Cultplan Meeting Rovigo 3rd–6th May 2006

1. Cultplan Meeting Rovigo 3rd–6th May 2006 Theoretical Framework

2. Theoretical Framework Intention Theoretical framework: • Use of theories to achieve more focus and to collect data (in order to formulate questions) • Theories are providing angles and starting points for data collection • Theories encompass matters of culture, co-operation, communication and interaction and management aspects (related to social capital) • Prism approach

3. Cultural theory Cooperation theories Communication and interpretation theories Codes of acting Governance approach Social capital Management theories Role of cultural context and differences in INTERREG planning processes? Data collection Theoretical Framework Prism Approach

4. Theoretical Framework What has been done so far? • Desciption of each theory • Appraisal/validation of each theory: Reference to culture on different levels • Relevance for CULTPLAN

5. Theoretical FrameworkOpen Question: Operationalisation • How to relate theories for composing a consistent theoretical framework? • How to make theories available for the empirical research? • Developing an operationable “analytic tool” to analyse cultural differences and to analyse how culture manifests, interferes and influences processes of collaboration • Basis/starting point is the Cultural Theory of Gullestrup

6. Theoretical Framework Analytical tool: starting point Cultural Theory (Gullestrup) • Analytical model to analyse the complexity of cross-cultural studies • Better understanding of the different elements of culture • Horizontal dimension of culture • Vertical dimension of culture

7. Theoretical FrameworkCultural Theory (Gullestrup) Horizontal dimension of culture • Based on 8 cultural segments • Technology • Economic, social and political institutions • Language and communication • Reproduction and socialisation • Ideology • Religious • Cultural segments are manifested at the same level • “sectoral” and “observable” cultural traits

8. Theoretical FrameworkCultural Theory (Gullestrup) Vertical dimension of culture • “Visible” cultural traits as expression or symbol of the more fundamental cultural traits (or philosophy) • Hierarchy of cultural observations • Based on 6 different levels of culture • Immediately observable symbols or symptoms • Structures that are to difficult to observe • Governing morals, patterns and norms • Partially legitimating values • Generally accepted highest values • Fundamental philosophy of life

9. Theoretical FrameworkCultural Theory (Gullestrup) • Better understanding of the different elements of culture • Horizontal dimension of culture / manifested part of culture • Vertical dimension of culture / fundamental part of culture • Theory seems to be adequate to analyse (1) manifested/visible part of culture and (2) fundamental/hidden part of culture in INTERREG projects

10. Group culture Culture as a product of a social group (e.g. working culture INTERREG-project) “social system” culture Culture as a product of a social system (e.g. planning culture) societal culture Culture as a product of society (e.g. social norms and general patterns) Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical Tool: Modules Module 1: Distinction of culture

11. Cross cultural items (start-up meeting, excursions, decisions, working structures (reliability, accuracy)) • Analytical tool • contains level of group, social system and society • observable and hidden aspects of culture • horizontal aspects of culture which are vertically stratified Cultural specifics (cultural phenomena, narratives, cultural mechanisms and cultural dilemmas) Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical Tool Module 2: Focus on cross cultural items

12. Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical Tool Module 3: Analytical tool and theoretical framework Cross-cultural item Value oriented: Which values are at stake? Societal culture Work culture in INTERREG-team Planning culture, related to case • Analysis of cross cultural items by INTERREG group culture, planning culture and societal culture • Analysis through horizontal and vertical aspects of culture

13. Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical tool (relation to Cultural Theory) Horizontal dimensions of INTERREG-group culture • Culture of signification (e.g. working with planning concepts) • Working habits/traditions • Communication/negotiation culture

14. Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical tool (relation to Cultural Theory) Horizontal dimensions of planning culture • Political culture • Administrative culture • Knowledge/information/innovation culture

15. Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical tool (relation to Cultural Theory) Horizontal dimensions of societal culture • Distribution of resources • Social institutions for living together • Power relations (who controls whom?) • Dissemination of knowledge, ideas and values

16. Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical tool (relation to Cultural Theory) Vertical dimensions • Observable symbols or symptoms • Governing morals, patterns and norms • General accepted highest values • Fundamental philosophy of life • Valid for group culture, social system culture and societal culture

17. Cross-cultural item Value oriented: Which values are at stake? Societal culture Planning culture, related to case Work culture inINTERREG-team • Structuration theory • Governance • Trust • Structuration theory • Governance • Semiosis theory • Negotiation theory • Social capital • Management theories Theoretical FrameworkAnalytical Tool Module 3: Analytical tool and theoretical framework

18. Theoretical Framework Discussion of the analytical tool! Feel free for • questions • comments and recommendations • conclusions

19. Theoretical Frameworkcontinuation of theories • Theory of semiosis • Taxanomic approach • Theory of negotiation • Theory of structuration • Theory on congruence and learning • Governance • Theory on bonding and bridging capital • Trust

20. Theoretical FrameworkCommunication and Interpretation Theory Theory of Semiosis (Peirce) • Interpretation of signs • Sign systems: sign, object and interpretation • Sign: the possible being/availability as object of our thoughts • Object: the actual being/availability • Interpretation: the representation of the necessary or justified practical consequences • Addition to Cultural Theory (by assisting the process of interpretation by another culture)

