Abstract
This chapter introduces a framework for understanding forms of night-time economy governance. First, the chapter identifies, defines, and classifies six ideal types of night-time economy governance modes drawing upon key literatures and real-world night-time economy governance practices. The six ideal types of night-time economy governance modes are: public-private partnership, night-time commission, night mayors, night city managers, night lobby groups, and night advocacy groups. Second, the chapter discusses the ideal type of night-time economy governance modes, and their potential role for night-time economy resilience and recovery during and post-COVID-19 crisis. Local governments, policy practitioners, night-time economy advocates have the opportunity to rethink night-time economy governance through entrepreneurialism, flexibility, adaptation, leadership, resource mobilization, coordination, and knowledge generation. Alternatively, we may assist to a weak night-time economy policy implementation and the decadence of forms of night-time economy governance. Recently, public discourse praises a night mayor or a night city manager with little knowledge around governance models.
TopGovernance Foundations
Night-time economy governance modes can be defined as the multiple forms through which night-time economy governance can be realized (Pahl-Wostl, 2015b). The term night-time economy refers to multiple formal and informal economies running from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Drawing upon Roberts and Eldridge (2009), night-time economy can be defined as a contested and complex time-space where multiple desires and interests, to which others are oblivious, can collide or coexist according to different ways of inhabiting the city at night; this diversity is the result of different global, national, and local trajectories. Following this definition, night-time economy governance is not a static process, but a dynamic way of controlling the tension between governing needs, desires and interests, and governing capacities (Kooiman, 2003).
Governance occurs as multiple actors influence each other’s interactions on several levels, including at the interface between market, state, and civil society; this process may take various forms (Kooiman, 2003). Night-time economy governance is seen as a process of formal–informal interactions between public–private actors aiming to realize collective goals; here, the author focuses on night-time economy resilience and recovery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, governance refers to actors engaging in a ‘purposeful effort to guide, steer, control, or manage sectors or facets of societies’ (Kooiman, 2003).
The governance of night-time economy has gained particular attention in scholarly and political debates since the 1990s. While it is acknowledged that the concept of governance has a rhetorical rather than substantive and semantic meaning, Pugalis (2018), drawing on the leading scholars of governance, summarize some theoretical propositions that are highly relevant here:
Key Terms in this Chapter
Night-Time Economy Resilience: The ability of forms of night-time economy entrepreneurs to resist night-time economy governance modes to respond to economic shocks and disruption.
Governance: The process of interaction between state and non-state actors aiming to achieve collective goals. Governance refers to the capacity to get the things done through the development of strategies, use of instruments to guide and steer governing processes.
Night-Time Economy: A contested and controversial time-space where multiple formal and informal economies run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. corresponding to different ways of experiencing the urban night. Examples include informal parties, live-music sector, hospitality sector, sex industry, festivals, food and alcohol delivery platforms, digital events, 24h trades, small and niche oriented night-businesses, big size and commercial oriented night-businesses.
Night-Time Economy Recovery: The process of becoming well again after being injured by economic shocks and disruption.
Forms of Night-Time Economy Governance: Multiple shapes through which night-time economy governance can be realized. Examples include public-private partnerships, night-time commissions, night mayors, night lobby groups, night advocacy groups, night city managers.