Wouter Van Dooren professor

Research Wouter Van Dooren

Research team

Expertise

Public governance of federal, regional and local public administration.

Mapping Cultural Semi-Public Spaces (EmpowerCulture). 01/12/2024 - 30/11/2026

Abstract

Mapping Cultural Semi-Public Spaces will develop a methodological toolbox that can be activated by cultural and citizens organizations to map their social infrastructures and impact. Cultural semi-public spaces are in between the private and the public spaces and have the potential to induce meaningful political participation between strangers. Cultural semi-public spaces, which can be seen as spaces that are constituted by cultural practices (EmpowerCulture proposal, 2024), can catalyze political empowerment and participation. Innovative and meaningful ways of political participation are much needed because, in a time of multiple crises, citizen engagement in various forms contributes to the robustness and quality of politics and society. Although governments often initiate citizen participation, many initiatives are exclusive and tokenistic, leading to even more alienation and distrust (Wolf & Van Dooren, 2021), as well as discontent and detachment (Fernández-Martínez et al., 2020). Cultural semi-public spaces can offer new forms of political participation and engagement. They combine the security of the private sphere with the responsibility towards strangers, which is a core element of the public sphere. The artistic nature of cultural semi-public spaces offers a re-imagination of the roles of citizens away from classic forms of participation (Elstub & Escobar, 2019). Cultural semi-public spaces allow for experimentation with agonistic democratic participation because, in these spaces, consensus is not put forward as the ultimate goal. Cultural semi-public spaces are places where contradictions can be shown and fought out (Gielen, 2023) in a productive manner. This taps into the appeal of political theorists such as Mouffe (2013), who claim that not providing enough room for contention is one of the reasons large groups within society are not heard and are dissatisfied. It also resonates with recent policy conflict scholars such as Wolf & Van Dooren (2017), who brought attention to the productive and generative capacities of conflict needed within democratic policymaking. Subjective mapping is an approach to situated cartography that maps places from the perspective of lived experiences, by communities with a shared interest or needs. The mappings are developed during participative workshops with local communities who visualize their environment through graphs, maps, drawings, and photography — based on particular questions around the use and impact of a space. The production process supports people in mapping their environments from the inside out, starting from a placebased understanding grounded in lived experience. The resulting alternative cartographies provide insight into realities that are mostly excluded from dominant standardized maps. Through participatory mapping processes and the dissemination of alternative mappings, it contributes to the empowerment and the democratic relevance of their communities. In the Mapping Cultural Semi-Public Spaces research a senior researcher post-doc in the arts develops and tests the artistic toolbox and a predoc researcher in political science analyzes and evaluates the workshops. Through participant observation and interviews with participants, we will study, analyze, and evaluate how semipublic spaces can be mapped, what this process does, how it is used, by whom, and what it can do in terms of meaningful participation. We will examine if and how these semipublic spaces indeed provide space needed for other sorts of meaningful political participation with room for dissensus and conflict in empowerment processes.

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  • Research Project

Future vision on local and domestic governance in Flanders. 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2024

Abstract

The "Future Vision on Local and Domestic Governance in Flanders" project offers an exploration into the evolving landscape of governance at local and central levels within the Flanders region. It has a focus on amongst others regional collaboration and the strategic implications of municipal mergers. Building on previous research and on comprehensive stakeholder participation, the project goes into a dialogue on future scenario's for governance in Flanders. The research aims to provide actionable insights and recommendations to enhance governance in Flanders.

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  • Research Project

Sustainability and Trust in EU Multilevel Governance (STRATEGO). 01/11/2023 - 31/10/2026

Abstract

Given the current tenuous state of trust between institutions and actors at different levels in the EU governance system, the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence STRATEGO aims to teach, research and disseminate knowledge on the dynamics, causes and effects of trust between the actors and institutions involved in EU multi-level governance of sustainable development, with a focus on business and entrepreneurship, climate and biodiversity, and health policies. This empirical scope of STRATEGO connects with the UN's sustainable development goals, the policy priorities of the European Commission and the priorities of the Erasmus+ programme. STRATEGO will develop interdisciplinary synergies on EU governance, trust and sustainable development by bridging teaching, research and outreach efforts across disciplines at the University of Antwerp. Throughout all activities, STRATEGO will go beyond the usual producers and consumers of EU studies. It will bring EU governance knowledge of the Social Sciences, Law and Economics faculties to students and staff of the Science and Health Sciences faculties, and it will reach out beyond the academic environment to foster a dialogue with professionals, civilsociety and the general public. In terms of teaching, STRATEGO will ensure interdisciplinarity through guest lectures, joint supervision of bachelor and master theses and innovative formats such as simulations and micro-credentials. In terms of research, STRATEGO will bring together staff from various disciplines through research seminars, PhD masterclasses and a visiting scheme for early career scholars. In terms of outreach beyond the academic context, STRATEGO will organise activities such as thematic webinars, outreach workshops and activities for specific audiences such as secondary schools.

