Showing papers on "General partnership published in 2013"

Building a Better Delivery System: A New Engineering/Health Care Partnership

Abstract: The report builds on a growing realization within the health care community of the critical role information/ communications technologies, systems engineering tools, and related organizational innovations must play in addressing the interrelated quality and productivity crises facing the health care system. The report provides a framework for change and an action plan for a systems approach to health care delivery based on a partnership between engineers, health care professionals, and health care managers. The goal of the plan is to transform the U.S. health care sector from an underperforming conglomerate of independent entities (individual practitioners, small group practices, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, community health centers, etc.) into a high-performance "system" in which participating units recognize their interdependence and the implications and repercussions of their actions on the system as a whole. The report describes opportunities and challenges to using systems engineering, information technologies, and other tools to advance a twenty-first century system capable of delivering safe, effective, timely, patient-centered, efficient, equitable health care — a system that embodies the six "equality aims" envisioned in Crossing the Quality Chasm.

The psychology and practice of youth-adult partnership: bridging generations for youth development and community change.

Abstract: Youth-adult partnership (Y-AP) has become a phenomenon of interest to scholars and practitioners. Despite the potential of Y-AP to promote positive youth development, increase civic engagement, and support community change, the practice remains unfamiliar to many. Although research has increased over the past decade, the construct remains vague with an insufficient grounding in developmental theory and community practice. This article seeks to address these gaps by synthesizing data and insights from the historical foundations of Y-AP, community based research, and case study. We propose Y-AP as a unifying concept, distinct from other forms of youth-adult relationships, with four core elements: authentic decision making, natural mentors, reciprocity, and community connectedness. We conclude that Y-AP functions as an active ingredient and fundamental practice for positive youth development and civic engagement. Directions for future research are offered.

The Human Resources for Health Program in Rwanda — A New Partnership

Abstract: The authors discuss the Human Resources for Health Program, which is working to improve the quality and quantity of health professionals in Rwanda by means of sustained collaborations with U.S. schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, and public health.

Let the patient revolution begin

Abstract: Patients can improve healthcare: it’s time to take partnership seriously A hundred years ago George Bernard Shaw lambasted the medical profession as a conspiracy against the laity.1 Today, disease and doctor centric health systems that are costly, wasteful, fragmented, and too often uncaring are provoking similar ire.2 Despite the best intentions and undoubted skill of many who work within healthcare, access to care, and its quality, vary markedly, and most people in rich countries access a confusing smorgasbord of tests and treatments whose merits are hyped and harms underplayed.3 Patients lack information on practice variation, the effectiveness of their care, and the extent of medical uncertainty. Practice is informed by an incomplete research base bedevilled with selection and reporting bias,4 and at worst fraud. The preservation of institutional bureaucracies, as well as professional and commercial vested interests, have consistently trumped the interests of patients. The healthcare industrial complex stands accused of losing its moral purpose.5 This corruption in the mission of healthcare requires urgent correction. And how better to do this than to enlist the help of those whom the system is supposed to serve—patients? Far more than clinicians, …

The Politics of Accountability: Assessing Teacher Education in the United States

Abstract: Currently there are multiple teacher education reform policies being proposed, piloted, and debated at a variety of levels and by various interest groups, stakeholders, and policy-makers Along with an unprecedented sense of urgency about these important goals, what most US reforms have in common is increased accountability Using a discourse approach to policy analysis, which we label “the politics of policy,” this article analyzes three complicated and evolving contemporary accountability initiatives in the United States: (1) “Our Future, Our Teachers,” which is the Obama administration's proposed blueprint for the reform of teacher education programs, in particular its call for the assessment of preparation programs based on the impact of program graduates on their eventual K–12 students’ test scores; (2) the “Teacher Performance Assessment,” which is a nationally accessible instrument for assessing beginning teaching performance currently being piloted in 25 states through a partnership of

Entrepreneurial orientation and performance in young firms: The role of human resource management:

Abstract: This article examines the effects of managerial practice and philosophy variables – high-performance work systems (HPWS) and partnership philosophy – on the relationship between entrepreneurial ori...

Collaboration and partnership development for sustainable tourism.

Abstract: For many years, the need to improve sustainability in the tourism industry has been widely recognized. Many destinations have attempted to move toward sustainability, but unfortunately, have been hindered in their attempts by a lack of collaboration among stakeholders that is necessary to support their sustainability agendas. Collaboration, specifically through multi-stakeholder partnerships, has been seen as an effective way to support initiatives in tourism development. Through the lens of Gray's collaboration theory and Selin and Chavez's tourism partnership model, the success of collaboration and partnerships in tourism development on the island of Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, will be examined. Through a multi-method approach consisting of an environmental audit and semi-structured interviews, this paper explores the implementation of a multi-stakeholder partnership. The partnership that has been developed, called the Gili Ecotrust, provides an example of successful collaboration, leading to th...

