Bridging worlds: polycentric collaboration and the integration of traditional governance in Samoa’s disaster management

Effective multi-agency collaboration (MAC) is essential for disaster risk reduction; however, its implementation remains profoundly challenging in contexts where modern state structures intersect with traditional governance systems. Grounded in polycentric governance theory, this study investigates the barriers to MAC in Samoa, a Small Island Developing State characterized by the coexistence of formal agencies and the indigenous fa’a-Samoa governance system. Using a qualitative case study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 senior officials across Samoa’s disaster management landscape. Findings reveal that challenges stem not from a lack of policies, but from a fundamental institutional misalignment between bureaucratic systems and socio-cultural structures, resulting in informational silos, fragmented communication, and a disconnect between national and village-level response. The study identifies the critical need for bridging institutions that can translate between these different logics of operation. The paper argues that for MAC to be effective, governance models must move beyond technical solutions and engage in institutional bricolage, creatively blending modern and traditional systems. This involves formally integrating matai (chiefs) and pulenu’u (village mayors) into the command structure and fostering configurational boundary work through joint simulation exercises. This offers a new perspective on disaster risk reduction in the Pacific and other post-colonial contexts, demonstrating that resilience is built by designing for polycentricity, rather than against it.