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Collaborative planning for city development. A perspective from a city planner
Collaborative planning for city development. A perspective from a city planner
Kamalia PURBANI
Environmental Sciences Doctorate Program
Development Planning Department, City of Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
136 K. Purbani
(Healey, 2006). The theory of structu- Collaborative planning
ration and the theory of communicative
action show that the mobilization of Collaborative planning is a new
networks generates the driving forces paradigm of planning for a complex con-
of social transformation through inter- temporary society which usually medi-
action. Thus, it is concluded that a new ates conflicts between parties through
paradigm of planning based on interpre- consensus-building processes. It encour-
tive approaches can be interpreted as an ages people to be engaged in a dialogue
interactive process which has the poten- in a situation of equal empowerment and
tial to establish relations and discussion shared information, to learn new ideas
that will create new cultural formations through mutual understanding, to create
through collaboration rather than through innovative outcomes and to build institu-
the technical processes of design, analy- tional capacity (Innes and Booher, 2004;
sis and management. Healey, 2006). In particular, Maginn
However, sometimes discussions (2007) indicates that collaborative plan-
may cause cultural domination rather than ning can provide policymakers with
intercultural communication. To avoid more effective community participation.
this limitation, participants need to learn With regard to collaborative plan-
how to understand what the problems ning, Healey (2006) mentions that the
are, how to respect each other and how processes of collaborative planning can
to build consensus. This may encourage be described as a combination of “soft”
people to build up new discussions with and “hard infrastructure”, which is called
the capacity to reshape abstract systems “institutional design”: “soft infrastruc-
in democratic debates (Healey, 2006). ture” includes informal collaborative
In particular, relational webs based on strategy-making processes, such as so-
social interaction can modify powerful cial learning, through which stakeholders
forces, such as intense constraints, in communicate with each other and build
a multi-cultural world, and change ab- social, intellectual and political capitals;
stract systems and structuring forces. and “hard infrastructure” refers to the de-
Several scholars (Innes and Booher, sign of political, administrative and legal
1999a; Margerum, 2002; Healey, 2003; processes, through which people change
Maginn, 2007; Lofgren and Agger, the power relations in networks.
2008) have defined this new paradigm of Discussing collaborative strategy-
planning as collaborative planning. It is -making as soft infrastructure, Healey
argued that through collaborative plan- (2006) suggests that an ideal strategy-
ning based on interpretive approaches, -making method should be “inclusion-
people can build up relational networks ary argumentation”, which can be inter-
and resolve complex conflicts. In parti- preted as a social learning process. Con-
cular, the collaborative planning system sensus-building through social learning
plays a significant role in dealing with processes is expected to build up trust,
the complexity and diversity of urban establish new relations of power among
governance fields (Healey, 2003). participants and generate social, intellec-
138 K. Purbani
civil society more competent. In addi- The role of stakeholder leadership
tion, Anshell and Gash (2008) suggests in collaborative planning
that “face-to-face dialogue, build trust
and development of commitment and There has been a growing attention
mutual understanding” is an important on the discussion of leadership in the
factor in the collaborative process. planning literature (Balducci and Cal-
In order to achieve collaboration varesi, 2004; Crosby and Bryson, 2005).
between actors with the interests and di- The relationship between leadership
verse history of the conflict, the dialogue and collaborative planning is not clearly
must be genuine, not rhetorical or ritual- theorized yet, although this is implicitly
istic (Isaacs, 1999). Everyone should say conceptualized as the “network power”,
what they mean and mean what they say. in which power is being shared and con-
To be authentic, dialogue must meet sev- fronted with each other (cf. Booher and
eral conditions (Habermas, 1981; Fox Innes, 2002; Healey, 2006; Innes and
and Miller, 1996): each speaker must Booher, 2010). Leadership can actually
legitimize interests to speak, must speak be considered to be an integral part of
sincerely, should make a statement that communicative planning (cf. Crosby and
comprehensive for the other and each Bryson, 2005). There is an argue that
statement must be accurate. This condi- leadership can foster an effective collab-
tion is not obtained directly automati- oration and consensus building process.
cally, but the usual obtained by engaging Previous studies also show that leader-
a facilitator. ship appears to be one of the key success
Based on Anshell and Gash research factors in regional governance (Firman,
(2008) concluded that there are three core 2010; Hudalah et al., 2013). An effective
contingency factors: (1) time, (2) trust, leadership framework, which is tailored
and (3) where there is interdependence for specific governance setting, can help
between the interactive effects of trust mobilize resources, foster dialogues,
and interdependence. Interdependence encourage participation and overcome
fosters participation and commitment conflicts between stakeholders (Crosby
to a more meaningful collaboration, and and Bryson, 2005; Hemphill et al., 2006;
trust can be built in a situation of interde- Rondinelli, 2009; Talvitie, 2012).
pendence is high. To validate the argument, Fahmi et
Johnston et al. (2010) and then fol- al. (2016) examine the best practice in
low up studies and prove empirically urban management Indonesia as evi-
that if the process of engagement in col- denced in a street vendor relocation in
laborative governance structure is well Surakarta. This case provides an inter-
managed, then it can be a force in creat- esting international insight and especial-
ing the strengthening cycle of trust, com- ly for the nations that have experienced
mitment, understanding, communication decentralization and restructuration of
and the result, which is indicator of the planning system, such as Indonesia.