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  • Education Project
  • Research Project

Private capital for public services. Is private capital affecting public accountability and government executive capacity in social service markets? 01/11/2022 - 31/10/2026

Abstract

In European welfare states, the public sector plays an essential role in financing and organizing social service provision. Increasingly, however, markets for social services are infiltrated by private capital. Private Equity funds (PE) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) have become highly involved in the elderly care home and social housing markets. In the last decade, European policymakers have stimulated this trend. Yet, the governance implications of private capital in public services are not well understood. In this research, I study whether and how private capital affects (a) the public accountability of public service providers to democratic institutions and (b) the executive capacity of government to implement policies in public services. I will contribute to privatization, financialization, and hybrid governance literature. I study the impact of private capital on the care home and social housing market using a macro-meso-micro approach. This allows me to study how big market trends (macro) influence the day-to-day service delivery of providers (micro) through social mechanisms at the sector level (meso). The research design is a combination of document analysis and interviews. With this research, I aim to contribute to governance strategies that consider both opportunities and risks of involving private capital in public services.

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  • Research Project

ROBUST Crisis Governance in Turbulent Times – Mindset, Evidence, Strategies (ROBUST). 01/10/2022 - 31/03/2026

Abstract

The focus of European post-pandemic politics is currently on enhancing system capacities for 'bouncing back' from crisis to normalcy. These efforts draw on resilience research, which has become the dominant paradigm in crisis management. However, there are broad governance challenges that the resilience approach fails to consider. Centrally, how can European societies harness flexible adaptation and proactive innovation to deliver effective crisis responses in situations, where going back to the way things were is neither possible nor desirable? And how can democratic institutions uphold core values such as democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights in the face of crisis-induced turbulence? To address these challenges, the ROBUST project aims to set in motion a paradigm shift from 'resilience' ('bouncing back') to 'robustness' ('building back better') as the central principle of future crisis governance. The project breaks new ground by operationalizing the concept of robust crisis governance and investigating such responses empirically. We combine historical and comparative analysis at EU, national and local levels to gather a multi-dimensional data set out of which we identify the configurations of factors that drive (or block) robustness in crisis governance. The project studies responses by EU institutions and eight European countries to three recent crises (the financial, refugee and COVID-19 crises) to understand general patterns in system-level crises response, while we also conduct in-depth studies of localized COVID-19 responses 'on the streets' of 16 European localities to understand how EU, national and local crisis responses interact and are experienced by citizens. On this basis, the project delivers the elements of a new mindset along with policy recommendations for enabling the robust crisis governance of the future, all anchored in a learning hub that will serve as the social engine of the paradigm shift envisioned by the project.

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  • Research Project

Will this ordeal ever end? How the accumulation of administrative encounters can erode trust in government and create psychological harm. 01/10/2022 - 30/09/2025

Abstract

Low levels of citizen trust in government are problematic. When citizens become cynical and alienated from the government, they may refuse to cooperate when called upon (such as in Covid-19 vaccine programs). Although we already know that citizens' administrative encounters with public services may affect trust, I argue that public administration has crucially overlooked the temporal perspective. Some citizens are not faced with single administrative encounters but with complex and protracted battles against sometimes multiple administrative or judicial entities. I propose that we focus specifically on such accumulated encounters and their results. Such accumulated experiences may exacerbate negative perceptions of procedural fairness and outcome favorability, ultimately affecting trust. Moreover, I propose that more attention to the psychological costs of encounters is essential when taking such a temporal perspective. Protracted procedures with impactful outcomes (e.g., on someone's livelihood) will be highly stressful for citizens. The resultant psychological strain may exacerbate their negative perceptions of the procedure, which may spill over into general mistrust of government. The project proposes an original combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis to gain a thorough and robust insight into the trust dynamics of accumulated administrative encounters.