Building Trust in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships: Critical Emotional Incidents and Practices of Engagement

Abstract: This paper explores trust-building in multi-stakeholder partnerships. Through an analysis of the development of one multi-stakeholder partnership between a multinational corporation, two levels of government, and local indigenous peoples, we found that trust-building is a dynamic process in which emotionality plays a key role. Critical emotional incidents can unexpectedly punctuate the partnership process, serving as turning points in the development of trust. We also found that the practices used by the partners to navigate these incidents transformed negative emotions into positive ones. We theorize on the role that critical emotional incidents and emotional engagement practices play in multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Identifying public‐private partnership (PPP) risks in managing water supply projects in Ghana

Abstract: Purpose – The public‐private partnership (PPP) procurement approach enables the development and management of public infrastructure and services through leveraging private capital, management expertise, and creative commercial skills. This approach, pursued by the Ghanaian Government in the development and management of water supply services, contains a plethora of risks resulting from the complexity and dynamic interactions between municipal and central governments (pursuing monetary and political goals), public movements, private water operators, and international donors pursuing their own objectives. The paper seeks to increase awareness of the risks that can erode or reduce potential benefits of PPPs in the water supply sector.Design/methodology/approach – A research approach integrating a literature survey and case study is adopted. A rigorous literature review of PPP risks is first undertaken. Based on six case studies carried out in the Ghanaian water supply sector, this paper identifies and catego...

Food and tourism: an effective partnership? A UK-based review

Abstract: This paper focuses on the role of food tourism in delivering sustainability agendas by examining how the agriculture and tourism sectors have struggled to realise measurable successes because of constraints, conflicting ambitions and low levels of social capital. It focuses on the United Kingdom, which has tasked regional development agencies to adopt food tourism as a means to grow local economies, create jobs and improve natural resources and diversify. In 2009/10, 16 interviews and six workshops were conducted with stakeholders to gauge industry challenges and needs in implementing food tourism. Based on qualitative findings, a model was developed which maps five emergent themes (knowledge exchange, the supply chain, fear of change, regionalisation and marketing) alongside five sustainability principles (strong and just society, good governance, sustainable economy, working within environmental limits and using sound science responsibly). The paper argues that if food tourism is to deliver its purporte...

Local Authority Cooperation with Urban Freight Stakeholders: A Comparison of Partnership Approaches

Abstract: Freight transport operations in urban areas are normally performed by private companies using public infrastructure and governed by regulations implemented by public authorities. Until recently there has been little involvement of private companies in local transport planning processes and as a result urban transport regulations and plans are frequently formulated with limited understanding of the impacts on freight transport operations. In the UK, freight partnerships have been developed to bring together public and private stakeholders often in an urban context and there are other examples elsewhere in Europe. Few of these partnerships have been assessed in order to compare their activities systematically. The paper compares several freight partnerships and considers their usefulness and possible shortcomings in terms of specific outcomes and projects as well as their input to and influence on policy formulation. Six partnerships are investigated by means of desk research, interviews and questionnaires and in two cases participation by the researchers. The freight partnerships are compared using an assessment framework derived from the literature review conducted. Results show that short-term actions solving specific problems are valued but are not perceived as the sole benefit of the partnerships. Longer-term relationships and mutual understandings of each other's problems and possibilities are considered equally important especially in respect of input to policy formulation by the local authorities. The results also show that one of the most important factors to support the on-going activities of a partnership is a core set of engaged and interested participants and several ways in which this can be achieved have been identified.

Managing Partners and Management Professionals: Institutional Work Dyads in Professional Partnerships

Abstract: This study presents an empirical analysis of the micro-dynamics of institutional work. Examining the ‘corporatization’ of large international law firm partnerships, the study identifies the dyadic relationship that develops between two different types of professionals, the managing partner and management professional, and demonstrates how their relationship becomes a key mechanism for institutional work. The study shows how, by working together, these individuals take advantage of differences in their relative social positions: specifically their formal authority, specialist expertise, and social capital. The study identifies seven forms of institutional work in which they engage and demonstrates how these multiple forms simultaneously encompass the creation, maintenance, and disruption of the institution of partnership. The study argues that this simultaneous occurrence helps to account for the phenomenon of sedimentation, whereby the gradually emerging institutional logic of the corporatized partnership is being integrated into the traditional partnership form.

