29
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
CHAPTER 2
S akeholde Engagemen
in he Gene a ion o
U ban Ecosys em Se ices
ANNA HEIKKINEN, JERE NIEMINEN, JOHANNA KUJALA,
HANNELE MÄKELÄ, ARI JOKINEN & OUTI LEHTONEN
Takeaways o Leading Change
This chap e highligh s he impo ance o na u e in u ban en i onmen s.
I discusses how u u e leade s in business, go e nmen and o he
o ganisa ions can os e openness and inco po a e na u e in o he p ocess
o gene a ing u ban ecosys em se ices h ough s akeholde engagemen .
As an open and pa icipa o y p ocess, s akeholde engagemen highligh s
unce ain y and ambigui y, which a e, and should be, emb aced as pa o
he p ocess. S akeholde engagemen can se e as a s a ing poin o mo e
open and pa icipa o y dialogue be ween a ious human and non-human
s akeholde s. S akeholde engagemen as an open p ocess can also o e
oom o collabo a i e p ocesses whe e su p ises and o he unexpec ed
elemen s a e ecognised as openings o con inuous expe imen a ions and
new oppo uni ies. Such p ocesses a e especially equi ed in sol ing wicked
global p oblems and sus ainabili y challenges ha equi e ecognising he
complexi y o he obs acles in ol ed and accep ing a ied unde s andings
o wha a e pe cei ed as desi ed ou comes.
30
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
S
us ainable de elopmen is gene ally de ined as de elopmen ha
“mee s he needs o he p esen wi hou comp omising he abili y
o u u e gene a ions o mee hei own needs” (Wo ld Commission on
En i onmen and De elopmen [WCED], 1987, p. 8). In ci ies, he majo
challenge is how o ensu e and balance economic, ecological, and social
sus ainabili y dimensions now and in he u u e (Finco & Nijkamp, 2001).
This challenge has become inc easingly p essing gi en ha mo e o he global
popula ion now li es in u ban han u al a eas and he a e o u banisa ion
is es ima ed o inc ease apidly in he nex h ee decades (Uni ed Na ions,
2014). E e -g owing ci ies ace many sus ainabili y- ela ed h ea s, such as
clima e change, o e popula ion and g ow h a he expense o e es ial and
ma ine capaci y, while a he same ime ci ies a e a signi ican sou ce o
hese p oblems. Ci ies c ea e o e 70% o global g eenhouse gas emissions
and consume wo- hi ds o he wo ld’s ene gy (C40 Ci ies, 2018). Howe e ,
ci ies can also p o ide oppo uni ies and be a
sou ce o de eloping solu ions o sus ainabili y
challenges. Sus ainable de elopmen has
become a dominan policy pa adigm and a
s a egic goal o se e al ci ies (Finco & Nijkamp,
2001; Jokinen, Leino, Bäcklund, & Laine, 2018).
U banisa ion and he expansi e g ow h o
ci ies highligh he signi icance o u ban na u e
o ci y dwelle s. As ci ies g ow la ge and
dense , na u al a eas loca ed wi hin ci ies a e
inc easingly equi ed o p o ide nume ous li e-
suppo ing and li e-enhancing oppo uni ies
o u ban ci izens (Fische & Eas wood, 2016;
S andish, Hobbs, & Mille , 2013). These
oppo uni ies can be concep ualised as
ecosys em se ices, de ined as “ he bene i s
ha humans ob ain om ecosys ems […]
p oduced by in e ac ions wi hin he ecosys em”
(Millennium Ecosys em Assessmen , 2005,
p. 3). U ban ecosys ems such as pa ks,
ec ea ional o es s, u ban ga dens, g een oo s
The aim o his
chap e is o shed
ligh on s akeholde
engagemen in he
gene a ion o u ban
ecosys em se ices. We
posi ion na u e as a
s akeholde and ocus
on how humans and
na u e as s akeholde s
in e ac and pa icipa e
in he gene a ion o
s o mwa e sys ems.
31
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
and conse ed na u al habi a s p o ide, among o he bene i s, esh ai and
wa e , nu i ion, heal h, ec ea ion, and well-being o ci y dwelle s.
