2.1 Partnership is not a new concept and has to some degree been an aspect of government and business throughout history. However, it is a practice which has become increasingly popular, complex and diverse in nature in both the private and public sector. For example, responses to the templates issued by EPU, indicated that the 11 Departments in the NICS and their agencies were engaged directly in some 564 partnerships (see paragraph 3.7).
2.2 As a result of this rapid growth, evidence of partnership / partnership working, or multi-sectoral collaboration, is everywhere. Yet, it is this very success and proliferation which creates difficulties in seeking to clearly define partnership.
2.3 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defined partnerships as:
"Systems of formalised co-operation, grounded in legally binding arrangements or informal understandings, co-operative working relationships, and mutually adopted plans among a number of institutions".
2.4 Wilson and Charlton produced a more specific definition in their publication "Making Partnerships Work" which in many ways reflects the 'ideal' and to some extent the rationale of partnership working in the public sector:
"Three or more organisations - representing the public, private and voluntary sectors – acting together by contributing their diverse resources in the furtherance of a common vision that has clearly defined roles and objectives".
2.5 In contrast and perhaps echoing a cynicism which can often greet public sector initiatives, one commentator also refers to partnerships in the Northern Ireland context as "far more than two bodies coming together to avoid doing work."4
2.6 A range of relationships have been defined in the "Levels of partnership - choices and decisions" matrix (Table 1)5. Adapted from Hogue6, the matrix defines five levels of partnership relationship, and the purposes, structures and processes for each level.
2.7 Given the flexibility and adaptability of the partnership approach, the profusion of possible definitions is to be expected and ultimately how we seek to define any partnership will be dependent upon a host of factors. However, at the simplest level all partnerships share a common function in that they are essentially "an agreement to work collectively between two or more independent bodies to achieve a common purpose"7.
Table 1: Levels of partnership - choices and decisions
Levels | Purpose | Structure | Process |
Networking | • Dialogue and common understanding • Clearing house for information • Base of support | • Loose/flexible link • Roles/loosely defined • An area of common interest | • Low-key leadership • Minimal decision-making • Little conflict • Informal communication |
Co-operation or Alliance | • Match needs and provide co-ordination • Limit duplication of services • Ensure tasks are done | • Central body of people as communication hub • Semi-formal links • Roles somewhat defined • Links are advisory • Group leverages/raises money | • Facilitative leaders • Complex decision making • Some conflict • Formal communications |
Co-ordination | • Share resources to address common issues • Merge resources base to create something new | • Central body of people consisting of decision makers • Roles defined • Links formalised • Group develops new resources and joint budget | • Autonomous leadership but focus on issues • Group decision making in main group and subgroups • Communication is frequent and clear |
Coalition | • Shared ideas and willingness to pull resources from existing systems • Develop commitment for a minimum of three years | • All members involved in decision-making • Roles and timescales defined • Links formal with written agreement • Group develops new resources and joint budget | • Shared leadership • Decision-making formal with all members • Communication is common and prioritised |
Collaboration | • Accomplish shared vision and impact benchmarks • Build inter-dependent system to address issues and opportunities | • Consensus used in shared decision-making • Roles, timescale and evaluation formalised • Links are formal and written into work assignments | • Leadership high, trust level high, productivity high • Ideas and decisions equally shared • Highly developed |
_________________________________________________________________
4 Civil Servantese - a beginners guide to the language of the NI Civil Service: http://www.ianjamesparsley.net/cs_par.html
5 Boydell, Leslie, Partnership, Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 1999
6 Teresa Hogue, Community Based Collaborations - Wellness Multiplied, Oregon Centre for Community Leadership, 1994
7 http://www.improvementnetwork.gov.uk/imp/core/page.do?pageId=10310