The role of legitimacy in social enterprise‐corporate collaboration

Abstract: Purpose - This article explores the role of organizational legitimacy in understanding the emergence and development of ‘cross-sector collaboration’ between social enterprises and corporations. Design/methodology/approach - An in-depth case study of a long-standing but fragile partnership between a UK-based Fair Trade social enterprise and a large corporate retailer provides exploratory findings on the role of legitimacy at different stages of the collaboration process. Findings - The findings highlight how pragmatic and moral legitimacy are mobilized by the social enterprise to justify collaboration throughout three major stages: (1) the very decision of cross-sector collaboration, (2) the choice of the partner and the framing of the partnership, and (3) the evolution of the collaboration. Research limitations/implications - While Fair Trade is not the only sector in which social enterprise-corporate partnerships take place, it has been a pioneering domain revealing the potential as well as the challenges of such partnerships. Taking into account the role of legitimacy throughout the collaborative process is crucial both for comprehensive research and for informed practice. Originality/value - Although it is documented by a single case study, this paper opens new research avenues to examine social enterprise-corporate collaborations by developing a ‘non-functionalist’ view of such collaborations and showing the importance of legitimacy in understanding why and how they emerge, develop and sometimes fail.

Generating employee engagement in a public–private partnership: management communication activities and employee experiences

Abstract: Much of the existing research on employee engagement is deficient in examining organizational actors' lived experiences of organizational engagement activities. This article, deriving from qualitative research in a public–private partnership organization, contributes to the current understanding of how employee engagement is generated through management communication activities seeking to promote engagement and employees' responses thereto. Also drawing on the literatures on organizational change, communication and culture, our research demonstrates that: (1) managers use both directive and discursive means of communication to create an environment in which employees may wish to engage; and (2) employees respond positively to such communication as it makes them feel valued and involved, which enhances their propensity to engage with the organization. However, contrary to widespread assumptions in the literature, the generation of employee engagement is far from straightforward; employees have an active ro...

Not at your service: building genuine faculty‐librarian partnerships

Abstract: Purpose – The old relationship of librarians serving the faculty as research assistants is long gone. The purpose of this paper is to ask, how can librarians and faculty become genuine partners in student learning and move towards the common goal of getting students to think critically? The authors discuss the need for librarians to initiate more collaborative conversations with professors in order to establish true partnerships with them and go on to describe how they did this using a strikingly and alarmingly frank approach. Building on this foundation, the authors discuss the need to shift from a service orientation to a partnership in student learning.Design/methodology/approach – The authors describe their work with the New Faculty Institute, a multi‐day workshop that serves as an introduction to the university, to build upon their assertions regarding the need for instruction librarians to shift from a service orientation to a partnership with professors.Findings – The paper offers an action plan to...

School–University Partnerships: Reflections and Opportunities

Abstract: Universities and schools have a long history of partnering with one another to achieve a range of educational goals in America's schools. For many years, the needs of the universities were the primary impetus for partnership. Universities needed practicum sites for student teachers and other educational professionals, as well as participants for the research of university social science faculty. In more recent years, the balance has begun to shift dramatically so that the needs of schools are increasingly driving the formation of school–university partnerships. This article briefly describes the recent history, development, and major foci of school–university partnerships. After identifying a relatively neglected area of school–university partnerships, the article describes an existing partnership that addresses this area in order to illustrate the potential and opportunities for partnership. Finally, this article closes with a discussion of the challenges and potential benefits of school–university partn...

Public-private partnerships versus traditional procurement: Innovation incentives and information gathering

Abstract: A government agency wants a facility to be built and managed to provide a public service. Two different modes of provision are considered. In a public-private partnership, the tasks of building and managing are bundled, whereas under traditional procurement, these tasks are delegated to separate private contractors. The two provision modes differ in their incentives to innovate and to gather private information about future costs to adapt the service provision to changing circumstances. The government agency's preferred mode of provision depends on the information gathering costs, the costs of innovation efforts, and on the degree to which effort is contractible.

Nascent green-technology ventures: a study assessing the role of partnership diversity in firm success

Abstract: Given the increasing deterioration of the environment, understanding the strategies of nascent green-technology ventures developing clean technology to address environmental concerns is important. This study is one of the first to empirically examine the role of partnership diversity in nascent green-technology ventures in a quantitative empirical study by systematically applying a resource-based view (RBV) theoretical perspective. Partnership diversity relates to the variety of partnerships with different sectors with which a green-technology venture engages in order to mobilize resources and be successful. RBV suggests that the accumulation and combination of such resources leads to success. However, data from 50 green-technology venture business plans suggest that resources mobilized do not mediate the relationship between partnership diversity and success as measured by venture development, value creation, and venture innovation. Nevertheless, partnership diversity and resources mobilized are related to venture development. These results, their implications, future research opportunities, and limitations are discussed.

