Dynamic collaboration between small- and medium-sized enterprises from highly dissimilar markets

Emerging markets have created significant opportunities for European small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Highly dissimilar market contexts compared to traditional markets and missing resources present substantial barriers to successfully serve those markets. Collaborative partnerships with local SMEs can help to overcome the barriers. Knowledge on how SMEs can develop lasting collaborative relationships in highly dissimilar contexts is scarce. This research investigates which factors influence the stability of more informal collaborative partnerships of Central European SMEs with SMEs located in China. A qualitative analysis of four cases confirms the importance of complementarity of partner resources, working well together based on mutual trust and commitment, shared sensemaking, and the balanced consideration of partner interests. Mutual learning and adaptation in iterative steps to enhance shared sensemaking and seeing differences in interpretation and behavior arising from contextual dissimilarity as opportunities instead of threats turn out to be SME-specific factors essential for building stable informal collaborative relations.     

NGOs’ Resource Capacity Antecedents for Partnerships

Nonprofit organizations strive for continuous improvement in their programs’ effectiveness and sustainability, service efficiency, and accountability. Typically, managers face the need to attain these objectives despite limited or declining resources. For that reason, collaboration with other organizations has become an increasingly favored tactical strategy. However, even with the extensive literature on collaboration, there is a lack of empirical testing of elements or characteristics essential to collaboration. Using survey data from environmental organizations, we find that organizations that have sufficient human resource capacity, more technological resources, and employ females at the leadership level would more likely seek collaboration than would other organizations. Organizations that generate higher internal revenues are less likely to seek collaboration.     

Participatory evaluation of a community–academic partnership to inform capacity-building and sustainability

The Tampa Bay Community Cancer Network (TBCCN) was formed as a partnership comprised of committed community based organizations (grassroots, service, health care organizations) and a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center working together to reduce cancer health disparities. Adhering to principles of community-based participatory research, TBCCN's primary aims are to develop and sustain outreach, training, and research programs that aim to reach medically underserved, multicultural and multilingual populations within the Tampa Bay tri-county area.Using a participatory evaluation approach, we recently evaluated the partnerships’ priorities for cancer education and outreach; perspectives on the partnerships’ adherence to CBPR principles; and suggestions for sustaining TBCCN and its efforts. The purpose of this paper is to describe implementation and outcomes of this participatory evaluation of a community/academic partnership, and to illustrate the application of evaluation findings for partnership capacity-building and sustainability. Our evaluation provides evidence for partners’ perceived benefits and realized expectations of the partnership and illustrates the value of ongoing and continued partnership assessment to directly inform program activities and build community capacity and sustainability.     

Public‐private partnerships (PPPs) in development policy: Exploring the concept and practice

Public‐private partnerships (PPPs) have proliferated in development studies over the past decades. However, the partnership notion often remains loosely defined, thus making it difficult to grasp the concept and evaluate practice. This article aims to contribute to conceptual and empirical exploration of the PPP concept. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, we frame eight characteristics of PPPs in development policy. Turning then to exploration of empirical practice, we present a longitudinal analysis of PPPs in Danish development policy over a 20‐year period. The conceptual and empirical insights are aimed at PPP development researchers and practitioners alike.     

Common agenda or Europe’s agenda? International protection,human rights and migration from the Horn of Africa

ABSTRACT

This article examines the relationship between international protection, human rights and migration in the context of the EU Agenda on Migration which aims to ‘tackle migration upstream’ and reduce arrivals to Europe from the Horn of Africa (HoA) (Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan). This initiative is underpinned by assumptions about the factors associated with migration from the region, including the idea that poverty, rather than political oppression and human rights abuse, is the principal cause. The article draws on interview and survey data with 128 people originating from HoA countries and arriving in Europe between March 2011 and October 2016 to show that conflict, insecurity and human rights abuse in countries of origin and neighbouring countries often drives decisions to move and/or move on. This evidence challenges the underlying premise of the EU Agenda. Moreover, a lack of coherence between Europe’s ambitions to control irregular migration and co-operation with rights-violating States threatens to create further political destabilisation which may ultimately increase, rather than decrease, outward migration from the region. Agreements between the EU and HoA countries should be re-centred to focus on compliance with international human rights standards rather than States’ willingness to prevent irregular migration to Europe.     

Fostering Innovation in Contaminated Sediments Management Through Multicriteria Technology Assessment and Public Participation

Management of contaminated sediments is problematic and costly. Several new technologies are under development that may in some cases reduce costs and environmental or ecological impacts. However, there are significant barriers to implementing new technologies, including the increased management complexity, the potential for introducing antagonistic or incommensurate objectives that are unfamiliar to stakeholders or regulators, and the difficulty of capturing private, commercial benefits from environmental improvements that may primarily benefit the public. This article identifies several innovative contaminated sediments technologies, discusses the difficulty of proving or quantifying the benefits of new technologies, and presents an agenda for research that would foster partnerships between scientific, government, and public communities of interest for the purpose of improving innovative technology assessment and environmental decision making.     

Community Development as a Public Sector Agenda

Abstract

This paper documents how one Department of Recreation in a large city underwent a planned change effort which transformed some 200 site managers into active community organizers. Based on the philosophy of a very dynamic new commissioner (a former community organizer), city employees enhanced local civic participation and forged a partnership between the public and private sectors as well as with local residents. The paper presents the guiding philosophy, implementation steps, an assessment of the impact of the change, and a discussion of the potential of such a process which can be adopted nationwide.     

Executive Orders for the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

Abstract

Debate surrounding the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives draws both fire and praise as the Bush Administration continues to promote the federal funding of partnerships among state and local government and faith-based service providers. President Bush has endorsed religious groups as valuable partners in delivering services that address social problems through a series of Executive Orders. The intent of this article is to further our understanding of the history related to these executive decisions, the different conceptualizations for defining and classifying faith-based organizations, the issues surrounding faith-based organizations, and the legislative effort to make the faith-based initiative a permanent statutory feature.     

Educating Students for Community-Based Partnerships

ABSTRACT

Many courses for students in professional schools may expect or require a learning experience “in the community.” Simple placement in a community does not assure, however, that students will develop competencies from a community-based perspective, that is, competencies that enable professionals to: (1) enhance the capacity of community members to serve in partnership endeavors; (2) appreciate the role of participation by under-represented or under-served populations; and (3) develop skills for mobilizing community resources to address community-defined priorities. This article describes six domains-course goals, partners, exposure, product, classroom activities, disciplines-to characterize courses and other learning experiences, in order to assess the extent to which they promote community-based competencies.     

A Partnership Model for Family Service Agencies and Universities to Improve Service Utilization

ABSTRACT

Partnerships between family service agencies and universities have the potential for capitalizing on the resources and expertise of both types of institutions. This paper describes a model for developing collaborative partnerships between family service agencies and outreach research university programs. The original collaboration that is used as an example for this model sought to improve the engagement rates of reluctant families being referred to a family service agency for counseling services. Benefits and potential pitfalls to be addressed in such partnerships are presented.