Dynamics of Collaborative Governance in Sustainable Waste Bank Management: Power and Interests of Actors

Universitas Lancang Kuning, Graduate School of Public Policy, School of Graduate Studies, 28261 Pekanbaru, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: sulaiman@unilak.ac.id

Abstract

Sustainable urban waste management increasingly relies on collaborative governance models that engage multiple stakeholders across sectors. However, such collaboration often encounters challenges arising from unequal power distribution, conflicting interests, and fragmented coordination. This study highlights how power imbalances and fragmented coordination not only affect governance efficiency but also impede the achievement of environmental sustainability goals, such as waste reduction and circular resource flows. Adopting a quantitative survey design combined with qualitative in-depth interviews, Social Network Analysis was employed using UCINET 6 software to measure actor centrality through key indicators. The findings demonstrate that actors with formal authority and high legitimacy, particularly municipal environmental departments and established waste banks, dominate the collaborative network. In contrast, community and academic actors, despite having strong interests, often remain structurally peripheral and underrepresented in decision-making processes. The network density value of 0.5220 indicates a moderate level of connectivity, yet the presence of coordination gaps suggests room for improvement in actor engagement and information flow. This study advances the understanding of power and interest configurations in collaborative environmental governance. It also offers practical recommendations for strengthening cross-sectoral coordination and promoting inclusive, stakeholder-driven approaches to waste management that align with sustainable development goals in urban settings.