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  • Research Project

Digital Co-Creation of Public Services with Citizens: Understanding Pre-Conditions, Technologies and Outcomes (BeCoDigital). 01/09/2022 - 31/12/2025

Abstract

Digital government consists in using digital technologies to improve the internal functioning of administrations and the delivery of services to companies and citizens. In recent years, numerous authors have been calling for a digital government that is citizen-centric, open to external innovations, or that integrates citizens' input and ideas for smarter decisions. The confluence of four major factors has redefined the role of citizens in government to turn them into potential co-creators of public services instead of passive beneficiaries. First, citizens have increasingly higher expectations regarding public services and expect more personalized public services as well as opportunities for participation. Second, public organizations are limited by their resources and their knowledge of what citizens need and therefore require innovative ways to develop solutions. Third, the problems faced by governments are increasingly complex (e.g., reaching Sustainable Development Goals) and call for collaborative approaches that include external partners, including citizens. Finally, the use of digital technologies allows making co-creation easier and more cost-effective. For these reasons, digital co-creation methods present a highly promising avenue for improving the delivery of public services. However, due to the rapid evolution of digital technologies and the resulting diversity of co-creation methods, it is tedious for governments to implement the most optimal co-creation strategy given the stakeholders they wish to involve and the outcomes they wish to achieve. Therefore, the objective of the BeCoDigital project is to develop a practical and scientifically grounded roadmap (consisting of organized guidelines) to support citizen co-creation through digital technologies, and to validate it with use cases in a government context. To achieve this objective, the BeCoDigital project is structured into three main work packages (WP), each of them studying one aspect of digital co-creation and converging toward the roadmap. The research will take place over two years, from January 2023 to December 2024.

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  • Research Project

Conflict in Transformation (CONTRA) 01/04/2022 - 31/10/2025

Abstract

Polarisation threatens the transformative capacity of cities at a time when collective plans for a more sustainable and resilient urban future are needed. The typical answer to polarisation has been to strengthen consensus building among stakeholders, but such approaches are known to lead to alienation, tensions with existing democratic institutions, and an increasing gap with legal practice. CONTRA explores how institutionalising productive conflict can increase the transformative capacity needed in the transition towards more sustainable cities. Through a comparative study of urban planning law and practices focused on climate transition in 4 countries (Belgium; Netherlands; Norway and Poland), we study how conflict is handled and investigate the connection with political and legal institutions to determine whether conflict is suppressed or actively used for sustainable transformation. We also test new ways to handle conflict. CONTRA pioneers a new model of living labs (Drama Labs) that uses theatre-based methods to experiment with productive conflict. Combining empirical investigations with action research through the Drama Labs, CONTRA responds to topic 2 and 3 of the call by building capacities for urban transformation grounded in urban liveability, inclusivity, and active community engagement, as well as improving non-physical infrastructure such as governance and regulatory processes.

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  • Research Project

Does performance reporting of public performance strengthen the trust and voice of citizens? An experimental study. 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2025

Abstract

In the last decades, rankings and performance information have found their way to all corners of the public sector. Recent Belgian examples are hospital quality indicators and plans for standardized testing in schools. The fascination of society for the COVID19 indicators also attests to the appeal of performance indicators. Less is known on how citizens use performance information and the effects of information on trust in government and citizens' willingness to raise their voice. This project, therefore, asks how different kinds of performance information are used by citizens and to what effect on voice and trust. We propose two extensive experiments to answer this question. In the first experiment, we design an online budget game to trigger active use of performance information. This experiment will be performed on a large sample in an online panel. The second experiment partly replicates the first but will use an eye tracker to have in-depth insights on how people process information. The results of the study will inform the debate on the desirability and design of performance reporting systems.

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  • Research Project

Capturing the unearned increment: urban planning, land value capture and financialization 01/11/2021 - 31/10/2025

Abstract

Infrastructural regeneration is key in today's cities, but taking action is often hampered by the scarcity of public resources on which it typically depends. Recently, policy and scholarship have put faith in land value capture (LVC) instruments to overcome this 'infrastructure gap'. Through such instruments, funds are acquired by recouping the increases in land values resulting from public actions. Though expected to bear fruit, LVC carries the risk of deepening the broadly studied adversities stemming from the 'financialization' of the city. In this research, I intend to bridge the gap between financialization and LVC literature by scrutinizing and comparing how LVC instruments affect planning processes and spatial outcomes in four international cases. Based on an institutionalist approach, I employ the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to understand for each case how the governance networks surrounding LVC instruments operate, and how financialization plays a part. In-depth interviews and document analysis will provide the data for the analysis. Afterwards, I compare the findings through qualitative comparative analysis. This research will result in a) a categorisation of key benefits and pitfalls following LVC practices and b) insights into how financialization occurs in LVC practice.

