Original
The cognitive fabric of collaborative governance: paradox mindset in transformation-oriented collaborations
Abstract
This theoretical article develops a micro-foundational perspective on how and under what conditions collaborative governance groups generate transformative outcomes. It integrates literature on collaboration, transformation, and paradox to advance three core propositions. First, collaborating for transformative outcomes constitutes a distinctive paradoxical context, in which the tensions of collaboration and the tensions of transformation are nested, reinforcing, and constitutive of the process itself. Second, diversity in collaborators’ cognitive-emotional capacity to perceive and navigate tensions (i.e. paradox mindset) shapes collaborative outcomes, with diversity in paradox mindset enhancing the likelihood of transformative outcomes. Third, the paradoxical leadership behaviours of designated leaders further increase the likelihood of transformative outcomes. By highlighting the dual challenge of transformation-oriented collaborations of eliciting tensions to stimulate change while containing them to sustain collaboration, the article links individual-level cognitive-emotional predisposition to group dynamics and system-level outcomes, offering a broader theorizing of collaborations in public administration.
中文
协作治理的认知结构：转型导向协作中的悖论思维模式
摘要
这篇理论文章提出一种微观基础视角，用以解释协作治理群体如何以及在何种条件下产生转型性成果。它整合了关于协作、转型与悖论的文献，提出三个核心命题。第一，为转型性成果而协作构成一种独特的悖论情境，其中协作的张力与转型的张力相互嵌套、彼此强化，并构成该过程本身。第二，协作者在感知和驾驭张力方面的认知—情感能力（即悖论思维模式）的多样性会影响协作成果，悖论思维模式的多样性会提高实现转型性成果的可能性。第三，指定领导者的悖论式领导行为会进一步提高实现转型性成果的可能性。通过强调转型导向协作面临的双重挑战——既激发张力以推动变革，又控制张力以维持协作——本文将个体层面的认知—情感倾向与群体动态及系统层面成果联系起来，为公共行政中的协作提供更广泛的理论化。
关键词
协作治理、转型导向协作、悖论思维模式、微观基础、悖论式领导、公共行政