An Organized Network: World Economic Forum and the Partial Organizing of Global Agendas

doi:10.1017/9781108604994.010

10 - An Organized Network: World Economic Forum and the Partial Organizing of Global Agendas

from Part 3 - Networks and Other Social Relationships

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 July 2019

Christina Garsten and

Adrienne Sörbom

Edited by

Göran Ahrne and

Nils Brunsson

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Göran Ahrne: Affiliation:
Uppsala Universitet, Sweden
Nils Brunsson: Affiliation:
Uppsala Universitet, Sweden

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Summary

This chapter answers the question of how the World Economic Fourm (WEF) constructs authority for itself in the global arena by studying the form of political action that the WEF draws upon. We argue that it constructs authority beyond itself through turning some participants from its many events into a form of members, thus partially organizing its environment. Participants at WEF activities, as well as WEF staff, would call this order a ‘network’. We acknowledge the network aspects of this order, but argue that it is foremost based on organization; it is a decided order, based on decisions taken within the WEF. Empirically, the chapter builds on interview data within Geneva staff and participants at WEF activities.

Keywords

World Economic Forum network membership monitoring authority organization decision

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Organization outside Organizations
The Abundance of Partial Organization in Social Life
, pp. 212 - 234

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108604994.010 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2019

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