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  • Research Project

Innovative Financing for Nature-Based Solutions in Flemish Cities (INNOFINS) 01/10/2021 - 30/09/2025

Abstract

emish cities are expected to take a leading role in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. At the core of these strategies are nature based solutions (NBS) by green, blue and hybrid urban infrastructures. NBS address multiple problems related to climate change in an integrated, sustainable way. Although investments in NBS infrastructures are considered a cost effective way to achieve future societal and environmental benefits, current public budgets in Flanders are insufficient. As a result, the gap between investments in and societal need for NBS is growing. In contrast to limited public budgets, there is an abundance of private capital seeking for investments. Yet, the potential to invest private capital in NBS is not fully exploited. NBS projects typically have sizeable upfront costs and diffuse and long-term societal benefits that are not easily captured in steady cash flows, making privately financed schemes often inappropriate. In order to attract private investments to NBS, new business models and alternative financing mechanisms are needed. In this project, we study the utilisation potential of three innovative financing models in the Flemish context: value capturing, impact financing and crowd funding with initial coin offerings (ICO). In order to develop a realistic but holistic and interdisciplinary approach, this strategic research will study how the new financial instruments impact planning and institutional processes, governance arrangements, valuation methods, juridical instruments as well as social justice. Together with our stakeholders, we will co-design six prototypes of alternative financing business models for green, blue and hybrid infrastructure. The urban living lab approach will ensure continuous integrated assessment of the spatial, juridical, administrative, economic feasibility and social impact of the new financing business models, optimising the utilisation potential for the societal users.

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  • Research Project

Policy Research Centre on Governance innovation 2021-2025 (SBV) 01/01/2021 - 31/12/2025

Abstract

The Policy Research Centre on Governance innovation supports the Flemish Government with academic an policy relevant advice on public administration. The Centre is a collaboration of the Universities of Ghent, Hasselt, Leuven and Antwerp. Research projects in Antwerp deal with local governance capacity, local personnel statute, and organisation of the Flemish government.

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  • Research Project

Support Analysis for the Reform of Local and Domestic Governance in Flanders. 19/04/2023 - 31/12/2023

Abstract

The advisory assignment specifically encompasses the support and advising (through notes and reports) of the Agency for Internal Governance and the minister responsible for Internal Governance during the various phases of the policy cycle until the end of 2023. The goal is to provide insight into the support base for a possible reform of local and domestic governance in the future. The advisory assignment will run through December 2023, with the following key research tasks: Support analysis for a reform of local/domestic governance; Mapping out variants in the process towards a reform; Conducting conversations aimed at this support analysis."

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  • Research Project

Chair of the steering group of the spending review in cultural support organisations 01/01/2023 - 29/02/2024

Abstract

The chairmanship of the steering committee for the spending review of the cultural superstructure. The spending review was conducted by a consultant. The review aims to critically examine the cultural expenditures in this sector.

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  • Research Project

Turnaround time for building social housing. 01/09/2022 - 31/12/2022

Abstract

The Flemish social housing companies are struggling to use the budgets provided for the construction of social housing. This study analyzes the reasons for delays in the construction of social housing by social housing companie

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  • Research Project

Towards a new regulatory oversight for the housing corporations 01/10/2021 - 30/06/2022

Abstract

This project evaluates the framework for regulatort oversight in the Flemish social housing sector. Based on interviews with stakeholders, we will assess whether the system of oversight and performance assessment is effective. We will also analyse whether the system needs to be adapted to broader reforms in the public housing sector.

