Examining the benefits of collaboration: the Provider-User Matrix for collaborative flood risk management illustrated by the case of the Ljusnan River, Sweden

Collaboration is often regarded as a prerequisite for successfully governing issues that require interdisciplinary, inter-sectoral, and integrative approaches. Governance in relation to climate change, water, and flood risks are typical examples of such issues (e.g., Andonova, Betsill, & Bulkeley, 2009; Pahl-Wostl et al., 2007). During the recent decade’s governance trend – shifting authority from governments to more polycentric decisionmaking arrangements such as hybrid, networked, community-based, collaborative, and adaptive governance arrangements – collaborative governance approaches have been developed, tested, and evaluated.