The Theory of Agents in the Eco-structural Order (TAOE): Conceptual Foundations and Analytical Framework
(2025) , 4 pages
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- Abstract
- This working paper presents the original and unpublished formulation of the Theory of Agents in the Eco-structural Order (TAOE), a middle-range explanatory theory aimed at measuring and explaining eco-performance in international environmental policy through the interaction of agency and structure. The TAOE operationalises eco-performance by linking three core dimensions: Discourse (D), Institutional Action (X), and Environmental Outcomes (Z), complemented by two derived metrics: Discourse–Action Alignment (Y) and Effectiveness of Outcomes (W). The combined Eco-Performance Index (EPI-TAOE) provides a synthetic indicator of the extent to which national leaders substantiate claimed environmental roles with concrete actions and results. While initially applied to the Brazilian case (1992–2012) as an illustrative example, TAOE is designed for comparative and cross-national applications. This paper establishes the conceptual foundations, formal definitions, and theoretical propositions of TAOE, offering an analytical tool for assessing coherence between environmental foreign policy discourse, action, and measurable outcomes.
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Gonçalves Marques Junior, H. (2025). The Theory of Agents in the Eco-structural Order (TAOE): Conceptual Foundations and Analytical Framework. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/248556