Thesis
A political economy of transport: The role of Port Moresby's PMV Association in reform
Masters by Coursework, Murdoch University
2024
Abstract
This thesis investigates the role of Port Moresby’s PMV Association in public transport policy reform. Despite government efforts, public transportation in Port Moresby remains in a parlous state. The prominent technocratic approach to diagnose public transport issues and inform reform strategies have yielded minimal results. This thesis argues that a new approach to understanding public transportation in Port Moresby is required; one which deviates from the established business and engineering-based approaches. What is required is an understanding of the broader political economy context surrounding public transportation. As such, an applied political economy analysis (PEA) was selected to uncover the social, political, and cultural undercurrents present in Port Moresby’s transport industry. The study paid intentional focus to the role of Port Moresby’s PMV Association, its structure and agency. One of the contributions of this thesis included underlining the contribution of Power Resource Theory to PEA. It was found that the PMV Association holds considerable power and influence over other major stakeholder groups involved in Port Moresby’s public transport sector. Specific power lies with the PMV Association’s ability to collectively mobilize and veto reform initiatives. This power is facilitated by both a majority share of transport service labour and the informal institution of wantok system. What this research reveals is that achieving successful transport policy reform in Port Moresby requires strategies that acknowledge the unique structure, agency, and influence of the PMV Association.
Details
- Title
- A political economy of transport: The role of Port Moresby's PMV Association in reform
- Authors/Creators
- Uti Sepoe
- Contributors
- Kanishka Jayasuriya (Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Masters by Coursework
- Identifiers
- 991005729587007891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- College of Law, Arts and Social Sciences; School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Resource Type
- Thesis
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