Resilience and localism: sustainable collaborative communities as organisation systems. The case of the City of Rijeka

Purpose. - The aim of this paper is to find answers to two research questions: RQ1: in what way Transition, as a new theoretical approach, can contribute to define a new paradigm for collaboration through the observation of its new modes, processes and practices happening within community organisations. RQ2: How could the Transition model apply to developing contexts while leveraging on two key aspects, resilience and economic localisation. Design/methodology/approach. - The paper uses a case study method (Yin R.K. 2005, 2013) which is a valuable tool for understanding the complexities of governing systems in the perspective of Community Governance and for suggesting criteria for actions in creating a shared, integrated, networked-based and systemic public value. The case under investigation is the City of Rijeka and uses a deductive and inductive approach for describing the phenomena and dynamics of the development processes entailed. Originality/value. - The paper contributes to the discussion over the development of a scientific paradigm that would enable academics to analyse the concepts of collaboration, its unfolding processes, dimensions and challenges. The paper fills the gap in the literature since the investigations made in the City of Rijeka represents a guide to support and accelerate Transition while removing obstacles in its path by engaging people, enthusiasm and commitment in a way that conventional politics is failing to do. Practical implications – The paper analyses what socio-economic and community-related structures as well as organisational systems are necessary to implement modes and places of collaboration in the attempt to deliver public services in a resilient/developing country. In particular, the focus will be on the obstacles resulting from building resilience and setting up re-localisation. The paper, in fact, finds that problems relate to governance-related issues and to the need for increased collaborative and social entrepreneurship. From here it comes the necessity to: - increase local democracy by enhancing community’s ability to self-organise and make decisions sustainably; - foster community’s attitude to learn and adapt since being resilient means having the necessary skills; - enhance the intentional aspect of building resilience. Provided that the Transition approach is characterised by a high level of generability, the key challenge for collaborative and resilient transition initiatives, which are (by definition) context specific, is to become a viable and transferable model, with a broad appeal to engagement. Evidence would show that the Transition’s approach towards re-localisation could be effective in setting up strategies influencing collaborative attitudes.