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  • Research Project

InnoFiNS. Implementing innovative financing for nature-based solutions in Flemish cities. 01/12/2020 - 30/11/2024

Abstract

Flemish cities are expected to take a leading role in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. At the core of these strategies are nature based solutions (NBS) by green, blue and hybrid urban infrastructures. NBS address multiple problems related to climate change in an integrated, sustainable way. Although investments in NBS infrastructures are considered a cost effective way to achieve future societal and environmental benefits, current public budgets in Flanders are insufficient. As a result, the gap between investments in and societal need for NBS is growing. In contrast to limited public budgets, there is an abundance of private capital seeking for investments. Yet, the potential to invest private capital in NBS is not fully exploited. NBS projects typically have sizeable upfront costs and diffuse and long-term societal benefits that are not easily captured in steady cash flows, making privately financed schemes often inappropriate. In order to attract private investments to NBS, new business models and alternative financing mechanisms are needed. In this project, we study the utilization potential of innovative financing models in the Flemish context by developing real life business cases of NBS, using new instruments such as impact financing, value capturing and ICO-crowd funding. In order to develop a realistic and holistic interdisciplinary approach, this strategic research will study how new financial instruments impact planning and design of NBS infrastructure. The urban living lab approach will ensure continuous integrated assessment of the spatial, juridical, institutional, economic feasibility and social impact of the new financing business models, optimising the utilisation potential for the societal users. This research project will be integrated in the SBO-FWO project Innofins if granted. The SEP grant will be used to finance the planning and design research track of the proposal and will finance a part time post doc to coordinate the living labs and to develop a new proposal for similar funding opportunities.

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  • Research Project

Trust in Governance and Regulation in Europe (TiGRE). 01/01/2020 - 30/09/2023

Abstract

TiGRE provides an encompassing and coherent analytical framework for the study of trust relationships in governance. It studies trust among actors of regulatory regimes, such as regulators, political, administrative and judicial bodies, the regulated industries, service providers and their interest organisations, consumers and other societal interests, as well as citizens at large. TiGRE opens thereby new research directions within the tradition of studies of trust relationships between citizens and public authorities. TiGRE's aim is to reveal the role of trust and distrust in European regulatory governance and the ways trust can be maintained, enhanced, repaired and nurtured via administrative practices and reforms. It takes a multilevel governance approach, which includes the EU level as well as the national and regional ones. Trust – both as a pre-condition and a consequence of well-functioning regulatory regimes – is a key factor to be considered in order to capture how these regimes are able to produce effective and legitimate governance. The in-depth investigation of the complex interplay between trust configurations and regulation in different regulatory regimes (finance, food safety, communication and data protection) across levels of governance and in several countries requires the joint effort of experts with wide-ranging experience. TiGRE is run by a tightly integrated multidisciplinary consortium of top-level scholars, who bring together a very broad range of theoretical, substantial, and methodological skills. A cutting-edge mixed-method approach is applied to provide a comprehensive understanding of such multi-faceted trust-related processes. To bridge research with policy and practice, TiGRE provides criteria, indicators and early warning mechanisms for detecting decreasing trust, and scenarios on consequences thereof. They will be validated through interaction with stakeholders and compared with evidence from outside the EU.

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  • Research Project

Digital revolution in Belgian Federal Government: an open governance ecosystem for big data, artificial intelligence, and blockchain (DIGI4FED). 15/12/2019 - 15/03/2022

Abstract

The potential and actual use of Big Data (BD) applications affects the theoretical and practical context of decision-making, learning and process optimisation in the public sector. DIGI4FED ​aims to develop a governance design that serves the internal administrative and public service processes of the Belgian federal government; a governance design that is embedded in the open governance ecosystem and makes full use of the potential offered by big data (BD) and its application via artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology (BCT​).

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  • Research Project

Using Twitter as a public communication strategy: Can 140 characters reduce the Performance-Satisfaction Gap in the public sector? 01/01/2019 - 31/12/2022

Abstract

Research project funded by the Flemish Research Fund: Customer satisfaction regarding public services is often only loosely coupled to changes in actual performance. This gap between satisfaction and performance may lead to misguided reforms and may erode trust in public services. Literature shows how the incapacity of customers to assess actual performance can be attributed to the bounded rationality of customers. We know less about how public communication influences this bounded decision making that underlies the performance-satisfaction gap. With the rise of social media, the communication channels for public sector organizations have grown extensively. Twitter has become the dominant medium since it allows public organizations to interact directly with large audiences and offer live updates on services. Twitter should be ideally suited to address the information problem and thus to mitigate the performance-satisfaction gap. Yet, studies to the potential benefits and effects of social media within a public sector context are lacking. This project therefore asks whether and how public communication by public service providers via Twitter reduces the performance satisfaction gap. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest setup with advanced time series modelling, this project will bring new insights on what influences satisfaction of public services, the effect of public communication through social media as well as methodological innovation in the use of social media sources for Public Administration research.

