Relational Capacity and Fragmented Authority: Coordination and Power in Indonesia’s Decentralized Regulatory Governance

Abstract

This study examines how coordination, power, and interdependence shape regulatory governance in the decentralized edible bird’s nest (EBN) sector in Pulang Pisau, Indonesia. While decentralization is often associated with improved responsiveness and local adaptability, it frequently produces fragmented regulatory systems in which authority is distributed without effective coordination. Using an actor-centered qualitative design combined with the MACTOR method, this study analyzes influence–dependence relations, objective alignment, and coordination bottlenecks across key actors. The findings show that regulatory performance is shaped less by formal mandates than by relational positioning within the governance system. Actors controlling technical verification and documentary gateways occupy high-influence positions, while licensing authorities remain operationally dependent. Although most actors share common objectives—such as hygiene, quality assurance, and traceability—these are pursued through fragmented procedures, resulting in coordination failures and regulatory inequality. Producers bear the greatest compliance burdens despite having limited influence over regulatory processes. The study introduces the concept of relational administrative capacity to explain how decentralized governance outcomes depend on the alignment of authority, expertise, and procedural sequencing across interdependent actors. The findings suggest that improving regulatory performance requires strengthening coordination architectures rather than adding new rules.

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