Interorganizational linkages in the delivery of local leisure services in Canada: responding to economic, political and social pressures

Abstract

Due to the complex and dynamic economic, political, and social pressures in their environment, local governments are having to change the way they do business. According to a number of organizational theorists, organizations are increasingly developing linkages with other organizations in order to deal with environmental pressures. The purpose of this research is to examine how senior managers of local government leisure services interpret economic, political, and social pressures in their environment and how these pressures are leading to the development of interorganizational linkages with other public, nonprofit, and commercial organizations. Interviews with key individuals working in three leisure services departments of local governments located in a large metropolitan area in Canada were conducted and relevant documents (i.e. local government reports, newspaper clippings) were analysed. The results revealed that environmental pressures (economic, political, social) are forcing local governments to develop new partnerships in order to acquire important resources aimed at maintaining or enhancing the quality of service delivery to the public.