DEVELOPING GOVERNANCE NETWORKS IN RURAL AREAS. THE CASE OF LOCAL ACTION GROUPS IN THE SUB-CARPATHIAN REGION

This paper examines intersectorial partnerships (IPs) interpreting them through the prism of govemance. IPs are exemplified by area-based raral partnerships (Local Action Groups - LAGs) situated in the Sub-Carpathian region (Poland). Mechanisms of the IPs' creation and decisive factors of their activities are identified. An imperative role of the local authorities in establishing and managing the majority of the analysed LAGs was discovered. The utilitarian attitude of the stakeholders towards their IPs has been confirmed. It has been con-cluded that LAGs are run in the way typical of the representative democracy standing in contradiction to some basie tenets of the theory of governance; however, the partnership model of accomplishing common projects and the positive outeomes of the projects are likely to produce much added-value in the rural communities.