Aligning the design of intermediary organisations with the ecosystem

Social, political and commercial organisations are stakeholders in the environmental policy decision making. Their mobilised power and counter power determine to a large extent the content of the decisions taken. Lately, the environmental movement in Flanders has grown stronger in members, professionals, financially,... but it remains relatively weak in comparison with the traditional, strong and aften pillarised intermediary organisations like unions, farmers and employers organisations. Especially its limited informal access tothe policy makers is incomparable with the exclusive and privileged access of those big organisations. Nevertheless the environmental movement is becoming a policy insider instead of an outsider, but this threatens the movements independence and its movement functions.

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Collaboration in the Making—Towards a Practice-Based Approach to University Innovation Intermediary Organisations

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12125142 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 5142

Author(s):

Lisa Blix Germundsson ◽

Sören Augustinsson ◽

Alina Lidén

Keyword(s):

Conceptual Model ◽

Narrative Approach ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

Process Theories ◽

Practice Based Research ◽

Intermediary Organisations

The study aims to understand and explore situations of collaboration between various actors in connection with a university-driven innovation intermediary organisation, and how the intermediary organisation facilitates collaboration in the making. To this end, we employ a case of a university-driven long-lasting intermediary organisation within the agricultural and forestry sectors. We examine three collaborative situations, using practice-based research and process theories as theoretical perspectives. A narrative approach is adopted as the method of investigation. The findings are presented in a conceptual model where the structures of the intermediary organisation are translated into practices, against which individuals can develop their collaboration processes. It is concluded that collaboration in the making is formed in the interplay between structures, practices and processes in relations between people. This implies that the organising of collaboration should focus its attention not only on structures but also on the practices and processes formed between people. The study contributes to the understanding of the organising of university innovation intermediary organisations by untangling the relations between structures, practices and processes in situations of collaboration between people.

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Linking higher education and the world of work: learning outcomes and intermediary organisations

Journal of Education and Work ◽

10.1080/13639080.2019.1696951 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (8) ◽

pp. 678-692 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mari Elken ◽

Silje Maria Tellmann

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Learning Outcomes ◽

The World ◽

Intermediary Organisations

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The ‘Milky Way’ of intermediary organisations: a transnational field of university governance

How Does Collaborative Governance Scale? ◽

10.1332/policypress/9781447340553.003.0006 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Kerstin Sahlin ◽

Filip Wijkström ◽

Lisa Dellmuth ◽

Torbjörn Einarsson ◽

Achim Oberg

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Milky Way ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

University Governance ◽

Different Types ◽

Intermediary Organizations ◽

University Performance ◽

Governmental Funding ◽

Intermediary Organisations

This chapter focuses on transnational intermediary organizations in higher education and research. We conceive of intermediaries as organizations that are actively involved in transnational university governance without having formal access to or control over policy or governmental funding. Such intermediary organizations have in previous research been shown to play central roles in the development and circulation of new themes and ideas for how to manage universities and measure university performance. Intermediaries link different types of actors and act as translators of global themes. In this respect, they are decisive in policy formulation.

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