Urban platforms as a mode of governance
| Author | Arto Haveri,Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00208523211005855 |
| Published date | 01 March 2023 |
| Date | 01 March 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Urban platforms as a
mode of governance
Arto Haveri
Tampere University, Finland
Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko
Tampere University, Finland
Abstract
This article provides an analysis of urban platform governance by mapping out the major
forms of public governance and depicting the role of platforms in this field. By fusing
theoretical analyses and empirical views from three urban platforms set up by the largest
cities in Finland, we assess the relevance of platforms as an emerging form of local public
governance. It is plausible to view platforms as hybrids that incorporate features of both
networks and markets, and, to some extent, even hierarchies. However, platforms also
have some irreducible features, which makes it possible to perceive them as a fourth
mode of governance. Platform logic broadens the view of network governance to a
broader set of connections, the orchestration of multiple logics and ecosystem thinking.
Points for practitioners
Today,city governments create and maintain urban platforms to bring together different
actors and enable value-added collaboration in service provision, governance and plan-
ning. This article helps local policymakers and managers understand platform logic in
involving various audiences in the creation of public value. When governing platforms,
local public managers may use many of the same methods as with networks. Platform
governance, however, extends the view to a broader set of connections, the orches-
tration of multiple logics and ecosystem thinking.
Keywords
city, market, network, New Public Governance, platform, platform governance, urban
governance
Corresponding author:
Arto Haveri, Tampere University, Tampere 33014, Finland.
Email: arto.haveri@tuni.fi
International Review of Administrative
Sciences
!The Author(s) 2021
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/00208523211005855
journals.sagepub.com/home/ras
2023, Vol. 89(1) 3–20
International
Review of
Administrative
Sciences
Introduction
Technological development and new forms of social organization are transforming
our way of living, working and interacting. Algorithmic revolution, ecosystem
thinking, platformization and sharing are manifestations of this trend, with per-
vasive impacts on late-modern societies.
These new ideas and practices challenge the current forms of public governance,
and modify the role of local public authorities. Bollier (2016), for example,
predicts that the vitality of cities will be increasingly based on their ability to
utilize platforms, which are likely to be vital for the renewal of the practices of
urban governance.
Platforms have been studied in various disciplines, most notably, in the context
of technology and business (Andersson Schwarz, 2017; Moazed, 2016). It is only
recently that platforms started to receive attention in public sector research (Ansell
and Gash 2018; Ansell and Miura 2020; Janssen and Estevez, 2013; Thornton,
2016), and often in connection with the smart city discourse (e.g. Ojasalo and
Kauppinen, 2016; Yu et al., 2019). Our discussion bears particularly close
resemblance with that of Ansell and Gash (2018), who use the term ‘collaborative
platform’ and examine the operational logic of platforms in the context of public
administration and governance. Yet, our approach is different because we examine
platforms as instances of local public governance and focus particularly on
how their distinctive features resonate with prior theorization about the basic
modes of governance.
Urban platforms are localized arrangements related to urban development,
local public services, innovation and/or citizen participation. They integrate
actors within and across city systems, and enhance interaction between them,
with the help of modern technologies. They are often initiated, governed or
sponsored by public sector organizations, most notably, by city governments
(Hodson et al., 2021).
Urban platforms have been treated either as an organizational practice in which
the city utilizes different platforms, or as a framework in which the city itself is seen
as a platform (Bollier, 2016; O’Reilly, 2011; Tukiainen et al., 2015). Nevertheless, it
seems that the research on the topic is still in its infancy and the concept of plat-
form is unsettled in public administration and governance (Ansell and Gash, 2018:
17). In particular, this concerns the role of local authorities as platform owners.
How are they supposed to convene, coordinate or administer platforms?
Additionally, how should we conceive the role of platforms in urban governance?
In this article, we aim to build a picture of urban platforms as a new mode of
local public governance. The research question is: what characterizes platforms as
a mode of governance and how do they relate to the three basic modes of gover-
nance, that is, hierarchy, market and network?
Our approach is explorative, and we combine theoretical analyses and three
illustrative cases. Methodologically, we rely on formal reasoning and a review of
key literature (see Jasso, 1988). We will focus on the main features of urban
4International Review of Administrative Sciences 89(1)
To continue reading
Request your trial