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  • Research Project

Advice on the design parameters for a Flemish participatory budget 01/12/2017 - 28/02/2018

Abstract

Experience with participatory budgeting has mainly been local; i.e. in cities and municipalities. The Flemish government is considering to implement a participatory budget at the level of the region. This study investigates the design parameters for such a regional participatory budget.

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  • Research Project

Performance Indicators and methods for performance budgeting 20/11/2017 - 11/11/2018

Abstract

The use of perfomance indicators is an important challenge in performance budgeting. Data requirements and accountability issues have an impact on the formulation of meaningful indicators. The Flemish government has designed a system of performance budgeting, but seeks advice on how to use performance indicators. This study therefore looks into the possibilities and barriers of performance-informed budgeting.

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  • Research Project

Backseat drivers: How Regulatory Indicators are made. 01/10/2017 - 30/09/2019

Abstract

In recent decades, governments increasingly use regulatory indicators as a new tool of policy design. Like other policy tools, regulatory indicators aim to steer behavior of actors in the economy and in society. Yet, unlike traditional tools, they do so without the coercive or financial backing of the state apparatus. Regulatory indicators typically present themselves as a product of science (i.e. evidence-based), and the pressure they exert is mainly reputational. Examples of regulatory indicators are the educational rankings of the OECD, the credit ratings of public debt, and the governance indicators of the World Bank. The stress test of the European Banking Authority (EBA), the case study in this project, is an eminent case of a regulatory indicator. Despite their increasing importance, not much is known on how these regulatory indicators are made. Indicators are presented as objective facts and all agency involved in their development is stripped away. Notwithstanding the regulatory impact of choices in indicator design, the actors responsible for their production remain anonymous backseat drivers. This project addresses this gap with an in-depth case study of the development of the EBA stress test. The project conceives regulatory indicators as a being coproduced through both political and technocratic mechanisms.

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  • Research Project

Antwerp Consortium on the Organization of Rulemaking and Multilevel Governance in Europe (ACTORE). 01/09/2016 - 31/08/2019

Abstract

The core research revolves around the theme of multilevel governance in the EU. The consortium examines how EU multilevel governance impacts upon public policymaking processes in relation to rule-making and rule-implementation, both at the European and the domestic level. Its research program is centered around three interrelated research lines focusing on the complex multilevel governance system of the EU, changing domestic and EU rule-making processes and the legitimacy of the EU multilevel political system. Multilevel governance in the EU has made the organizational and institutional architecture of government and governance institutions much more interdependent and complex, affecting the way national and European societal interests organize themselves, how they secure representation and provide input in order to influence policy outcomes. These developments interact with changing domestic and European processes and outcomes of rule-making. All this ultimately raises questions concerning the legitimacy of how the EU multilevel political system operates and involves citizens and societal groups.

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  • Research Project
  • Education Project

Policy research centre: administrative renewal (2016-2020). 01/07/2016 - 31/12/2020

Abstract

The policy research centre is a framework programme of the Flemish government for research on public administration and management. Within the framework, Antwerp University is doing research on central-local financial relations, on resliency in governance, on large infrastructure programming and on personnel legislation.

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  • Research Project

An evaluation of social rent regulation; towards less detail and more local autonomy 01/04/2016 - 28/02/2017

Abstract

This study evaluates the current regulation on social renting and proposes concrete legal recommendations to government based on a good understandig of regulatory dynamics in the public sector. The study is a cooperation between legal scholars, housing scholars and Public administration.

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  • Research Project

Policy capacity of rural municipalities: fourth round, including knowledge transfer 01/01/2016 - 30/04/2017

Abstract

Policy capacity of small, rural municipalities is often said to be lacking. Yet, empirical evidence is limited. From previous studies, we found no firm evidence for a lack of capacity. Diversity amongst municipalities is high. Through in site visitations, this study attempts to identify strategies to improve capacity and to learn from other municipalities.

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  • Research Project

Municipal governance capacity: a research note. 01/12/2015 - 29/02/2016

Abstract

The output of this study is a paper on governance capacity research in Flanders. The purpose of the paper is to identify knowledge gaps with regards to municipal capacity and to suggest new research questions to address these gaps.

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  • Research Project

Steering without a stick - intergovernmental relations in transition 15/10/2015 - 14/12/2015

Abstract

The Flemish government enacted a new policy towards local governments. The possibilities of steering policies of municipalities through regulation or subsidies are reduced. This project asks how to influence local policy without being able to resort to hard policy instruments such as rules and subsidies. We study cases of policy influence through providing information, benchmarking and coproduction of policy.