The aim o his chap e is o shed ligh on s akeholde engagemen in he
gene a ion o u ban ecosys em se ices. Speci ically, we posi ion na u e as a
s akeholde and ocus on how humans and na u e as s akeholde s in e ac
and pa icipa e in he gene a ion o ecological s o mwa e sys ems. Recen
discussions ha e highligh ed ha he emaining blocks o na u al habi a
a e insu icien o keep ci ies li eable. Ins ead, a en ion has u ned o he
ac i e gene a ion o u ban ecosys ems and he in e ac ion be ween humans
and he na u al en i onmen in his gene a ion (Fische & Eas wood, 2016).
Public pa ks in ci ies a e a well-known example o u ban ecosys ems; hese
a e open g eenspaces used p ima ily o ec ea ion and accessible o all
u ban esiden s. They a e ega ded as o e ing impo an ecosys em se ices
o imp o ing he quali y o u ban li e and he heal h o ci y-dwelle s.
A mo e ecen example o u ban ecosys ems is he gene a ion o ege a ed
g een oo s ha complemen o he g een ne wo ks in ci ies. Besides
biodi e si y bene i s, g een oo s ga he and e ain ainwa e and help
alle ia e looding p oblems, and hus enhance u ban sus ainabili y. Fu u e
oppo uni ies o oo op biodi e si y and ecosys em se ices a e ex ensi e,
as oday’s u ban oo p in includes mo e han 20% o oo co e (Su on,
2015). G een oo s a e also a p ime example o s akeholde engagemen in
he p ocess o gene a ing u ban ecosys em se ices. The g een oo indus y
p o ides s anda dised di e se solu ions o old and new buildings, which
a e implemen ed and main ained in collabo a ion wi h s akeholde s.
To sum up, we a e wi nessing a new e a whe e he idea o u ban na u e
has changed om being a e uge sepa a e om he u ban s uc u e o
a c ucial componen o he buil en i onmen . “Re-na u ing” ci ies
in ol es unde s anding u ban ecosys ems as pa o clima e adap a ion
and he sys emic in e ela ions be ween ecology and socie y (Du all,
Lennon, & Sco , 2018). Consequen ly, he ne wo ks go e ning u ban
g een a eas a e unde going undamen al change. While ci y planne s and
o icials ha e adi ionally been in cha ge o g een a ea managemen ,
ci izens and business o ganisa ions a e now inc easingly in ol ed in
hese p ocesses (Jokinen, Asikainen, & Willman, 2017; Whi eman e al.,
2011). Acco dingly, u ban ecosys em se ices a e cu en ly gene a ed in
32
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
collabo a ion and coope a ion wi h a ious s akeholde s in he public
and p i a e sec o s and ci il socie y.
This chap e con ibu es o he discussion on he u u e leade ship o
u ban en i onmen s by examining how business o ganisa ions, he public
sec o , local communi ies and na u e pa icipa e in he gene a ion o
u ban ecosys em se ices h ough s akeholde engagemen . The ollowing
conclusions a e d awn. Fi s , u ban ecosys ems, such as in eg a ed
s o mwa e sys ems, p o ide a ious bene i s o ci y dwelle s h ough
socio-ecological p ocesses. Second, he gene a ion o u ban na u e is an
inhe en ly complex p ocess ha includes un o eseen and unexpec ed
elemen s. The in e ac i e and ecip ocal human and non-human p ocesses
should be acknowledged and app ecia ed. In hese p ocesses, nei he he
pa icipan s, p ocesses no he ou comes can be o eseen o p ede ined;
a he , inde e minacy, su p ise, con lic s, and expe imen s a e emb aced.
Thi d, wicked global p oblems and sus ainabili y challenges equi e
ecogni ion o he complexi y o he issues a hand, as well as accep ance
o a ied unde s andings o wha a e pe cei ed as desi ed ou comes.
The chap e p oceeds as ollows. Fi s , we u ilise en i onmen al poli ics
and s akeholde managemen li e a u es o p esen ecen discussions
on u ban ecosys em se ices and de elop a concep ual unde s anding o
s akeholde engagemen in he con ex o hese se ices. Nex , we illus a e
s akeholde engagemen h ough he case o u ban s o mwa e sys ems.
Finally, we discuss how humans and na u e as s akeholde s can engage
in he gene a ion o u ban ecosys em se ices, and how he elemen s o
su p ise and unce ain y can be acknowledged in hese p ocesses.
