ABSTRACT

Several authors (Portugali, 1997; Lombardo, 1998; Byrne, 1998) have argued that self-organization is a crucial element in the development of metropolitan regions, and one that has been too often neglected by scholars in public administration. The concept of self-organization questions the guiding ability of single governmental agencies. Allen (1996) and Byrne (1998: 149) have argued that governmental decision-making in complex societies does remain possible, however, but that the effects of governmental actions are highly infl uenced by the spontaneous actions of many other agents.