Invisible actors: Understanding the micro‐activities of public sector employees in the development of public–private partnerships in the United States

Abstract

AbstractPublic–private partnerships (P3s) have continued to grow in importance both as an alternative infrastructure delivery model and a management practice in many jurisdictions and across institutional contexts. This study draws on the institutional work perspective to investigate the nature and form of micro‐activities that interact to cement a policy through the examination of the implementation of P3s as a management practice. The study advances our understanding of how the micro‐activities of governmental agents and actors affect the development, codification, and support structures of P3s. We adopt a multi‐location, field‐based case approach and a diversified institutional setting presented by P3‐adopting regions in the United States. We deploy an institutional work perspective to identify the micro‐activities that are undertaken as part of the P3 routinisation and acceptance process. Following Perkmann and Spicer's classification, and consistent with the concept of institutional work (Lawrence & Suddaby), we find that the ordinary day‐to‐day micro‐activities undertaken by government employees, categorised as political work, technical work, and cultural work, are structurally, strategically, and intentionally deployed to achieve the successful implementation of P3s. In addition, we uncover a complementary managerial micro‐activity undertaken alongside institutional work, what we term organisational restructuring, as part of the composite of activities that facilitate a successful P3 implementation. We suggest that the nature, extent, and impact of ordinary government employee micro‐activities on the implementation and acceptance of P3s deserve further empirical inquiry.