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  • Research Project

Backseat drivers: How Regulatory Indicators are made. 01/10/2015 - 30/09/2017

Abstract

In recent decades, governments increasingly use regulatory indicators as a new tool of policy design. Like other policy tools, regulatory indicators aim to steer behavior of actors in the economy and in society. Yet, unlike traditional tools, they do so without the coercive or financial backing of the state apparatus. Regulatory indicators typically present themselves as a product of science (i.e. evidence-based), and the pressure they exert is mainly reputational. Examples of regulatory indicators are the educational rankings of the OECD, the credit ratings of public debt, and the governance indicators of the World Bank. The stress test of the European Banking Authority (EBA), the case study in this project, is an eminent case of a regulatory indicator. Despite their increasing importance, not much is known on how these regulatory indicators are made. Indicators are presented as objective facts and all agency involved in their development is stripped away. Notwithstanding the regulatory impact of choices in indicator design, the actors responsible for their production remain anonymous backseat drivers. This project addresses this gap with an in-depth case study of the development of the EBA stress test. The project conceives regulatory indicators as a being coproduced through both political and technocratic mechanisms.

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  • Research Project

Governance of municipalities and provinces: towards a new form of inter-relationships around spatial policy. 07/11/2013 - 06/08/2014

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Flemish Public Service. UA provides the Flemish Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

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  • Research Project

The impact of New Public Management at the frontline of public services: a longitudinal analysis of the ombudsman records (2000-2012). 01/10/2013 - 30/09/2017

Abstract

This project studies the impact of New Public Management (NPM) on the frontline of public services where citizens and public service providers interact. We will study whether NPM fulfilled its promise of more flexibility and better accountability, or whether NPM created new forms of rigidity, increased complexity and resulted in blame shifting. Empirically, we will perform a content analysis on complaints to the Flemish ombudsman. We are allowed to access the database of the Ombudsman with more than 12000 complaints. The records include the original correspondence between government actors regarding the complaint, which provides a unique perspective on day-to-day governance practice. The database spans more than 10 years, with cases before and after the introduction of NPM in Flanders in 2006 (Beter Bestuurlijk Beleid). We will develop an extensive coding scheme to analyse a sample of 840 records. We expect that the introduction of NPM will lead to a shift in the way public services deal with complaints.

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  • Research Project

Between public support and decisiveness: a comparative case study of the (societal) support in decision making processes). 01/07/2013 - 31/10/2017

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Province of Antwerp. UA provides the Province of Antwerp research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

New Public Management and the Performance of Public Services: a Missing Link? 01/01/2013 - 31/12/2016

Abstract

This research project wants to test whether and why New Public Management does (not) matter for performance. The project builds on the management matters research line, but addresses its two major limitations. Primarily, our project will seek better theoretical explanations for correlations between management and performance. Secondly, by going beyond the statistical testing, we search the generative mechanisms of the relationship between NPM and performance by asking why, how and under what conditions management matters.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Second and third phase guidance governability measurement rural municipalities. 01/01/2013 - 28/02/2015

Abstract

This project studies administrative capacity of rural municipalities. Based on an indicator set and case study research, 15 municipalities will be analysed. The project will propose recommendations for improving policy capacity.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Public Private Partnership and Public Accountability. 01/10/2012 - 30/09/2014

Abstract

During the 2004-2009 legislature, the Flemish Government launched a range of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in different policy areas with a total sum of investments of around 6 billion EUR. PPP's are emblematic for a shift in public administration from Weberian bureaucracies to network arrangements with joint public and private involvement. By far the largest and most controversial project is the Masterplan for Mobility in Antwerp (estimated at 2.2 billion EUR), including the contested closing of the ring road by the 'Lange Wapper' viaduct. Although PPP is often portrayed as a technical management tool, more critical observers point to the lack of public accountability of such large infrastructure projects. Democratic control over public spending, it is argued, gets obfuscated. Through the in-depth case analysis of four important infrastructure projects in Flanders, we study the impact of the shift to PPP on public accountability. Cases are school buildings in a PPP (School invest) and a bureaucratic mode (Agion), and road infrastructure in a PPP (Via-invest) and a bureaucratic mode (Schipdonk Canal).

