performance of urban water service provision, high levels of inequities and inefficiency persist. In terms of water distribution and cost, these undesirable patterns have a high impact on peri-urban areas usually populated by marginalized and poor populations. The high levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW), together with the existence of corrupt practices and mismanagement of water utilities, remain a highly controversial issue.

This situation confronts rent-seeking theory directly, explaining the performance-corruption relationship (Repetto, 1986). The presumption is that low performance in water supply service provision results from corruption because rent-seeking occurs. Hence, the implementation of performance-oriented reforms in the water supply sector, such as regulation or private sector participation, will reduce corruption, increasing the efficiency of water service provision. Nevertheless, latest evidence shows that “key elements of good political governance have a positive effect on the access to water services in developing countries. In turn, private sector participation has little influence other than increasing internal efficiency of water providers” (Krausse, 2009).

Indeed the relation between governance, corruption and performance seems to be more complex than theory wants to acknowledge. It must be reviewed further than a simple cause-effect relationship. It appears that poor management of water utilities, evidenced by high levels of NRW, justifies new investments. Such practices can be encouraged by an “opportunistic management”, whilst at the same time maintaining an influential “hydrocratic elite” in the sphere of water control.

The present research proposal aims to understand the relation between mismanagement and corruption of water control practices in water supply service provision. The research examines how this relationship affects the performance of water service provision and relates to water supply governance models at municipal peri-urban level in three African countries.

To understand the mismanagement-corruption relationship, we look at different case studies of water supply service provision in Senegal, Ghana and Kenya. Each case represents a different governance model in terms of management practices, institutional and organizational settings, and the actors in place, which affects the performance of water service provision in terms of allocative efficiency and access to water (equity). Whether regulation, decentralization and private sector participation constitute possible ways to reduce corruption is examined in the context of water sector reform.

In a second step, we propose a theoretical model based on Agent Based Modelling (ABM) (Pahl-Wostl, 2007) to reproduce complex social networks under a Socio-Ecological System (SES) framework approach. The model will allow us to test whether collaborative governance in the form of collective action in a participatory and negotiated decision-making process for water control, can reduce corruption and increase performance.

The present research benefits from the project “Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa”. This project, carried out by Transparency International (TI) in 8 Sub-Saharan countries, aims to increase access to education, health and water by improving transparency and integrity in basic service delivery. The proposal retains focus on Senegal, Ghana and Kenya in the water sector.

Key words: water control, mismanagement, corruption, performance, collaborative governance, modelling, collective action, negotiation, participation

My research focuses on the interdisciplinary nexus of artificial intelligence (AI), digital economy, technological innovation, and industrial economics, with an emphasis on understanding how digital technologies reshape economic structures, policy frameworks, and societal norms. Key areas of interest include:

1. Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation
   Ethical and Governance Challenges of AI: Investigating algorithmic bias, data privacy, and accountability in AI systems; proposing frameworks for ethical AI development and deployment.
   AI Adoption and Economic Impact: Analyzing how AI-driven automation and innovation influence productivity, labor markets, and industrial competitiveness.
2. Digital Economy & Platform Markets
   Crowdfunding, Sharing Economy, and Digital Platforms: Examining user behavior, market dynamics, and performance drivers in emerging digital ecosystems (e.g., crowdfunding campaigns, app markets).
   Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Studying the role of technological innovation in firm growth, particularly in internet-based industries.
3. Technological Innovation & Industrial Policy
   Innovation-Driven Industrial Competitiveness: Developing quantitative models (e.g., DEA, CGE) to assess the efficiency and competitiveness of emerging industries under technological disruption.
   Policy Evaluation and Simulation: Using computational modeling to analyze the economic and industrial impacts of trade policies, environmental regulations, and technological standards.
4. Resource Economics & Sustainable Development
   Water Resource Management and Policy: Evaluating the economic and environmental trade-offs of water conservation policies through general equilibrium modeling.
   Global Trade and Food Security: Assessing the impacts of international trade regulations (e.g., food safety standards) on domestic industries and global supply chains.
5. Cross-Disciplinary Methodological Innovation
   Integrating econometrics, data science, and behavioral economics to enhance the rigor and relevance of industrial and policy research.
   Leveraging big data analytics, machine learning, and agent-based modeling to uncover complex relationships in digital markets and technological ecosystems.