Enabling and Integrative Infrastructure Policy: The Role of Inverse Infrastructures in Local Infrastructure Provision with Special Reference to Finnish Water Cooperatives

Heino, Ossi and Anttiroiko, Ari-Veikko (2014): Enabling and Integrative Infrastructure Policy: The Role of Inverse Infrastructures in Local Infrastructure Provision with Special Reference to Finnish Water Cooperatives.

Abstract

Infrastructures are necessary to support the functionality of urban communities. Globalization, increased polycentricity, new trends in governance and tightening public budgets have increased interest in alternative ways of providing such infrastructures. One product of this trend is the ‘inverse infrastructure,’ which refers to a modularized, semi-autonomous and user-driven infrastructure that is a result of the self-organization of local actors. In this study, we discuss the nature of such infrastructures and the challenges they pose to local infrastructure policy with special reference to the case of water cooperatives in Finland. Our conclusion is that inverse infrastructures have a potential to contribute to local infrastructure services either as cost-effective alternative or as supplement to large technical systems. Their full utilization requires, however, enabling and integrative infrastructure policy.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: infrastructure, infrastructure policy, public policy, local government, inverse infrastructure, complex adaptive system, adaptation, self-organization, resilience, volunteering, water services, water cooperative, Finland
• Subjects: H - Public Economics > H4 - Publicly Provided Goods > H41 - Public Goods; H - Public Economics > H5 - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies > H54 - Infrastructures ; Other Public Investment and Capital Stock; H - Public Economics > H7 - State and Local Government ; Intergovernmental Relations > H76 - State and Local Government: Other Expenditure Categories; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L95 - Gas Utilities ; Pipelines ; Water Utilities; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L98 - Government Policy; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O18 - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis ; Housing ; Infrastructure; P - Economic Systems > P1 - Capitalist Systems > P13 - Cooperative Enterprises

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