ABSTRACT

This chapter investigates the relationship by elaborating connective management style through the concept of complexity sensitive management and its effect on different kinds of legitimacy. These water projects are developed in complex governance networks, because they touch on the interests of a variety of public and non-public actors and their realization is dependent on these same actors. Network management is of major importance for the functioning and the performance of governance networks, including their democratic legitimacy. The chapter illustrates the survey results with qualitative case material. This case material is collected by interviews and document analysis and is part of a study on water governance in The Netherlands. The chapter elaborates the concept governance networks and its relationship with legitimacy. It focuses on connective capacity by investigating the complexity sensitive management style regarding the development of legitimacy in complex water governance networks.