Identifying a Knowledge Management Approach for Public-Private Partnerships

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article examines the knowledge gaps in public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure, and the preferred knowledge management approach for public managers to address them. By examining transcripts from semi-structured interviews with professionals with direct experience working on PPPs in Texas and Virginia, the analysis indicates that knowledge gaps are greatest in the areas of risk assessment and allocation, public involvement, and consultant management. The findings also indicate that situated, experience-based approaches to identifying and sharing knowledge on PPPs are preferred to transfer learning. The summary implications suggest that even state agencies with extensive experience with PPPs face large knowledge deficiencies in this form of public-private collaboration, and that interpersonal, ongoing methods of sharing practical experiences are critical for cultivating expertise for designing and implementing PPPs.