Collaborative Inertia Research Articles

Developing lesson study collaboration in Scotland

PurposeTranslating lesson study (LS) into a new country comes with implementation challenges. Scotland is no exception to this. We explore how researchers have adapted and developed parts of the LS cycle to enhance collaborative advantage.Design/methodology/approachWe present two LS cases: one exploring English lessons with 7–8-year-olds and the second exploring fractions with 8–9-year-olds. Both cases were mapped against an LS conceptual model. The cases were analysed using collaborative advantage theory to identify elements that supported collaboration or caused collaborative inertia.FindingsCollaborations are impacted by input factors, such as planning and feedback tools, which influence the development of processes and emergent states. Shared cognition emerged as a dominant theme influencing collaborative advantage in LS and was related to the development of shared mental models, joint endeavour and psychological safety. It is hypothesised that additional adaptations, such as a mock lesson, may minimise collaborative inertia by revealing hidden differences in team members' interpretation of meaning.Originality/valueA novel approach to combining collaborative advantage theory with advances in the conceptualisation of LS offers new insights into the features and complexities of collaboration within LS in Scotland.

How Does Technology Empowerment Activate the “Collaborative Inertia” of Grassroots Governance- Systematic Study Based on the Case of “Black Tea Council” in the H Street, Hangzhou

The modernization of grassroots governance is an important foundation for promoting the modernization of state governance. Solving the rigid dilemma faced by the current grassroots governance mechanism and activating the “collaborative inertia” of grassroots pluralistic democratic consultative governance up against technology empowerment can stimulate the activity of grassroots governance, improve governance efficiency, and enrich the theoretical connotation of state governance modernization. Based on the case of the “Black Tea Council” in H Street of Hangzhou, this paper analyzes the innovation of theory and technology in the practice process from the perspective of the choice of governance subject and the determination of management mode. It is found that technology is used to enhance residents’ deliberation ability and enthusiasm for participation, dynamically debug the logical strategy of collaborative resolution of contradictions and disputes, and strengthen the overall concept and humanistic thought of “from an entity to entirety”. Moreover, technology can also grasp the “key minority” to focus on problems and avoid technical alienation and formalism, so as to finally realize the orderly and effective solution to grassroots governance problems.

Public administration and politics meet turbulence: The search for robust governance responses

Public administration and politics meet turbulence: The search for robust governance responses

Why do some inter-organisational collaborations in healthcare work when others do not? A realist review

BackgroundInter-organisational collaboration is increasingly prominent within contemporary healthcare systems. A range of collaboration types such as alliances, networks, and mergers have been proposed as a means to turnaround organisations, by reducing duplication of effort, enabling resource sharing, and promoting innovations. However, in practice, due to the complexity of the process, such efforts are often rife with difficulty. Notable contributions have sought to make sense of this area; however, further understanding is needed in order to gain a better understanding of why some inter-organisational collaborations work when others do not, to be able to more effectively implement collaborations in the future.MethodsRealist review methodology was used with the intention of formulating context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs) to explain how inter-organisational collaborations work and why, combining systematic and purposive literature search techniques. The systematic review encompassed searches for reviews, commentaries, opinion pieces, and case studies on HMIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Social Policy and Practice databases, and further searches were conducted using Google Scholar. Data were extracted from included studies according to relevance to the realist review.ResultsFifty-three papers were included, informing the development of programme theories of how, why, and when inter-organisational collaborations in healthcare work. Formulation of our programme theories incorporated the concepts of partnership synergy and collaborative inertia and found that it was essential to consider mechanisms underlying partnership functioning, such as building trust and faith in the collaboration to maximise synergy and thus collaborative performance. More integrative or mandated collaboration may lean more heavily on contract to drive collaborative behaviour.ConclusionAs the first realist review of inter-organisational collaborations in healthcare as an intervention for improvement, this review provides actionable evidence for policymakers and implementers, enhancing understanding of mechanisms underlying the functioning and performing of inter-organisational collaborations, as well as how to configure the context to aid success. Next steps in this research will test the results against further case studies and primary data to produce a further refined theory.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019149009

Enhancing resilience through capacity building in LCCAP formulation in the local government of Aurora, Philippines

Climate Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA) and Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) provide the scientific and legal platform for climate change adaptation and mitigation in the Philippines. This APN CAPaBLE project responds to the limited technical capacity of local government units (LGUs) to comply with this requirement through collaborative capacity building. Evaluation of CDRA and LCCAP led to a National Interagency Technical and Policy Forum to formulate action plans and fast-track preparations. The initial stage of the project demonstrated collaborative advantage as a condition for mobilizing human and financial resources was enabled. Collaborative inertia set in once the technical limitations of Aurora LGUs surfaced to complete the CDRA. This mirrored the results of the institutional capacity survey, administered to 87 disaster risk reduction and management Technical Working Group (TWG) members, highlighting the LGUs limitations in data availability and functional knowledge on climate change. Thus, a shift in capacity building strategy through focused mentoring and managing LGU expectations was done. The Aurora LGUs successfully completed its CDRA and LCCAP requirements through a lengthy and arduous process. It was acknowledged that CDRA preparation has a steep learning curve and competes heavily with other multiple functions and pressing demands from the LGUs. The national interagency forum resolution suggested that the CDRA be assigned to another government agency while LGUs shift capacity development initiatives to understanding and mainstreaming scientific assessment into local plans. The project experience highlights the difficult, yet promising, path to human security development and resilience building and underscored prudence and urgency of adaptation planning at the local level.