Financial Sustainability Within UK Charities: Community Sport Trusts and Corporate Social Responsibility Partnerships

Abstract: The change in political leadership in the UK in 2010 has created financial uncertainty and instability for many third sector organisations. In a shifting funding landscape, it is clear that an over-reliance on Government funding is a risky strategy and that there is a need to diversify and seek out alternative sources of revenue. This article considers the impact of political change on the financial sustainability of community sports trusts associated with Premier League and Football League clubs in England. It explores sources of revenue through the analysis of financial statements, revealing that on average community sports trusts receive a significant proportion of income from grant funding whilst sponsorship income is relatively small. The article goes on to discuss the potential for community sports trusts to diversify revenue streams by developing social partnerships that address the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agendas of commercial organisations. It illustrates that although commercial sponsorship can provide benefits including the provision of additional funding that can enable financial stability, key issues include the balance of power, the impact on organisational flexibility, whether there is a need to restructure, and the development of long-term partnerships. Although the findings from this article are focused on a particular type of charity, given the importance of CSR partnership income for the charities sector they may also have broader implications for other charitable organisations.

Public–private partnerships versus traditional procurement: An experimental investigation

Abstract: A government agency wants an infrastructure-based public service to be provided. Our experimental study compares two different modes of provision. In a public–private partnership, the two tasks of building the infrastructure and operating it are delegated to one private contractor (a consortium), while under traditional procurement, these tasks are delegated to separate contractors. We find support for the theoretical prediction that, compared to traditional procurement, a public–private partnership provides stronger incentives to make cost-reducing investments (which may increase or decrease service quality). In two additional treatments, we study governance structures which explicitly take subcontracting within private consortia into account.

Overcoming the barriers: a qualitative study of simulation adoption in the NHS

Abstract: This paper addresses a key issue in the health OR literature, namely the apparent failure of OR modelling to become embedded and widely implemented within healthcare organisations. The research presented here is a case study to evaluate the adoption of one particular simulation modelling tool, Scenario Generator (S:G), which was developed by the SIMUL8 Corporation in a PPI partnership with the UK's National Health Service (NHS) Institute for Innovation and Improvement. The study involved semi-structured interviews with employees of 28 Primary Care Trusts who had all been engaged in some way with the initiative, with participants classified as ‘Not Started’, ‘Given Up’ and ‘Actively Using’. This paper presents a brief summary of barriers and facilitators to the successful use of the S:G software, but its main purpose is to focus more broadly on factors influencing the successful adoption of simulation tools in general within healthcare organisations. The insights gained in this study are relevant to improving the uptake of OR modelling in general within the NHS.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress

Abstract: This report examines the issues related to the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the state and substance of the negotiations (to the degree that the information is publically available), the specific areas under negotiation, the policy and economic contexts in which the TPP would fit, and the issues for Congress that the TPP presents

Local Partnership and Social Exclusion in the European Union : New Forms of Local Social Governance?

Abstract: 1. Introduction: social exclusion, partnership and local governance - new problems, new policy discourses in the European Union John Benington and Mike Geddes 2. Social exclusion and partnership in the European Union Mike Geddes and John Benington 3. Partnerships against exclusion in a Nordic welfare state: a difficult mix? Mikko Kautto and Matti Heikkila 4. Local partnerships and social exclusion in France: experiences and ambiguities Patrick le Gales and Patricia Loncle-Moriceau 5. Grassroots local partnerships in Germany: instruments for social inclusion and economic integration? Karl Birkholzer and Gunter Lorenz 6. Catalysts for change? Public policy reform through local partnership in Ireland Jim Walsh 7. Partnership and local development in Portugal: from 'globalised localism' to a new form of collective action? Fernanda Rodrigues and Steven Stoer 8. A new approach to partnership: the Spanish case Jordi Estivill 9. Local partnership and social exclusion in the UK: a stake in the market? Mike Geddes 10. Partnerships as networked governance? Legitimation, innovation and problem solving John Benington 11. Local partnerships, welfare regimes and local governance: a process of regime restructuring? Mike Geddes and Patrick le Gales

Mobilising knowledge in community−university partnerships: what does a community of practice approach contribute?

Abstract: Over the past decade different approaches to mobilising knowledge in Community−University Partnership (CUP) contexts have emerged in the UK. Despite this, detailed accounts of the intricate texture...