The benefits of the relational perspective for analyzing the governance of the territorial cooperative ecosystem

Résumé 0

The circular economy is emerging as an essential economic paradigm for tackling contemporary challenges of sustainability and natural resources preservation. However, establishing effective and sustainable circular practices poses complex challenges, not least because of the heterogeneity of circular approaches and the need for cooperation between public and private actors at the local and regional level. How can we achieve effective governance based on cooperation between these heterogeneous actors within a circular ecosystem? This theoretical and conceptual paper explores how the relational perspective allows for a greater understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between public and private actors within circular ecosystems. We introduce the concepts of territory, governance, and ecosystem to develop an analytical framework linking these three concepts. Drawing on the theory of relational rents, this framework is constructed around a multi-criteria and multi-actor analysis to shed light on the interactions between actors. Using the example of the écosystème coopératif territorial (ECT) (territorial cooperative ecosystem), this article shows how this managerial framework for analyzing cooperation and value creation criteria in a circular ecosystem provides a better understanding of governance in circular ecosystems.