success of collaborative government. Besides, the problem of street vendors
140 K. Purbani
It is interesting to discuss that lead- of everyday life in its locality (UNDP,
ership is also important for empowering 1993; Sullivan and Skelcher, 2002).
and representing weaker stakeholders. Based on the above discussion it
Ozawa (1993), for example, describes can be concluded that the most impor-
what he calls “transformative” tech- tant factor in establishing collaborative
niques in which mediation procedures leadership is to recognize the necessity
helps to bring about a “balance of power” for interdependence between stakehold-
among stakeholders. This style of facili- ers. If the stakeholders can realize that
tative leadership also helps stakeholders their principles will be implemented
to explore possibilities for mutual gain. only through cooperation, this will help
Lasker and Weiss (2003) argue that fa- them recognize their problems, estab-
cilitative leaders must “give meaning- lish effective working arrangements
ful voice to participants” and encourage and reach agreement through shared
participants to listen to each other. They understanding.
conclude that leaders should stimulate
creativity by synthesizing the knowledge
of diverse participants so the group can The role of city planners
create new ideas and understanding. in collaborative planning
Strengthening the leadership role in
collaboration is also expressed by Ryan In their article, Brand and Gaffikin
(2001), Innes and Booher (1999b). They (2007) disaggregate collaborative plan-
emphasize that the major role of lead- ning into four key elements: ontology,
ership in collaboration is to establish, epistemology, ideology and methodol-
protect and encourage collaboration by ogy. They make a statement regard-
providing a long-term vision and facili- ing ontology, that statutory plans face
tating the consensus-building processes a greater legal authority than non-statu-
in the face of various obstacles such as tory plans where the latter, paradoxically,
distrust. Collaborative leadership plays contains more creativity and imaginative
a significant role in setting rules for col- outcomes and therefore possibly reflects
laboration, building trust and facilitat- the public discourse better (Brand and
ing dialogue (Anshell and Gash, 2008). Gaffikin, 2007). While Innes (2006)
Innes and Booher (1999b) introduce states that that “a comprehensive plan is
a new style of leadership for the contem- a long range physical plan for a city…
porary era, a style of leadership that can [and] a statement of policy rather than
suggest a long-term vision, encourage a program of specific actions, intended to
public involvement, build trust among guide city officials in future actions”. In
stakeholders and develop participatory this sense, we should approach a compre-
skills for social learning processes. In hensive plan as a non-statutory plan and
self-governing networks, government is regard the document with actual physical
no longer the single leader, because civil actions as a statutory plan.
society has begun to accumulate its own Collaborative planning could be un-
power since the 1980s, reflecting a prac- derstood as a power paradigm of stake-
tical knowledge built up in the course holders. Healey (2003) approaches power
142 K. Purbani
Forester (1989) provides fifth per- Basically, there have been basic profes-
spective in explaining the role of infor- sional ethics that guide the conduct of
mation in a plan that is full of political planners to carry out their profession
overtones. That role is of a Technician, ethically, in participatory planning.
Incrementalist, The Liberal Advoca- Professional ethics that guide the be-
tive, The Structuralist, The Progressive. havior of planners in supporting commu-
While Hardiansah (2005) in his thesis nity participation and responsible to the
on the role of planners in this era of de- interests of society are often overlooked
mocratization “Planning: A Case Study given that the planners have controlled
of Planning Jalan Dago Lembang”, con- by the planning approach of a scientific
cludes that planner roles in the political nature. In supporting participatory plan-
process include an engineer, bureaucrat, ning, they are no longer possible to ig-
lawyer and politician. nore ethics as a city planner. In addition,
Approach to development planning to gain the trustt of community and build
has begun to shift from central planning effective communication based on mutu-
toward participatory planning. Theoreti- al understanding, trust and cooperation,
cally, such shifts would lead to changes then the natural pragmatic norms should
in the role of the planner in planning become a handbook for planners.
practices, from planners as applied sci-
entists to a planner as a communicator.
In participatory planning, planners ex- Conclusions
pected to carry out a role as a facilitator
for accommodating aspiration through Collaborative governance is a gov-
discussion and ensure that the marginal ernance model that developed over the
also got the chance to have their voice last two decades which prioritize con-
heard. sensus among diverse stakeholders.
Participatory planning practices need In the world of planning there is also
a qualified planner as a facilitator which a shift paradigm of planning for a com-
will function as a communicator who plex contemporary society based on
helps establish dialogue involving all Communicative Rationality Theory that
participants to make effective planning called Collaborative Planning. Collabo-
that meet the needs and solve problems rative planning can provide policy mak-
together. ers with more effective community par-
Changes in the role of the planner re- ticipation. The collaborative approach
quires change of ability and behavior of relies heavily on the leadership role that
planners which will be resulting ethical should be able to run a variety of roles.
participatory planning process. In carry- The main role to be undertaken is to build
ing out their profession in a participatory trust and facilitate dialogue.
planning process, planners not only rely In line with the shift in approach to
on knowledge and analysis techniques, the planning, the role of urban planners
but also on the ability to establish dia- in the development of the city also ex-
logue or communication parties. Plan- perienced a shift. City planning is not
ning is the result of joint discussions. just about technocratic process but also
144 K. Purbani
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146 K. Purbani
Author’s address:
Kamalia Purbani
Universitas Padjadjara
Postgraduate School
Jl. Dipati Ukur 35
Bandung Indonesia 40132
e-mail: k.purbani@hotmail.com