U ban Ecosys em Se ices
and S akeholde Engagemen
U ban ecosys em se ices ep esen an impo an app oach o enhancing
u ban sus ainabili y. They a e c ucial o imp o ing bo h he na u al
en i onmen s and he quali y o li e in ci ies (Gómez-Bagge hun e al.,
2013). The concep o ecosys em se ices p oposes ha he unc ionali y
33
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
o ecosys ems p o ides goods and bene i s o humans ha a e ealised
when someone ac i ely o passi ely equi es, demands, o uses hem
(Millennium Ecosys em Assessmen , 2005). These goods and bene i s
can include bo h ma e ial and non-ma e ial elemen s; ma e ial elemen s
include ood, wa e and nu ien cycling, and non-ma e ial elemen s
inco po a e bene i s such as oppo uni ies o ec ea ion and pedagogy
(Millennium Ecosys em Assessmen , 2005).
U ban ecosys em se ices a e dis inc om ecosys em se ices
elsewhe e as hey a e in e wined wi h many non-ecological u ban
elemen s, including physical in as uc u e, echnology, social p ac ices,
and cul u al con ex s (Ande sson e al., 2014; K eme e al., 2016). While
u ban ecosys ems alone a e no able o main ain li e in ci ies, hey a e
needed inc easingly o complemen u al ecosys ems (Ande sson e al.,
2014). Recen esea ch on u ban ecosys ems has sugges ed ha while he
c ucial na u al esou ces and p ocesses in u ban en i onmen s need o be
p ese ed, u ban ecosys ems need also be ac i ely es o ed and gene a ed.
The u ban con ex also highligh s he socio-ecological in e ac ions ha
ake place and shape u ban ecosys ems (Fische & Eas wood, 2016).
S akeholde engagemen has become an impo an app oach o
examining and managing sus ainabili y issues as i p o ides he means
o unde s and he complex and plu alis ic in e es s, ela ionships and
in e ac ion wi hin and among a ious o ganisa ions (F eeman, Ha ison,
Wicks, Pa ma , & De Colle, 2010; G eenwood, 2007; Kujala & Sachs,
o hcoming). S akeholde engagemen e e s o p ac ices o ganisa ions
unde ake o in ol e s akeholde s in a posi i e manne in hei ac i i ies
(G eenwood, 2007, p. 315), o o he embeddedness o s akeholde s’
objec i es, expec a ions, ac o ela ions and ac ions in he leade ship o
an o ganisa ion (Maak, 2007). S akeholde engagemen can also be seen as
an inclusi e decision-making p ocess ha p omo es equi y, enhances local
decision-making and builds social capi al (Ma hu , P ice & Aus in, 2008).
The adi ional de ini ion o a s akeholde e e s o “any g oup o indi idual
who can a ec o is a ec ed by he achie emen o he o ganiza ion’s
objec i es” (F eeman, 1984, p. 46). The issue-based s akeholde iew,
howe e , akes a wide pe spec i e by emphasising he issues ha a ec
he well-being o and ela ionships among s akeholde s. To unde s and

34
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
he gene a ion o u ban ecosys ems, he cen e o a en ion should shi
om a single company o o ganisa ion o he issue a hand (i.e., o he
collabo a i e gene a ion o u ban ecosys em se ices). The issue- ocused
pe spec i e highligh s ha he goal is o app oach and sha e unde s andings
ega ding he gene a ion o u ban ecosys em se ices ins ead o p o ec ing
he in e es s o any pa icula o ganisa ion (Rolo , 2008).
While mos s akeholde esea ch has included only human en i ies as
s akeholde s, an inc easing numbe o s udies a gue ha na u e can also
ake on s akeholde s a us (e.g. D iscoll & S a ik, 2004; Laine, 2010). The
adi ional s akeholde app oach posi s ha as na u e canno oice claims
o expec a ions. I canno ac as a s akeholde and can only be ep esen ed
by o he ac o s, such as indi iduals and en i onmen al o ganisa ions (Laine,
2010). Howe e , D iscoll and S a ik (2004) a gue ha na u e can be ega ded
as a s akeholde in he same way as he local communi y and he public.
S akeholde engagemen p ocesses can deli e many posi i e ou comes,
anging om knowledge c ea ion o social lea ning, bu hey can also ac
as impo an means o enhancing sus ainable de elopmen (Ma hu e al.,
2008). Acco ding o F eeman, Kujala, Sachs, and S u z (2017), in eg a i e
s akeholde engagemen consis s o (1) examining s akeholde ela ions,
(2) communica ing wi h s akeholde s, and (3) lea ning wi h s akeholde s.
