Collaborative governance at the local level: Lithuanian politicians’ impact on the collaborative management of wicked problems

Purpose This study argues that collaborative governance is a powerful managerial tool that may help understand public service delivery, mainly at the local level. We maintain that transforming government-centric models into a multi-actor/multi-stakeholder and community-centric model offers theoretical and practical advantages for better managing local governance. We develop the idea that collaborative governance is an essential vehicle for addressing wicked policy problems, and we use the Lithuanian case, with original survey data, to explain the difficulties and challenges on the road to such progress. Design/methodology/approach We test our hypotheses using quantitative data from the online “Lithuanian Councilors” survey implemented in 2024 February–March. The survey is part of the comparative European project “Local Councilors: in Europe II.” Initially, we had a personalized list of councilors elected for Councils during the last self-governance elections in May 2023. The personalized email list was collected from the municipal authorities' websites. The model is tested using the SEM (structural equation modeling) approach. Findings The findings generally support the model on collaborative managerial capacities in governance as led by local councilors. It implies that (1) local agenda goal setting by local politicians leads to more substantial collaborative governance and more effective management of local wicked problems and (2) local actors’ involvement is crucial for such collaboration activities. Better managing collaborative governance initiatives can help align interests and foster solutions that resonate with the broader community and reflect the institutional self-governance arrangements. Originality/value This study provides a new perspective on collaborative governance, discussing the role of local politicians as intermediating players between local political power and community management. The examination of politicians’ role in better managing wicked problems opens a new perspective, broadening the government-centric approach to a more diversified, multi-centered one, as highly advocated in public management scholarship.