Role patterns

In this edited volume, we have explored the diverse roles that international organizations (IOs) adopt in response to global crises, what drives the observed roles, and which external and internal effects were triggered by the roles adopted. To this end, we have attempted to bridge the gap between two scholarships – role theory and comparative IO research – to develop a conceptual framework, which classifies roles based on the combination of functional and relational dimensions. In times of crises, IOs may focus their functions on either preserving the status quo of the international/ regional order in the relevant policy area or instigating its transformation. The relational dimension refers to whether an organization perceives its role as innovating means or instruments to address a crisis or merely emulating the strategies employed by other IOs. We argue that roles delineated by the interplay of the functional and relational dimensions are not static and can evolve over time.

In this concluding chapter, we synthesize the key insights derived from the diverse roles of IOs elucidated in the individual chapters of this edited volume. Our analysis, guided by Figure 11.1

and the conceptual framework outlined in the introduction, has shed light on the nuanced ways IOs navigate the functional and relational role demands in response to global crises. Figure 11.1 summarizes the roles IOs adapted in the individual case studies of this edited volume. We distinguish between four different types of roles that IOs can enact when being faced with a global crisis.

In the upper left corner of Figure 11.1 are cases where IOs take on roles characterized by a combination of maintenance and emulation. In these cases, the IOs refrain from introducing novel ordering principles or revising existing structures related to the crisis. Instead, they emulate the activities of other IOs, relying on them as points of reference in devising their crisis response. Other cases situated in the lower left quadrant combine a functional orientation towards maintenance with innovative instruments compared to their counterparts. While preserving existing organizing principles, in these cases, IOs introduce novel means to address specific crises, reflecting a commitment to both stability and adaptability. The cases in the top-right part of Figure 11.1 reveal transformative roles coupled with emulation. Here, IOs strive to establish new organizing principles while adopting strategies and means employed by other IOs in addressing the crisis at hand.