consolidating and strengthening the partnership between the two continents.

Sustainable Scientific Tourism Development Planning Using Micmac-Mactor In Bogor City

Bogor is a city in Indonesia that has a variety of potential scientific tourism objects, such as historical buildings, educational institutions, and research institutions. Although its existence is always needed by various parties as a reference for learning, the object has not been managed optimally in a system that is integrated, so it does not have a significant impact on tourism activities in Bogor City. This research aims to analyze what variables influence tourism planning and the pattern of relationships between actors to build a sustainability strategy for scientific tourism in Bogor City. This research was conducted using the Micmac and Mactor methods. The results showed six important variables to develop sustainable scientific tourism in Bogor City, i.e. infrastructure, tourism resources, promotion, investment, regulation, and policy, then research and education institutions. Meanwhile, the Government, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Regional Council are important institutions/actors in the development of sustainable scientific tourism. This research has provided an overview of the key variables and actor roles that are most influential on the success of this tourism development in the future and provides a basis for policymakers to make it a priority to develop a scientific tourism development strategy in Bogor City.

Power, interests and representations in the construction of alcopop as public problem in Quebec, Canada

Alcopops are malt-based or spirit-based sugary beverages whose consumption has led to numerous policies in different Western countries. This article examines the representational and socio-political dynamics surrounding the sale of alcopops that led to restrictive policies in Canada (2017–2020). Using qualitative methods during this period, including interviews with key players in the field of alcohol policy, analysis of press articles and review of legislative documents, we trace the evolution of public and political discourse on alcopops. We shed light on the role of social actors—mainly public-health organizations and the alcohol industry—defending their own interests to influence policy-making. A multi-theoretical framework is used to analyze how alcopops emerged as a public problem. This framework integrates Herbert Blumer's theoretical perspective on social problems, Serge Moscovici's social representation theory and Stevens and Zampini’s political constellation model. Through an analysis of the socio-political context in Quebec, we reveal the complex interplay between public health imperatives and the interests of the alcohol industry. This should serve as a model to study public problems that lead to public policies implementation.

Analisis Actor Network Theory Dalam Program Pusat Pembelajaran Pemberdayaan Perempuan (Putaran) di Kota Surabaya

The establishment of the Women's Empowerment Learning Center Program (PUTARAN) certainly requires a driver or main actor and supporting actors who are the implementers. With the involvement of the main actors and supporting actors, it will cause interaction in realizing the Women's Empowerment Learning Center (PUTARAN) program. This research was compiled with the aim of knowing the role of the main actors in making policies for the Women's Empowerment Learning Center (PUTARAN) program and knowing the interaction between the main actors and supporting actors in realizing it, in order to achieve the fulfillment of the rights of women online motorcycle taxi drivers and people with disabilities in Surabaya City. This research uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach through interview techniques. This research uses Actor Network Theory according to Callon (1986) which has four groupings, such as problematization, interessement, enrollment, and mobilization. It shows that both in terms of roles and relationships between the main actors and supporting actors interact well, this can be seen from the success of the Women's Empowerment Learning Center Program (PUTARAN) which has been realized in accordance with its duties and functions.

Green growth governance and total factor energy efficiency: Economic growth constraint and policy implementation in OECD countries

This study aims to examine the nature and governance of green growth strategy in OECD countries. As the strategy implies a sustainable relationship between economic growth and energy efficiency, we considered economic, environmental, and policy factors to empirically analyze green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) performances for 2001–2020 period. For this purpose, we employed a two-step methodology. In the first step, we estimated GTFEE scores from an undesirable output model by using robust order-m frontier efficiency method. In the second step, we used GTFEE estimates and built a panel data model to investigate the impact of governance and environmental policy factors. The panel data regression results point to several implications. Firstly, market-based environmental stringency policies are found to be effective. Also, economic globalization is found to be effective only in market-based and mix policy cases. The findings indicate the key roles of market-based pricing mechanisms and economic actors for the inclusive governance of green growth. Secondly, economic growth is found to be negatively related with GTFEE which shows the trade-off between economic growth and energy efficiency. Lastly, the analysis by commitment periods of the Kyoto Protocol points to the importance of global consensus on the implementation of green growth strategy.

Participation of Business Actors in Implementing Circular Economy on Batik Products in Kauman Batik Kampoeng, Pekalongan City

This research explores the application and potential of batik business actors in the implications of the circular economy (CE) model in Pekalongan, Indonesia. As a prominent cultural heritage, the batik industry is essential to the regional economy. However, conventional linear production and consumption practices have resulted in environmental challenges, resource depletion, and waste generation. By embracing CE principles that emphasize resource efficiency, waste reduction, and closed-loop systems, the batik industry in Pekalongan can develop sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. This study examines critical aspects of CE implementation, starting with community participation in the batik, drawing insights from successful CE implementation in other industries. The implementation of CE in other industries is the role of business actors in the business chain outside Kampong. This paper analyzes the potential benefits and challenges of implementing CE in the Pekalongan batik industry and the role of stakeholders in promoting circularity. By highlighting the feasibility of the CE model, the results of this research are that the level of community participation in implementing a CE has not been maximized with the potential remaining production output so that this aspect of the condition becomes a sustainable opportunity to encourage sustainable practices in the Pekalongan batik industry.

