Mediating power?
- The selection of the executive heads of international organisations represents a key decision in the politics of international organisations. However, we know little about what dynamics influence this selection. The article focuses on the nationality of selected executive heads. It argues that institutional design impacts the factors that influence leadership selection by shaping the costs and benefits of attaining the position for member states’ nationals. The argument is tested with novel data on the nationality of individuals in charge of 69 international organisation bureaucracies between 1970 and 2017. Two findings stand out: first, powerful countries are more able to secure positions in international organisations in which executive heads are voted in by majority voting. Second, less consistent evidence implies that powerful countries secure more positions when bureaucracies are authoritative. The findings have implications for debates on international cooperation by illustrating how power and institutions interact in theThe selection of the executive heads of international organisations represents a key decision in the politics of international organisations. However, we know little about what dynamics influence this selection. The article focuses on the nationality of selected executive heads. It argues that institutional design impacts the factors that influence leadership selection by shaping the costs and benefits of attaining the position for member states’ nationals. The argument is tested with novel data on the nationality of individuals in charge of 69 international organisation bureaucracies between 1970 and 2017. Two findings stand out: first, powerful countries are more able to secure positions in international organisations in which executive heads are voted in by majority voting. Second, less consistent evidence implies that powerful countries secure more positions when bureaucracies are authoritative. The findings have implications for debates on international cooperation by illustrating how power and institutions interact in the selection of international organisation executive heads.…
| Author details: | Mirko Noa HeinzelORCiDGND |
|---|---|
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1177/1369148121992761 |
| ISSN: | 1467-856X |
| ISSN: | 1369-1481 |
| Title of parent work (English): | The British journal of politics & international relations : BJPIR |
| Subtitle (English): | Delegation, pooling and leadership selection at international organisations |
| Publisher: | Sage |
| Place of publishing: | London |
| Publication type: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Year of first publication: | 2021 |
| Publication year: | 2022 |
| Release date: | 2023/03/09 |
| Tag: | decision-making; delegation; executive head; institutional design; international organisations; pooling; selection |
| Volume: | 24 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Article number: | 1369148121992761 |
| Number of pages: | 18 |
| First page: | 153 |
| Last Page: | 170 |
| Funding institution: | German Research Association (DFG) German Research Foundation (DFG) |
| Funding number: | 1745 TP LI 1947/4-1 |
| Organizational units: | Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Sozialwissenschaften / Fachgruppe Politik- & Verwaltungswissenschaft |
| DDC classification: | 3 Sozialwissenschaften / 32 Politikwissenschaft / 320 Politikwissenschaft |
