DBFM(O)contracten in de publieke infrastrcutuur in Nederland en Belgie

Op 22 november 2016 vond er in Antwerpen aan de Universiteit van Antwerpen een internationaal wetenschappelijk congres plaats over publiek-private samenwerking. In haar rol als facilitator en kennisontwikkelaar nam het Kenniscentrum PPS van de Vlaamse overheid (Vlaams Kenniscentrum PPS) haar rol op om samen met de organiserende partners van het congres in de schoot van dit congres een conferentie op te zetten waar PPS-beoefenaars en wetenschappers met elkaar in dialoog konden gaan. Deze dialoog kreeg verder vorm door een samenwerking tussen verschillende universiteiten, en door de ondersteuning van diverse overheden en bedrijven in Vlaanderen en Nederland. In die zin was het zelf ook een vorm van publiek-private samenwerking. In deze publicatie blikken we terug op dit succesvolle seminarie en laten we u proeven van de talrijke interessante reflecties als stof tot nadenken. De organisatoren van het congres en de editors van deze publicatie hopen dat de teksten het debat over PPS kunnen voeden, en dat het werk een bijdrage kan leveren tot een verdere professionalisering en tot innovaties in de PPS-praktijk en het onderzoek van morgen

What makes public-private partnerships work? Survey research into the outcomes and the quality of cooperation in PPPs

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are often regarded as the solution for time and budget overruns in large infrastructural projects, but not all are successful. This raises the question of what really makes PPPs work. Focusing on the role of relational aspects, this article examines the degree to which trust and managerial activities correlate to the perceived performance and cooperation process in PPP projects. A multilevel analysis of survey data from 144 respondents involved in Dutch PPP projects shows that both trust and management correlate significantly to the perceived performance of these projects. Moreover, trust is associated with a good cooperation process

Procurement under pressure:shifting governance strategies in turbulent times

Organizations in the public sector generally use contractual governance mechanisms to govern buyer–supplier relationships. Little is known about what happens when procurement is put under pressure and which governance strategies are used in such turbulent times. News articles, parliamentary documents, and internal communication regarding the procurement of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 crisis in the Netherlands were analysed to address this question. The findings show a brief shift from contractual to relational governance, followed by an attempt to return to contractual governance, albeit with different procedures. After the contract closes, limited governance strategies are applied, resulting in ‘laissez-faire’ governance.</p

Procurement under pressure:shifting governance strategies in turbulent times

Organizations in the public sector generally use contractual governance mechanisms to govern buyer–supplier relationships. Little is known about what happens when procurement is put under pressure and which governance strategies are used in such turbulent times. News articles, parliamentary documents, and internal communication regarding the procurement of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 crisis in the Netherlands were analysed to address this question. The findings show a brief shift from contractual to relational governance, followed by an attempt to return to contractual governance, albeit with different procedures. After the contract closes, limited governance strategies are applied, resulting in ‘laissez-faire’ governance.</p

Two Roads: A Case Study Comparing Project-Based Learning to Traditional Program with Student Choice

Do the advantages of increased student engagement in a project-based learning environment sustain during a pandemic when compared to a traditional program? Researchers were able to meet with students in both programs in a midwestern school district that gave them a choice between both project-based and traditional approaches. Semi structured interviews with randomly selected students in focus groups allowed researchers to make useful comparisons to themes based on engagement using Schlecty’s (2011) model. An ability to maintain task focus using Duckworth’s GRIT scale (2007) was also captured longitudinally via a survey in students’ freshman and senior years. Qualitative analysis of focus group responses revealed clearly higher levels of engagement in the project-based setting. While GRIT scores were higher for the project-based students, the difference was not statistically significant. Implications for what is needed to implement project-based learning are discussed

Trust in public networks and public–private partnerships:achieving conditions for effectiveness and innovation?

Public governance often takes place in public networks—settings in which public actors are dependent on other actors to achieve services or policy outcomes. Due to their long-term nature, complexity, interdependencies, and need for collaboration, the governance of these networks can be challenging. Trust is often considered an important concept in the governance of public networks as it might help to deal with complexity, enhance stability, and improve the performance. In this chapter, we systematically explore the main benefits of trust for public networks, including public–private partnerships. We elaborate on the relationship between trust and complexity, explain how trust provides stability and institutional certainty in complex cooperation, and address how trust may improve performance and foster innovation. We highlight empirical studies from scholars throughout the world. Finally, we address the question of how to foster trust between actors in networks and partnerships by focusing on some managerial requirements

Boundary spanning for contractual fairness in public infrastructure projects: its impact on performance and innovation

While the literature on public-private collaboration in large infrastructure projectsstresses both contractual and relational governance mechanisms for good outcomes, less attention has been paid to the role of boundary spanners and the way the contract is enforced in practice. This study contributes by bringing in the concept of contractual fairness building on organizational justice theory. It tests the effect of boundary spanning activities on contractual fairness and their impact on performance and innovation as two different outcomes. Findings indicate that boundary spanning activities positively affect contractual fairness, innovation, and performance, while contractual fairness partly mediates the relationship with performance

Governance Networks in the Public Sector. Second edition

Governance Networks in the Public Sector presents a comprehensive study of governance networks and the management of complexities in network settings. Public, private, and non-profit organisations are increasingly faced with complex, wicked problems when making decisions, developing policies, or delivering services in the public sector. These activities take place in networks of interdependent actors guided by diverging and sometimes conflicting perceptions and strategies. As a result, these networks are dominated by cognitive, strategic, and institutional complexities. Dealing with these complexities requires sophisticated forms of coordination: network management.This book provides a conceptual framework and analytical tools to study the complexities involved in handling wicked problems in governance networks in the public sector. The book also discusses strategies and management recommendations for government, business, and third sector organisations operating in and governing networks. This second edition of the book is a truly revised edition, incorporating recent developments in network governance theory and practice, such as the influences of traditional and social media on network governance processes.This volume is an essential text for advanced students of public management, public administration, public policy, and political science, and for public managers and policymakers.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license