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Research on models of cooperation for a coordinated urban and city regional housing policy. 01/02/2012 - 15/11/2012

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand KULeuven. UA provides KULeuven research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Policy Research Centre Governmental Organization - Powerful Government (2012-2015). 01/01/2012 - 31/12/2015

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Flemish Public Service. UA provides the Flemish Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Cooperation between support services of municipalities and local social welfare agencies (OCMW): a public administrative and legal analysis. 12/12/2011 - 11/12/2012

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Federal Public Service. UA provides the Federal Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Supervising the preparation of a framework agreement between DGD and VLIR-UOS 14/11/2011 - 30/09/2012

Abstract

This project represents a formal service agreement between UA and on the other hand VLIR. UA provides VLIR research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Performance management in government: cross-cultural perspectives. 09/09/2011 - 08/05/2013

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand Erasmus Mundus. UA provides Erasmus Mundus research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Optimization of the functioning of the housing inspectorate in relation to the housing actors. 01/03/2011 - 31/12/2011

Abstract

The research project studies the role of the housing inspectorate in relation to the housing actors (housing corporations, social rental agencies, credit agencies, ...). The purpose is to optimize the effectiveness of the inspectorate within the current regulatory framework.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Flexibility and accountability in local labour market policies: Flemish national expertise for the OECD/LEED review. 01/11/2010 - 15/03/2011

Abstract

This project represents a formal service agreement between UA and on the other hand OECD. UA acts as country expert for an OECD review within the LEED (Local Economic and Employment Development) programme. The study assess how to combine both local flexibility in policy with accountability for central targets.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Public Private Partnership and Public Accountability. 01/10/2010 - 30/09/2012

Abstract

During the 2004-2009 legislature, the Flemish Government launched a range of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in different policy areas with a total sum of investments of around 6 billion EUR. PPP's are emblematic for a shift in public administration from Weberian bureaucracies to network arrangements with joint public and private involvement. By far the largest and most controversial project is the Masterplan for Mobility in Antwerp (estimated at 2.2 billion EUR), including the contested closing of the ring road by the 'Lange Wapper' viaduct. Although PPP is often portrayed as a technical management tool, more critical observers point to the lack of public accountability of such large infrastructure projects. Democratic control over public spending, it is argued, gets obfuscated. Through the in-depth case analysis of four important infrastructure projects in Flanders, we study the impact of the shift to PPP on public accountability. Cases are school buildings in a PPP (School invest) and a bureaucratic mode (Agion), and road infrastructure in a PPP (Via-invest) and a bureaucratic mode (Schipdonk Canal).

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Can China learn from the EU? A comparative analysis of sustainable building policies. 01/09/2010 - 30/06/2011

Abstract

The applicant can adapt the methods, procedures and analyses of the International Metropolitan Observatory (IMO) research program. The IMO has carried out a phased series of analyses of metropolitan regions and their governance in seventeen countries, including a growing number of developing and transitional countries. The largest, most systematic international collaborative study of metropolitan politics and governance, the IMO is a priority research activity of the Research Committee Comparative Studies on Local Government and Politics of the International Political Science Association. A comparison between fast changing environment such as China and the more institutionalized context of European cities is designed to yield very useful insights

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

A comparative study of urban govervance in China and the EU member states 25/08/2010 - 24/06/2013

Abstract

Performance measurement is carried out by the governments world-wide. Use of performance information is a pivotal issue in performance management. However, the non-use of performance information is a ubiquitous phenomenon in both the developed countries and the developing countries. What are the reasons? The research project would use the comparative method to explore it. We would choose one European City and one city from China to do a comparative study. The objective is to find out the reasons influencing the use of performance information, especially the role of culture and institutions in this process.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Elaboration and support the first phase administration showdown rural communities on behalf of the Flemish Land Agency (VLM). 02/08/2010 - 01/09/2011

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand KULeuven. UA provides KULeuven research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Supervised startup rural fund from administration expertise. 01/05/2010 - 30/11/2010

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand the Flemish Public Service. UA provides the Flemish Public Service research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Organizational analysis of data sharing in the space monitor regarding the "Steunpunt Ruimte & Wonen". 01/10/2007 - 31/12/2011

Abstract

This project represents a formal research agreement between UA and on the other hand KULeuven. UA provides KULeuven research results mentioned in the title of the project under the conditions as stipulated in this contract.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Performance Criteria for the operation of social housing. 01/10/2007 - 31/12/2008

Abstract

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project