Why do multistakeholder processes emerge and flourish? Identifying and operationalizing the leading hypotheses

cg.authorship.typesCGIAR single centreen_US
cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and advanced research instituteen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Notre Dameen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Food Policy Research Instituteen_US
cg.contributor.donorCGIAR Trust Funden_US
cg.contributor.initiativeLow-Emission Food Systemsen_US
cg.contributor.initiativeAgroecologyen_US
cg.contributor.initiativeNEXUS Gainsen_US
cg.creator.identifierRyan Nehring: 0000-0002-0867-7820en_US
cg.creator.identifierWei Zhang: 0000-0002-2933-6275en_US
cg.creator.identifierRuth Meinzen-Dick: 0000-0003-4782-3074en_US
cg.howPublishedGrey Literatureen_US
cg.identifier.projectIFPRI - Natural Resources and Resilience Uniten_US
cg.identifier.publicationRankNot rankeden_US
cg.number2312en_US
cg.placeWashington, DCen_US
cg.reviewStatusInternal Reviewen_US
cg.subject.actionAreaSystems Transformationen_US
cg.subject.impactAreaClimate adaptation and mitigationen_US
cg.subject.impactAreaEnvironmental health and biodiversityen_US
cg.subject.impactAreaGender equality, youth and social inclusionen_US
dc.contributor.authorAndersson, Kristeren_US
dc.contributor.authorNehring, Ryanen_US
dc.contributor.authorZhang, Weien_US
dc.contributor.authorMeinzen-Dick, Ruth S.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-08T22:37:21Zen_US
dc.date.available2025-01-08T22:37:21Zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/168720en_US
dc.titleWhy do multistakeholder processes emerge and flourish? Identifying and operationalizing the leading hypothesesen_US
dcterms.abstractThe literature on Multistakeholder Processes (MSPs) includes several studies that seek to specify the conditions under which MSPs perform well and deliver tangible governance improvements that would otherwise not happen. This is important research as MSPs are gaining popularity as an alternative to more traditional governance strategies, such as centralized, government-led activities. MSPs are often proposed in institutional settings where formal governance institutions are perceived to be ineffective or inequitable. In principle, studies that explain variation in MSP outcomes have the potential to inform MSP organizers and their decisions about how to organize their future MSPs in ways that save resources and improve outcomes. However, the existing MSP research programs demonstrate at least three limitations: First, the literature is characterized by the production of long lists of potential determinants of MSP performance, which makes it challenging for researchers to offer practical advice as to which of these factors is most important for MSP organizers to address first, and under which contextual conditions. Second, there is little agreement among scholars about what the core elements of a well-functioning MSP are, which elements affect mostly the emergence vis-à-vis effectiveness, and it is rare that studies specify which conditions or factors are essential and which may be helpful but not critical ingredients of success. Third, there is a dearth of theory-driven research that uses causal inference methods to test the theoretical propositions, which means that it is difficult to assess the quality of evidence in literature’s existing, mostly descriptive analyses. To advance knowledge about the emergence and flourishing of MSPs, and move beyond the production of long lists of associative success factors, there is an urgent need for researchers to come together in a community of practice to address the noted shortcomings. The Community of Practice will also promote the development of new and innovative ways of conducting MSP work, which will enable researchers to improve outcomes in terms of both cost-effectiveness and equity. In this paper, we review and synthesize the leading hypotheses on MSP emergence and effectiveness, develop a theoretical framework that captures the leading hypotheses, and discuss the viability of employing causal inference methods to test new hypotheses related to the emergence and flourishing of MSPs. We conclude by outlining the contours of a community of practice and how it can help advance MSP scholarship.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Accessen_US
dcterms.audienceAcademicsen_US
dcterms.bibliographicCitationAndersson, Krister; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; and Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. 2024. Why do multistakeholder processes emerge and flourish? Identifying and operationalizing the leading hypotheses. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2312. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/168720en_US
dcterms.extent36 p.en_US
dcterms.isPartOfIFPRI Discussion Paperen_US
dcterms.issued2024-12-29en_US
dcterms.languageenen_US
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserveden_US
dcterms.publisherInternational Food Policy Research Instituteen_US
dcterms.relationhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04896-9en_US
dcterms.relationhttps://doi.org/10.5751/ES-13168-270202en_US
dcterms.subjectstakeholdersen_US
dcterms.subjectforaen_US
dcterms.subjectresearchen_US
dcterms.typeWorking Paperen_US

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