Towards a hybrid logic of participatory budgeting

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-06-2017-0169
• Published date: 14 January 2019
• Date: 14 January 2019
• Pages: 65-79
• Author: Luca Bartocci,Giuseppe Grossi,Sara Giovanna Mauro
• Subject Matter: Public policy & environmental management,Politics,Public adminstration & management

Towards a hybrid logic of

participatory budgeting

Luca Bartocci

Department of Economics, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Giuseppe Grossi

School of Business, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden and

Nord University Business School, Bodø, Norway, and

Sara Giovanna Mauro

Institute of Management, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy

Abstract

Purpose –Participatory budgeting (PB) is considered a suitable tool for supporting and promoting citizen

engagement in government work. Previous studies of PB have deeply investigated its design and effects, but

paid little attention to the underlying logics of adopting and implementing PB. The purpose of this paper is to,

accordingly, investigate the development over time of the institutional logics of PB and attempt to explain

their effect on PB.

Design/methodology/approach –Using a longitudinal multiple case study design, this research analyzes

the evolution of institutional logics over time and across five municipalities in Italy. The analysis integrates

documents with interviews conducted at two times to investigate the evolution of PB logics.

Findings –The development of PB is characterized by the spread of two emerging logics –i.e. managerial

and community-building logics –that replace or coexist with the traditional political logic. Indeed, these

different logics can coexist within governments, with different degrees of conflict or coexistence, resulting in

what can be considered a hybrid logic.

Research limitations/implications –Although the number of examined cases is limited, this research

elaborates an original conceptual approach and provides new insights that could help in better designing and

implementing PB.

Originality/value –This research builds knowledge of PB by shedding light on its different logics, linking

them to diverse specific models of PB and exploring their changes over time.

Keywords Local government, Hybridization, Institutional logic, Participatory budgeting

Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction

As implied by the new public governance (NPG) agenda, public sector reforms have resulted in

increasing attention being paid to deliberative and participatory governance, with the aim of

enhancing government legitimacy (Almqvist et al., 2013; Bingham et al., 2005). In this context,

participatory budgeting (PB), defined as the budgeting process during which unelected citizens

help define policies to be funded and/or allocate resources, can be considered a tool for giving

more political power to citizens. Since the first experience of PB in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989, the

practice has developed and spread globally. This worldwide trend is characterized by multiple

definitions and implementations of the practice in different contexts (Sintomer et al., 2008).

PB adoption was initially justified mainly in political terms (Hadden and Lerner, 2011;

Lerner, 2011). Indeed, the widespread influence of this model has helped convey the

understanding that participation is a way to address the legitimacy crisis of representative

democracy in several western countries and to lessen the social injustice common in

less-developed countries (Wampler and Avritzer, 2004), an understanding related to an

underlying political logic. However, less is known about PB from a public management

perspective in which governments are expected to improve their performance

(i.e. managerial logic). They must do this within increasingly complex societies where

democracy is evolving and expanding, leading to issues such as a “legitimacy gap”and

International Journal of Public

Sector Management

Vol. 32 No. 1, 2019

pp. 65-79

© Emerald PublishingLimited

0951-3558

DOI 10.1108/IJPSM-06-2017-0169

Received 18 June 2017

Revised 12 February 2018

18 May 2018

Accepted 29 May 2018

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/0951-3558.htm

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Hybrid logic

of PB