The Flourishing Enterprise Institute is pleased to announce the release of a new preprint paper examining the need for local governments to adapt in response to the complex challenges emerging. Co-authored by FEI’s Randy Sa’d and Tim Posselt in collaboration with Manuel Riemer (Wilfrid Laurier University), and experts from ICLEI World Secretariat, this research invites your review and feedback as we develop frameworks to help municipalities develop more integrative, collective and adaptive systems.

Abstract

Local governments are increasingly confronted by accelerating change and escalating complexity impacting the well-being of the communities they serve. This necessitates significant change at the leadership level, namely the transformation of mindsets and strategic management practices. In this conceptual paper, the authors leverage the service ecosystems perspective to investigate shortcomings of conventional management practices in cities, that remain legacies of the New Public Management paradigm. These shortcomings are subsequently contrasted against a vision for more systemic management practices that would enable cities to better handle the emerging complexities of our times. The paper’s findings suggest that adequately addressing the increasing complexity local governments face requires the systematic adoption of more integrative, collective, and adaptive practices. The authors conclude with recommendations for research, practice, and policy.