4: Managing complexity and interdependency
Everything is connected – a global economy of haves and have-nots; rising regional, international, and transnational tensions; the explosion (pun intended) of two-edged technologies that can help us or hurt us, often at the same time; climate change and all of its adverse effects; inexorable demographic trends across the globe; the list goes on. (National Academy of Public Administration, 2007: 235)
Unquestionably, the crux of a middle manager’s ability to engage effectively in collaboration is underpinned by an understanding of connections and the complexities and interdependencies that flow from them. This concerns knowledge of flows, relationships and linkages of various types over time and space – problems, organisational responsibilities, financial frameworks, governance and accountability systems and policies. The knowledge base centres on the system and how it is connected and works, and not so much on the individual constituent elements. Each middle manager participating in a collaborative is likely to provide some expertise/knowledge, but in addition, this needs to be accompanied by an understanding of how the collaborative system is structured and operates. The concept of ‘wicked issues’ provides one of the best explanations and justifications for collaboration – issues and problems that are cross boundary in character, socially constructed and not amenable to single organisations acting autonomously. Whether the problem is one of lack of educational attainment, poverty, crime and antisocial behaviour or sustainable development and cybercrime, the challenge for middle managers is to understand how elements are connected, and what these mean for potential collaborative engagements. Practitioners of collaboration often refer to ‘seeing the bigger picture’ or ‘understanding the jigsaw’ and how it fits together with a knowledge base of the connections and relationships – the public policy context, the organisations that are involved in delivering services around a particular wicked issue; the political and governance landscape; and funding possibilities.
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