Public-Private Partnerships: Interorganizational Design as Key Success Factor

Abstract

Public-Private Partnership (PPP), as a current topic in theory and practice, has mostly been treated from the perspective of legislation and recognized by classical macroeconomic paradigm. The aim of this paper is to open a new aspect of dealing with this topic, both organizational and managerial. The paper underlines the importance of organizational design in a PPP, because experience has shown that without strong organization, coordination, defined rules and principles, there is no successful outcome and initiatives amount to a failed attempt. This is why interorganizational relations require well defined organizational architecture where it is clearly determined who, what, how and by when needs to deliver. In a PPP, this is achieved through a contractual framework and the creation of a special purpose company (SPC). The paper also affirms a new managerial position - PPP Manager - that apart from the general managerial skills and knowledge needs to be specialised in managing PPPs.