21. Theoretical FrameworkCommunication and Interpretation Theory Taxanomic approach (Sarbaugh) • Taxanomy of intercultural communication • Classifying along a continuum of homogeneity and heterogeneity • Dimension of • Worldview (set of beliefs about the nature of life) • Normative patterns of beliefs and behaviour • Code system (verbal and non-verbal communication) • Perceived relation and intent (compatibility of goals, hierarchy of relationship and positiveness or negativeness of feelings)

22. Theoretical FrameworkCommunication and Interpretation Theory Taxanomic approach (Sarbaugh) • Level of interculturalness is low and communication will proceed with minimum effort and maximum accuracy, when participants are highly similar with regard to these dimensions • Communication difficulty increases as the level of interculturalness increases (that is, as participants are more heterogeneous along the dimensions presented) • Addition to Cultural Theory(by assisting the process of interpretation through focussing on intercultural communication)

23. Theoretical FrameworkTheory of negotiation (Scharpf) • Coordination of different interests • Analysis of the negotiating positions of the participants in INTERREG-projects and to develop solutions for better cooperation • Cooperation depends on 3 styles of interaction: • Individualistic/egocentric • Cooperative • Competitive • “Dilemma of cooperation”

24. Theoretical FrameworkTheory of negotiation (Scharpf) • Strategies for handling the dilemma of cooperation • Distinction of general and explicit problem solution • Integration of different conflict levels • Expansion of the “solution corridor” (win-win-situations) • Variation of the decision procedure and sequence • Institutionalisation of cooperation (as expression of social capital) • Strategies can be used as “indicators” to analyse why coordination and cooperation is successful in some projects and less successful in others?

25. Theoretical FrameworkCodes of acting Theory of structuration (Giddens) • Every actor is supposed to act in a rather fluent current of actions • Important: duality of structure with regard to individual acting • Structure is (1) partly the result of acting but also (2) partly the determinant of acting • Question: How can individuals reflect the duality of structure?

26. Theoretical FrameworkCodes of acting Theory of structuration (Giddens) • Knowledge ability (of individuals) • Practical consciousness (implicit knowledge of how to operate ) • Discoursive consciousness (explicit statements of how things should go according to rules) • Dimension of unconscious motives and repressive mechanisms • Structuration theory seems to be adequate to differ between formalities (practical and discoursive consciousness) and informalities of planning (more or less unconscious)

27. Theoretical FrameworkCodes of acting Theory on congruence and learning (Argyris/Schön) • Explanation of the phenomenon of disharmony between thinking one way and acting another way in collaboration processes (to analyse individual acting that cannot be explained in another way) • Individuals try to maintain their values within acceptable range and therefore use strategies • Strategies will have both intended and unintended consequences • Consequences on the fundamental values and strategies of the individual acting (e.g. to act in another way as negotiated) as well as on the values and strategies of the other partners

28. P Inter-communal cooperation Citizen’s commune Public-Private-Partnership S E Commitment of civil society Regional corporate networks Corporate Citizenship Theoretical FrameworkGovernance • Alternative model for managing collective affairs • Focussing on the embeddedness of actors and the collaboration of different actors in co-operation processes

29. Theoretical FrameworkGovernance • Pattern of actor networks and relations can be used for the analysis of the formal conditions of planning culture • Analysing structures of interaction and collaboration of institutions, • Identifying and analysing networks and stable information and communication relationships within existing institutional framework • Analysing decision and steering structures of each partner • identifying of complex sets of objectives, negotiation processes, resources or other conditions which determine activities of each actor in relation to other actors (vertical or horizontal)

30. Theoretical FrameworkGovernance • Focussing on the embeddedness of actors and the collaboration of different actors in co-operation processes • Theoretical approach of Governance seems to be adequate for the analysis of the formal conditions of planning culture in INTERREG-projects

31. Theoretical FrameworkSocial capital Bonding and bridging social capital (Putnam) • Stock of active connections among people that bind the members of communities and enables cooperative action • Trust • Mutual understanding • Shared values and behaviours • Bonding capital: refers to the value assigned to social networks between homogeneous groups • Bridging capital: refers to the value assigned to social networks between heterogeneous groups

32. Theoretical FrameworkSocial capital Bonding and bridging social capital (Putnam) • Bridging capital: hosting of other benefits for societies, governments, individuals etc. • Use of theory for the interpretation of the relations within an (international) project team and its direct surroundings

33. Theoretical FrameworkSocial capital Trust • Trust: subjective belief in the correctness or truth of actions and understandings of individuals • Trust in environment and infrastructure • Trust in potential partners • Trust in relationships • Trust in warrantors and authorities (if any) • Trust as assumption and as developer of cooperation

34. Theoretical FrameworkSocial capital Trust • Developing trust is bounded to conditions: • Institutional-based trust or system trust • Personal trust (process-based trust and characteristic-based trust) • Trust is important condition for (intercultural) cooperation • Importance of personal trust for collaboration in INTERREG-projects