From the above exposition of the problem, the main research question can be formulated as:
1. "How can partnership, risk and performance management practices be better utilised by the public sector to improve the operational performance of PPP, leading to improved VfM outcomes?"
This question disaggregates into logical introductory and process sub-questions and a synthesising question.
Introductory questions arise from the current basic socio-political paradigm for public service delivery:
2. "What is privatisation?"
3. "What are PPPs?"
4. "What is VfM?"
Process sub-questions and their justifications are as follows:
5.
a. "What are the principles, processes and problems associated with partnership management?"
b. "How does partnership management relate to PPP?"
A review of stakeholder management highlights a need for the development of an operational model that embraces "critical success factors" (Yang, Shen and Ho 2009) for partnership management. Improving relationships has the potential to enhance VfM outcomes (Wilson, Pelham and Duffield 2010). Therefore, attention should be directed towards understanding the collaborative processes of PPP, extending to, for example, the content of interactions, how partners deal with change over time, how disputes are managed and what types of competencies and skills are needed to achieve desired outcomes (Weihe in Hodge, Greve and Boardman 2010: p.519). This should include a combination of formal and informal processes and the dynamic interplay between them (Bresnen and Marshall 2002).
6.
c. "What are the principles, processes and problems associated with risk management?"
d. "How does risk management relate to PPP?"
In Australia, the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance (2007b: p.3) asserts that although government agencies are legally bound to adhere to risk management practices that relate to project operations, risk considerations could be applied more broadly. Moreover, the Victorian Auditor-General (2007b: p.15-16) concludes that government agency risk assessments should be better aligned with corporate goals and place more emphasis on risk management processes. In the main, these assertions are consistent with international PPP experience (see National Audit Office 2009b; Edwards et al 2004: p.63 as examples).
7.
e. "What are the principles, processes and problems associated with performance management?"
f. "How does performance management relate to PPP?"
Performance monitoring within the public sector can be difficult to manage. Issues may arise from a lack of management know-how (Domberger and Fernandez 1999). Allied to this, the National Audit Office asserts that methods of achieving potential benefits from PFI are not always incorporated into realisable action plans (National Audit Office 2009b: p.20) and therefore lessons learned may not be applied to their full potential in practice.
8. "How can partnership, risk and performance management be synthesised into a model of better practice management that will lead to improved VfM outcomes in the operational phase of PPP?"
Using literature review, partnership, risk and performance management issues have been identified that may hinder or prevent the achievement of VfM outcomes for PPP. The research will explore whether or not these issues can be used to develop a model that can assist government decision-makers to allocate and make better use of public sector resources during operational phases of PPP - a model which focuses upon decisions that may have significant and / or long-term consequences for achieving strategic objectives.