The Emergence of Inter-Municipal Collaboration: Evidence from Metropolitan Planning in Portugal

Abstract

Inter-organizational collaboration as a means for policy coordination has come to be seen as a solution to difficult and complex urban challenges. In Portugal, where metropolitan governance structures are highly fragmented, critics highlight the need for better coordination between municipalities—a situation typical in many countries. We seek to understand the forces behind the emergence of inter-municipal collaboration around land use and mobility issues, using a case study method. Based on nine cases from Portugal's two largest metropolitan areas, we test a model of inter-municipal collaboration, attempting to identify the factors and conditions which contribute to the emergence of collaborative relationships. The analysis suggests several points of validation as well as propositions for extending and refining the model. We find that collaboration is facilitated by a combination of positive incentives, ambiguity and flexibility in the institutional system, an external catalyst, existing inter-organizational networks, and specific organizational characteristics. The existence of any one of these factors is not enough. A combination of several factors, possible but apparently uncommon in Portugal, is necessary. This research suggests that the Portuguese planning system may be most likely to achieve metropolitan policy coordination through a metropolitan association that can incentivize collaborative projects.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank interviewees for their participation, Joseph Sussman for contribution to discussions on this study, and Alexandra Almeida, Ângela Ferreira, Nuno Medeiros, and Conceição Bandarrinha for comments on earlier drafts. This research was funded by the Portuguese Government's Foundation for International Cooperation in Science, Technology and Higher Education through the MIT-Portugal Program.

Notes

The law outlines the authority to: “participate” in the elaboration of plans; “promote” strategic planning and management; “articulate” municipal investments of “metropolitan character;” “participate” in regional development programs; “participate” in defining service and facility networks of metropolitan scale; “participate” in public entities of a metropolitan scale for transport, water, energy, and solid waste; “plan” public sector actions of “metropolitan character;” and “assure the articulation” of municipal and national government actions in the areas of public infastructures, health, security, transport, territorial planning, etc. (Assembleia da República, 2008).

The first three cases are sub-projects under the main project MARE (Mobilité et Accessibilité Metropolitaine aux Régions Européennes). In MARE, the Lisbon region partnered with Valencia, Spain and Genoa, Italy to undertake several urban mobility initiatives. Administered through the Lisbon and Tagus Valley CCDR—also the lead partner in the project—MARE funded five sub-projects along with cross-project information sharing (European Commission, 2009). The fourth INTERREG case, between Porto and neighbouring Matosinhos, was not part of MARE.

The municipal-owned transport company in Barreiro participated in FLEXIS; it works closely with the city hall but is technically a separate entity.

Three Spanish municipalities and Genoa, Italy were also involved.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christopher Zegras

Current address: Department of City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley, USA