CIAO DATE: 02/2013
May 2012
Research on governance by external non-state actors in areas of limited statehood concentrates on the conditions under which these actors engage in governance. However, this literature largely ignores findings from research on the anthropology of development, the privatization of security, and non-state welfare provision in developing countries that point to the limitations and negative effects of governance by non-state actors. Hence there are many reasons to distinguish carefully between different qualities of governance contributions and the (unintended) effects of external actors’ practices. This paper deals with the quality of governance in that it suggests an analytical framework for distinguishing different qualities along three dimensions: inclusiveness, the indirect effects of governance, and the external effects of non-governance practices. Empirically, the paper focuses on multinational companies in sub-Saharan Africa. This is for two reasons. Firstly, the literature on business and governance noticeably isolates the positive contributions by firms from the negative effects of business activities in areas of limited statehood. Secondly, the case of companies – actors that do not aim at contributing to governance in the first place – clearly illustrates the added value of distinguishing different qualities of governance contributions. This is also relevant, however, for other governance actors. Zusammenfassung
Resource link: Governance for whom? - Capturing the inclusiveness and unintended effects of governance [PDF]