Design&Management

= Organising cooperation and consultation = Participatory processes do not happen by its own. They need to be initiated, organised, and orchestrated. Participatory process can take different forms, depending on the objective sought. Traditionally, governments organise stakeholder hearings to inform of a policy solution and its implementation. Although this is an important measure to enhance transparency, it lacks actual involvement of the stakeholders as it does not offer the possibility to raise concerns and give feedback. As the table below shows, the level of involvement and sharing gradually increases with a change in the motives for the participatory process and timing in the policy process. Consultation seeks to obtain feedback on identified problems and solutions as well as alternatives, but still does not mean that stakeholders' concerns are taken into consideration. One can only speak of cooperation and collaboration when resources and knowledge is shared, concerns of stakeholders taken into consideration prior to the development and design of a solution, or solutions developed jointly. Different techniques can be used to support the process. These include website and information meetings to joint working groups. The more the depth of sharing resources and knowledge increases the more it is likely that there is a need for a formal governance structure. This would lay down the rules of the cooperation and decision making, and define the roles and responsibilities of the members. This governance structure does not need to be a new organisational structure. It could also be a formal network, or a project organisation. In the field of trade facilitation, different approaches and models for a governance structure have been pursued. The most prominent are the trade facilitation bodies, also known as national trade and transport facilitation committees, and PRO committees. In recent years, the focus shifted away from traditional organisational designs to networks. Networks involve interdependent but autonomous actors around a common goal. If they are successful, networks are flexible, they can be dissolved and re-design when need be, more targeted, and do not require a heavy institutional set up. Beside trade facilitation bodies, stakeholders also organise in project groups for projects such as single windows (link to case study on SW project) and border management task forces (link to case study on BM), or for a Business Process Analysis. = Challenges to consultation and collaboration = The high expectations of participatory processes are not always meet. Cooperation does not happen out of its own and there are multiple barriers. Often objectives of the public agencies seem to be opposed and the agencies are in competition over funds funds and influence. The relationship with private stakeholders is often characterized by lack of trust and absence of an understanding of each others problems. The challenge therefore is to make the stakeholders become aware of their interrelations and dependencies, so that participation is perceived as a win-win situation and the various stakeholders are encourage and willing to activate their resource and knowledge towards solutions. Participatory processes can therefore not only be achieved by way of creating an organizational structure. Often participatory processes evolve much easier as networks without a formal structure. In both case, stakeholder involvement needs to managed and facilitated. When organising participatory processes or setting up a national trade facilitation bodies issues to consider therefore encompass institutional as well as managerial aspects, such as stakeholder analysis.
 * === Increasing level of participation and sharing across stakeholders === ||
 * || Involvement / communication || Consultation || Cooperate || Coordinate / collaborate/empower ||
 * Objective || to provide information to external parties to explain an action and help others to understand it. || to obtain feedback on identified problems and solutions as well as alternatives || to work directly with others to ensure that others' concerns are taken into accounts || to achieve common positions and actions aiming at the same objective. ||
 * Techniques || Web sites, fact sheets, information meetings, stakeholder hearings || focus groups, surveys, public meetings || workshops, stakeholder meetings and committees || joint working groups, departments with decision making structure ||
 * Engagement || keeping others informed || inform, listen and acknowledge others' concerns and aspirations || look for advice and recommendations in the decisions that are taking into consideration where possible || built common positions and strategies ||
 * Characteristic || Sharing of information || Sharing of information || Sharing of resources || Sharing of work and responsibilities ||
 * Timing in the process || Post decision on policy solution || Post or prior decision on policy solution || Prior decision on policy solution || Prior decision on policy solution ||