Composition of environmental decision-making networks – a case study in Helsinki, Finland M.Soc.Sc. Arho Toikka HERC Seminar Series Department of Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences

Composition of decision-making networks In networks of organizations in charge of making policy decisions and draft policies, some actors are more popular negotiation partners than others. Why?

The City of Helsinki Environmental Governance Data Set Based on 70 interviews and archival data Main interest the Ecological Sustainability Programme of Helsinki The programme is the environmental strategy of Helsinki The most important determinator of Helsinki environmental action Including three types of variables Network variables Preference variables Outcome variables

Modelling the choice of negotiation partners Exponential Random Graph Modeling ERGM Possible ties in the network treated as random, dependent variables in the analysis Network statistics and actor attributes as independent variables Dependence assumptions

Helsinki Environmental Governance Analysis The network had considerable impact on the final policies and how different subfields of environmental policy were emphasized Influence of a single organization over the final policy was generated in the network, through the various partnerships What made an organization an attractive an sought-after negotiation partner in environmental policy-making?

Helsinki Environmental Governance Analysis Hypotheses for partner choice Network characteristics Well-connected actors are more attractive – you can spread your message Less popular actors are more attractive – you have more direct influence Actors in tight subgroups are more attractive – you can build a base of influence Actor attributes Official status of the organization Issue area expertise

Helsinki Environmental Governance Analysis The model to test these hypotheses includes estimates for the parameters for: Generalized popularity -alternating-k-stars Generalized subgroups -alternating-k-triangles Expertise Status popularity Status homophily

Helsinki Environmental Governance Analysis

Conclusion In the drafting process of environmental policy in Helsinki, the various organizations involved in drafting the policy document were free to choose the collaborators in the process Contrary to some political science theories, the strongest effects in partner choice were the building of subgroups and status similarity, with small effects for expertise, overall status and popularity