Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
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tight couplings between participants that balances the need
to adapt universal principles to local contexts and the need
to coordinate activities across local contexts.
This raises a critical question: How can tight and loose cou-
plings coexist within multistakeholder initiatives? While it is
plausible that either tight or loose couplings exist in a given
system, their coexistence requires further explanation. The
nested network structure of multistakeholder initiatives (see
above) plays an important role in this context. This nested
network structure allows for the interplay of tight and loose
couplings. While tighter couplings prevail between partici-
pants within local networks, looser couplings exist among
participants from different local networks.
We can illustrate this by discussing how the four factors that
influence the strength of couplings impact the organization of
participants in multistakeholder initiatives. As local networks
engage participants in collective action and partnerships, the
frequency of interaction among participants is relatively high
(
causing tighter couplings). Local networks also allow differ-
ent stakeholder groups to interact directly (causing tighter
couplings), while interactions among different local networks
usually depend on advocates (causing looser couplings). Partici-
pants from a single local network are also more likely to agree
on how their environment functions (e.g., because they share
a common set of values). This enables a better coordination
of actions and, hence, tighter couplings. Finally, interactions
within local networks often produce more immediate results
(
causing tighter couplings) because participating organizations
work on both design and implementation of the underlying
activities.
Reconciling flexibility and stability
The coexistence of tight couplings (within local networks)
and loose couplings (among local networks) creates three
important effects for initiatives like the UN Global Compact.
First, since local networks are only loosely coupled to other
networks, it is possible to seal off problems in single networks
without creating negative spillover effects to other parts of
the overall initiative. In other words, the coexistence of tight
and loose couplings safeguards the stability of multistake-
holder initiatives. The resulting stability is a precondition
for balancing the quantity of participants and the quality of
their engagement – a key priority of the UN Global Compact.
Participant growth requires an organizational environment
that allows for local participant clusters to expand and con-
nect their activities while, at the same time, retaining a high
degree of autonomy.
Agenda
Stakeholder Management