Kujala, Leh imäki and Myllykangas (2016) emphasise he impo ance o
join in e es s, he abili y o collabo a e and us as impo an elemen s
o s akeholde engagemen . Mo eo e , unde s anding he ela ionship
dynamics and ac o iden i ies is pa amoun in he analysis o s akeholde
engagemen p ocesses (Leh imäki & Kujala, 2017).
Heikkinen e al. (2019) sugges he ideas o adical democ acy a e use ul
o conside ing s akeholde engagemen in complex socio-ecological
se ings such as u ban ecosys em se ices. Radical democ acy allows,
i s , o he conside a ion o bo h human and non-human s akeholde s
as pa icipan s in open p ocesses, and second, o he app ecia ion o
complexi y, di e ence, and disag eemen in he engagemen p ocess. They
u he a gue “an open app oach o a ious ways o communica ing and
exp essing iews is necessa y when he aim is o include bo h human and
non-human pa icipan s” (Heikkinen e al., 2019, p. 123). The challenges
ha emain a e how o ecognise and balance he a ious s akeholde
35
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
in e es s inhe en in he socio-ecological p ocesses and how o gene a e
open p ocesses wi h he po en ial o enhance sus ainable de elopmen .
Fo example, he mo i a ions o business o ganisa ions o engaging
wi h en i onmen al issues include in e es s such as compe i i eness,
legi ima ion, and ecological esponsibili y (Bansal & Ro h, 2000), while
ci izens may look o ec ea ional use and imp o ed well-being.
In b ie , he open p ocess pe spec i e on s akeholde engagemen
posi s he p ocesses, pa icipan s, o ou comes o pa icipa ion canno and
should no be p ede ined (B own & Dilla d, 2013). In he gene a ion o
ecosys em se ices, his means he e migh be unexpec ed elemen s ac i e
in he p ocess (Lindenmaye , Likens, K ebs, & Hobbs, 2010).
S akeholde Engagemen in S o mwa e Sys ems
To illus a e s akeholde engagemen in he gene a ion o u ban
ecosys em se ices, we ha e explo ed in eg a ed s o mwa e sys ems.
We collec ed empi ical da a om six s o mwa e sys ems in h ee la ge
ci ies in Finland: Helsinki, Van aa and Tampe e. The empi ical da a
included ield obse a ion ma e ial, documen analysis, and indoo and
ield in e iews conduc ed wi h 14 consul an s and ci y o icials. The da a
we e collec ed om 2015–2017.
In eg a ed s o mwa e sys ems ep esen bo h a no el solu ion and a
policy ans o ma ion in u ban ecosys em se ice gene a ion. S o mwa e
sys ems aim o handle ainwa e and mel wa e (i.e. uno wa e ) by
delaying, il e ing and pu i ying he wa e . In eg a ed s o mwa e sys ems
e e o he in eg a ion o s o mwa e p ac ices in o he u ban landscape by
using, o example, ponds and c eeks as al e na i es o piped solu ions in
su ace uno wa e managemen . The in eg a ed sys ems combine wa e
and ege a ion in a ious ways and inc ease mul i unc ional land use in u ban
a eas. These sys ems a e gaining suppo in ci ies; hey inc ease clima e
esilience and lood p o ec ion, imp o e uno wa e quali y, and a he
same ime p o ide many o he ecosys em se ices such as ec ea ional use,
biodi e si y conse a ion, scien i ic esea ch, and aes he ical landscaping
(Ce ne , Ashley, Viklande , & Nilsson, 2013; Hoang & Fenne , 2016).
36
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
We ocused on ou key s akeholde s o he in eg a ed s o mwa e sys ems,
namely business o ganisa ions, he public sec o , he local communi y, and
na u e. He e, business o ganisa ions we e mos ly consul ing companies
which ypically d aw up he plans and designs o he de elopmen and
main enance o s o mwa e sys ems. Ou cases we e ini ia ed by he
public sec o , including he ci y o icials, ci il se an s, and esea che s
wo king o he ci y go e nmen s. Local communi y e e s o he people
li ing in o nea he s o mwa e sys ems, as well as he ci izen g oups and
associa ions who a e he main use s o bene icia ies o he sys ems. Na u e as
a s akeholde deno es he wa e and ege a ion gene a ed in he s o mwa e
sys ems, including hei di e se and e ol ing en anglemen s. In s akeholde
engagemen , we ocused on he ac o iden i ies (Leh imäki & Kujala, 2017),
he na u e o s akeholde collabo a ion (Kujala e al., 2016), and he elemen s
o unce ain y and su p ise (Lindenmaye e al., 2010), as p esen ed in Table 1.
