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

Ossi Heino and Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko ()

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

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.

Keywords: infrastructure; infrastructure policy; public policy; local government; inverse infrastructure; complex adaptive system; adaptation; self-organization; resilience; volunteering; water services; water cooperative; Finland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H41 H54 H76 L95 L98 O18 P13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-11-28, Revised 2014-11-28
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ure
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