Transnational queer cultures and digital media: an introduction

Abstract Queer cultures have long been transnational and in times of rapid technological advancements, large migration flows, and intense cross-cultural exchanges, queer connections are evolving in new forms and meanings. These developments occur at the intersection of various intertwined geopolitical scales: urban, regional, national, continental, and global, as well as physical and digital. This introduction synthesizes various theoretical and methodological discussions to highlight the ambivalences of contemporary queer cultures, focusing on their intrinsic transnational and digital conditions. The authors contributing to this issue demonstrate that understanding queer cultures in the digital age requires examining the roles of various actors, including big tech employees, online platform volunteers, queer influencers, audiences, and migrants. They also highlight how queer digital cultures transcend national borders and challenge oppositional binaries, such as local vs. global and the West vs. the Rest, all while maintaining a critical perspective on the ambivalences of digitality.

The Current Role of Western Development Actors as Knowledge and Policy Providers: The Making of Good Governance of Natural Gas Resources in Tanzania

The creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge are crucial for achieving sustainable development and have been at the heart of international development efforts since World War II. In conventional international development cooperation, the Global North is portrayed as the provider of knowledge and material assistance, with the South often perceived as a more passive receiver. This approach perpetuates hierarchical knowledge-power relations, as what is considered the ‘best practices’ are usually based on experiences, ideologies, and ideals from the North. This paper critically examines the current role of Western development actors as providers of knowledge and policy, specifically in the formulation of good governance for natural gas resources in Tanzania. Following significant offshore natural gas discoveries between 2010–2015, Tanzania has garnered the attention of international energy companies, foreign donors, technical advisors, and consultants, all offering guidance and capacity-building expertise to ready the country for production. Drawing on interviews with key actors supported by secondary sources, this analysis depicts how hierarchical knowledge relations persist, but also highlights the contested and evolving nature of what constitutes good governance of natural gas resources. The paper underscores how context matters in petroleum resource governance and, more broadly, the necessity for contextualising knowledge in international development cooperation.

Systemic View of the Role of Higher Educational Institutions in the Great Reset

The Great Reset is a concept proposed by the World Economic Forum to rebuild the global economy sustainably following the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising stakeholder capitalism, greener practices, and more equitable social contracts. However, most of the literature focuses on the role of business and government actors in the Great Reset. At the same time, research that considers the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) is lacking. However, HEIs have the significant capacity to support various aspects of the Great Reset. In this work, we examine different mechanisms by which HEIs could bring change, such as fostering the growth of workforce skills, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, participating in community development and others. A survey on a sample of university professors, postdoctoral researchers, and research assistants has been conducted with the goal of evaluating the degree to which HEIs have played a role in influencing economic recovery after COVID-19, leveraging the industry 4.0, enhancing regional development, revitalising global cooperation, formulating sustainable business models, restoring environmental well-being, and restructuring social contracts, skills, and employment opportunities. A two-step cluster analysis has been conducted, indicating that HEIs played different roles in the Great Reset process, being the Leaders, Followers and Laggers. We found a significant difference between the various groups of respondents according to their scientific field, position, and region regarding the perception of the role played by their HEIs in influencing economic recovery after COVID-19. The position of the respondents contributed to their perception of the role that their HEIs participated in the process of the Great Reset, with the assistant professors perceiving the most often that their HEIs are Leaders. Additionally, the scientific field and region of the HEI also impacted their role in the Great Reset, with the HEIs from technology and countries outside of Europe being the Leaders most often. On the other hand, Followers and Laggers were equally from social sciences and other fields and European countries.

Innovative Resource Distribution Through Multi-Agent Supply Chain Scheduling Leveraging Honey Bee Optimization Techniques

Many people and things involved in the supply chain can be represented by a network of linked agents in a multi-agent system. To achieve distribution and manufacturing targets efficiently, actions in a supply chain must be scheduled by tracking and organizing the allocation of resources. Healthcare, energy, aerospace, agriculture, and manufacturing are some of the industries that make use of it to better allocate and coordinate resources in complex networks. The goal of multi-agent supply chains is to lower costs and meet demand in dynamic contexts through efficient resource allocation and planning. Traditional approaches, such as linear programming and heuristic algorithmic approaches, have problems with adaptation and scalability. This study offers a novel scheduling method, Resource Distribution by Honey Bee Optimization (RDHBO), to circumvent these issues. It is based on a tactic that the honey bee uses when foraging. In this model, scout bees and foragers take on the role of actors, investigating and making the most of potential new ways to divide up resources by employing HBO strategies. The foraging agents look for places that have been profitable in the past, and the scouting agents carefully examine the supply chain to find places where resources might be available. The proposed RDHBO architecture allows for better supply chain scheduling by encouraging effective utilization and investigation, better communication, dynamic adaptability, autonomous decision-making, and efficiency of complicated systems. This method leads to an adaptable supply chain, lower operational costs, and more scalability and adaptability. This paper presents a formidable alternative to conventional optimization methods by demonstrating an efficient approach to dealing with complicated supply chain challenges.