Papers
Papers written by SCPI Trustees, Director and associates include:
- Government-Community Engagement
a reflective paper written in 2009 on recent initiatives in the United States and New Zealand looking at how the governments can better engage with the public - Comparative table and research background
accompanying the Government-Community Engagement paper - Governance of not-for-profit organisations
- Sustained Dialogue
A process for changing strained community relationships - Damaged Goods
The Case of Focus 2000 and the failure of Contracting - Pacific Ways of Talk
hui and talanoa - Becoming Deliberative
- Forming norms and implementing sanctions
Deliberation and sustained dialogue in a social capital framework - Spaces for Dialogue
Forming views on new and conflict issues
Papers on Community Governance
- Community Governance - Why our interest?
Presentation by David Robinson to SCPI Community Governance Workshop, 16 July 2009 - Eternal Vigilance
Address by David Haigh to SCPI Community Governance Workshop, 16 July 2009 - Case Study: Pukerua Bay (2.4 MB)
Community Governance Workshop - Local Government and Opportunities for Community Governance
Presentation by Mike Reid to SCPI Community Governance Workshop
SCPI’s interest in community governance, participation and their relationship to social capital started long before the current discussion around the reorganisation of local government in Auckland.
The following two papers were written and presented in 2000, — one for a World Bank Study Tour seminar (Social Capital, Participation and Consultation), which raises the issue of risk management, and the other (Social capital and links to urban governance and management) for presentation at a conference on urban government in St Petersburg. The issues they raise remain relevant to our present discussions.
- Social Capital, Participation and Consultation
Presentation by David Robinson to World Bank Study Group, Massey University, Auckland, 24 May 2000 - Social Capital, Links to Urban Governance
Presentation by David Robinson at a conference on urban government in St Petersburg, June 2000
Governance of not-for-profit organisations
David Haigh, July 2008
Governance of not-for-profit organisations - pdf
This research into the governance of not for profit (NFP) organisations involved the interviewing of twelve CEOs of medium-sized NFPs, six in Auckland and six in Christchurch. The research looked at their governance and how they compared with theoretical models, the strategies for dealing with the maintenance of the boards, and the key governance issues they faced. Comparisons were made where applicable between the NFPs in Auckland and Christchurch.
Two theories were considered: the stages of NFP boards by Wood (1992) and the isomorphic change of organisations (Powell & DiMaggio). In brief, the work by Wood shows how boards tend to evolve from a collective founder stage through to a corporate phase often with organisational crises as an impetus for those changes. Isomorphism explains why organisations evolve due to normative, coercive and mimetic reasons so that over time NFPs tend to become more professional and corporate with little difference between each organisation.
The research noted that there was a strong trend, particularly in Auckland, of a move away from the collective towards corporate governance. This was highlighted by the trend away from incorporated societies and towards charitable trust status. Auckland boards and CEOs tended to be professional and university educated, while Christchurch NFPs had a more community development focus, including more volunteers. Two of the Christchurch organisations have a strong Maori kaupapa and this may partly account for the difference between the organisations in the two cities.
The cycle of change relating to the stages of boards as proposed by Wood is applicable to both Auckland and Christchurch. However in terms of the theory of isomorphic change, this was more applicable to the Auckland NFPs. Auckland has a business culture and the normative reasons for isomorphic change was reinforced by the professionalisation of the organisations. Practically all the twelve organisations had government contracts and a strong governance structure is a requirement of such contracts. This indicated the influence of the coercive reason for isomorphism.
Sustained Dialogue - a process for changing strained community relationships
David Robinson, May 2006
Sustained Dialogue - pdf
The Social and Civic Policy Institute has been working for several years to encourage the use of deliberative forms of dialogue by communities to identify critical issues and develop responses to them. We have found growing interest in going beyond deliberation to find a process that would enable communities to engage in ongoing, in-depth dialogue. Even when people interact in a deliberative manner there are underlying issues in New Zealand society that it is not possible to resolve, or even to understand adequately, in the limited time usually available.
In discussion on issues such as economic development and employment opportunities underlying issues of race relations and institutionalised racism have often been raised. However, we have not had an adequate framework or suitable process to address them. A process that can help people move beyond addressing legal or constitutional issues and enable them to identify and explore under-lying relationships.
This requires dialogue rather than debate, a willingness to listen to other views and commitment to ongoing dialogue.
In our work with a wide range of communities we have found that many people feel isolated from the talk through which it is possible to make sense of the world and to influence events. They do not feel that they have the ability to influence others (individuals, groups, organisations or government). It often seems that the ability to influence has moved away from ordinary people to a range of officials and professionals who claim to speak and act on our behalf.
Individuals and communities may also be concerned over how to respond to the increasing diversity in society (in terms of ethnicity, culture, religion and status) where the disconnection between decision makers and those affected by these decisions is repeated within each group and where there may be a lack of trust between groups.
Damaged Goods: The Case of Focus 2000 and the failure of Contracting
Pat Hanley, August 2006
Damaged Goods - pdf
In examining the reported failings of Focus 2000, an organisation providing services to people with disabilities primarily in the Auckland region I have concluded that the radical contracting model by which some government departments purchase services from community based organisations serving people with disabilities has directly contributed to the failure of service provision.
Pacific Ways of Talk - hui and talanoa
David Robinson and Kayt Robinson
Pacific Ways of Talk - pdf
This paper explores "Pacific ways" of talking about issues of common concern with reference to two customary, or traditional, forms of talk that continue in current use in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Fiji.
Taken together, hui and talanoa provide insight into an approach to collective talk, especially the importance of ceremony, that has commonalities with that used in other traditional societies.
Becoming Deliberative
David Robinson
Becoming Deliberative - pdf
This case study reviews a series of events using a "deliberation" approach that have taken place in Porirua City over a four-year period. It sets out the nature of these activities and considers how they impacted on the ongoing approach to consultation and participation by citizens in planning and providing services in the City.
It is not a detailed history of these deliberative projects but explores their inter-connections, comments on key issues raised and suggests how the deliberative approach may develop in the future. That is, how can Porirua City become "deliberative" in the way that citizens and official agencies interact?
Forming norms and implementing sanctions - deliberation and sustained dialogue in a social capital framework
David Robinson and Tu Williams
Social Capital Framework - pdf
This paper draws on a research project being carried out for NZIER on how the process of consensus is reached within different cultural groups in response to issues of globalisation and technological change. It explores the potential contribution of deliberation and sustained dialogue to building social capital.
Three projects used to illustrate the potential value of placing public talk in a social capital framework are an Iwi based customary fisheries forum, a community health cluster in Porirua City and a mental health consumers group.
Spaces for Dialogue - forming views on new and conflict issues
David Robinson and Tu Williams
Spaces for Dialogue - pdf
This paper explores the impact of what we call "the dilemma of dialogue" . At a time when the need for real in-depth dialogue over complex issues is being increasingly recognised by those involved in creating and providing technical information there is also increasing commercial pressure for people to access information and to act as isolated individuals (consumers).
The paper is part of our research on exploring how the process of consensus is reached; how differences in opinion are resolved (if they are resolved) and developing an approach that could be used to receive feedback on emerging issues from Maori. Issues of bio-technology, including xeno-transplantation, formed the basis of a discussions with Maori in Opotiki and Whakatane to examine "What helps to form a willingness to openly consider a new issue?"
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