From unicentric to pluricentric coordination

In the attempt to avoid both government and market failure, we have seen growing interest in pluricentric coordination aimed at aligning a plethora of sectors, organizations and initiatives through collaborative interaction in order to mitigate conflicts, create synergies and joint problem-solving, and to prevent gaps and overlaps in regulation, the provision of infrastructure and the delivery of services that tend to take place in increasingly turbulent environments. This chapter paints a broad picture of the rise of unicentric coordination within modern bureaucracies and its link to centralized planning. It then proceeds to show why and how unicentric coordination gives way to pluricentric coordination, which aims to produce a flexible coherence and alignment between empowered actors aiming to adapt to changing contexts while holding each other to account for joint and individual achievements. Finally, it shows how governance networks can provide a framework for pluricentric coordination in the face of turbulence.