BUSINESS
ORGANISATIONS PUBLIC SECTOR LOCAL
COMMUNITY NATURE
ACTOR
IDENTITY
•De elope and
p oduce o
s o mwa e sys ems
•The ini ia o ,
coo dina o ,
inancie , and
supe iso
•Use s, con ibu o s,
and co-dwelle s o
he s o mwa e si es
•Con ibu o o
he ecological
unc ionali y o
s o mwa e sys ems
COLLABORATION
•Con ac ual
collabo a ion wi h
he public sec o
•Con ac ual
collabo a ion
wi h business
o ganisa ions
•Fo mal
communica ion wi h
he local communi y
•Fo mal and
spon aneous
communica ion
wi h he public
sec o and business
o ganisa ions
•Pa icipa ion
h ough appea ance,
mani es a ion and
unc ionali ies
ELEMENTS OF
UNEXPECTEDNESS
•Unce ain y ela ed
o new p oduc s
•Unce ain y and
unp edic abili y o
ecological p ocesses
•Unce ain y ela ed
o local communi y
in ol emen and use
o he a ea
•Unce ain y and
unp edic abili y o
ecological p ocesses
•Unce ain y ela ed
o he de elopmen
o he housing a ea
•Unce ain y
ela ed o he
appea ance o he
s o mwa e si e
•Su p ises h ough
un o eseen
ecological p ocesses
TABLE 1. S akeholde engagemen in s o mwa e sys ems
37
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
Business o ganisa ions a e he designe s and p oduce s o s o mwa e
sys ems, ypically in collabo a ion wi h he public sec o . This collabo a ion
is also a i al oppo uni y o business o ganisa ions o de elop and es
new p oduc s and se ices. In hese p ocesses, i is ypical ha business
o ganisa ions seek o in eg a e p ojec p o i abili y wi h knowledge
de elopmen . Businesses conside he de elopmen o expe ise on
s o mwa e sys ems as a means o become pionee s and on - unne s in
sus ainabili y and in c ea ing sus ainable business oppo uni ies.
Business o ganisa ions mainly ha e con ac ual collabo a ion wi h
he public sec o . This collabo a ion is o en cen ed on inno a i e and
en husias ic indi iduals who a e mo i a ed o engage in he de elopmen
o new p oduc s. Business o ganisa ions also collabo a e wi h o he
o ganisa ions bo h domes ically and in e na ionally when de eloping hei
p oduc s. Since s o mwa e sys ems a e no widely es ablished s uc u es,
hey in ol e many elemen s o unexpec edness, unce ain y and su p ise.
Fo business o ganisa ions, his means dealing wi h obs acles and he
cons an need o esea ch and de elop hei p oduc s.
The gene a ion o s o mwa e sys ems is amed by public in e es . The
public sec o – ci y o icials, ci il se an s, and esea che s wo king o he
ci y go e nmen – is he ini ia o o hese p ocesses. The public sec o is
also esponsible o coo dina ing, inancing, and supe ising he gene a ion
o he s o mwa e sys ems, and i enables new esea ch and expe imen s
o eme ge in he ield.
In addi ion o con ac -based collabo a ion wi h business o ganisa ions,
he public sec o engages wi h he local communi y h ough o mal
hea ing p ocesses ha allow people o oice hei in e es s. Local people
can also gi e in o mal eedback o he public sec o . The public sec o
collabo a es wi h local and in e na ional pee s, such as o he ci ies and
esea ch ne wo ks. Much like he business o ganisa ions i also aces some
elemen s o unce ain y and su p ise. These unce ain ies can ela e o he
in ol emen o local communi ies as well as he unp edic abili y o he
ecological elemen s ela ed o s o mwa e sys ems.
The local communi y, including he people li ing in he a ea and ci izen
g oups and associa ions iden i ied as use s and co-dwelle s, con ibu es o
bo h he design and he de elopmen o s o mwa e sys ems h ough hei
44
Leading Change in a Complex Wo ld: T ansdisciplina y Pe spec i es
S akeholde Engagemen in he Gene a ion o U ban Ecosys em Se ices
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