Collaborative capacity to develop an events portfolio within a small island development state: the Cook Islands

ABSTRACTThis paper develops a framework for understanding and assessing collaborative capacities associated with developing an events portfolio within a small island developing state. The three key features of the collaborative capacity framework are network structure, tie strength and collaborative inertia. We conducted interviews with participants from various government departments, agencies, industry associations, sport organizations, community groups, event organizations and the private sector (e.g. accommodation, transportation, retail and travel agency). Key themes to emerge include calls for an events-focused government agency and a more strategic approach to events, political interference, an undefined network structure, and little or no structural, administrative or institutional links. Collaborative inertia was underpinned by poor private–public sector collaboration, cliques and negative attitudes. Concerns about reliability and competence-based trust were also noted, but corruption was not a great concern. Loss of control, transaction costs, role ambiguity, competition and conflicts of interest also constrained collaborative capacity.

Action and inertia in collaborative governance

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have emerged as an important tool to protect the marine environment and are increasingly implemented through collaborative governance networks. Even though collaborative governance is thought of as a way towards more effective decision-making, sustainable outcomes remain difficult to realize. This article argues for an integrative understanding of governance challenges to marine conservation by studying collaboration dynamics. It presents a case study of Nusa Penida, a recently established MPA in Indonesia, to highlight how collaboration dynamics in governance can lead to either collaborative action or collaborative inertia. The results suggest that collaborative action requires a broad set of social activities that re-enforce one another in a virtuous cycle. Accordingly, recommendations for the implementation of collaborative governance in marine conservation entail attention for multiple social elements that make up collaborative governance, including deliberation, trust, and leadership.

The Italian Administrative Reform of Small Municipalities: State-Of-The-Art and Perspectives

The present paper explores the state-of-the-art of the Italian administrative reform, which encourages all small municipalities to develop inter-local service agreements. By adopting an empirical approach, we survey 136 small municipalities. The survey results suggest a state of ‘collaborative inertia'. Small municipalities have signed inter-local service agreements for just a few services that have a small impact on their organisations and citizens. In spite of the efforts by the Italian government, the results thus show that this administrative reform has not yet taken off.

How do collaborative features affect scientific output? Evidences from wind power field

The aim of this study is to examine how scientific collaborative features influence scientific collaboration networks and then affect scientific output. In order to explore the influence of scientific collaboration, we define three collaborative features: inertia, diversity and strength. The data are collected from Scopus and the Web of Science databases. Using technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution method, we firstly combine h-index, impact factor and SCImago journal rank to rank journals in the field of wind power. Then we construct the collaboration network of institutions and use structural equation model-partial least square to examine the relationship among collaborative features, network structure, and scientific output. The results show that collaborative diversity and strength have positive effects on scientific output, while collaborative inertia has a negative effect. Both of centrality and structural holes fully account for (mediate) the relationships between collaborative features and outputs. The findings have some important policy implications to scientific collaboration: (1) research institutions should actively participate in diverse collaborations; (2) rather than only collaborating with previous partners, they should seek more new partners; and (3) collaborative features are important antecedents of scientific networks.

How collaborative are quality improvement collaboratives: a qualitative study in stroke care.

BackgroundQuality improvement collaboratives (QICs) continue to be widely used, yet evidence for their effectiveness is equivocal. We sought to explain what happened in Stroke 90:10, a QIC designed to improve stroke care in 24 hospitals in the North West of England. Our study drew in part on the literature on collective action and inter-organizational collaboration. This literature has been relatively neglected in evaluations of QICs, even though they are founded on principles of co-operation and sharing.MethodsWe interviewed 32 professionals in hospitals that participated in Stroke 90:10, conducted a focus group with the QIC faculty team, and reviewed purposively sampled documents including reports and newsletters. Analysis was based on a modified form of Framework Analysis, combining sensitizing constructs derived from the literature and new, empirically derived thematic categories.ResultsImprovements in stroke care were attributed to QIC participation by many professionals. They described how the QIC fostered a sense of community and increased attention to stroke care within their organizations. However, participants’ experiences of the QIC varied. Starting positions were different; some organizations were achieving higher levels of performance than others before the QIC began, and some had more pre-existing experience of quality improvement methods. Some participants had more to learn, others more to teach. Some evidence of free-riding was found. Benchmarking improvement was variously experienced as friendly rivalry or as time-consuming and stressful. Participants’ competitive desire to demonstrate success sometimes conflicted with collaborative aims; some experienced competing organizational pressures or saw the QIC as duplication of effort. Experiences of inter-organizational collaboration were influenced by variations in intra-organizational support.ConclusionsCollaboration is not the only mode of behavior likely to occur within a QIC. Our study revealed a mixed picture of collaboration, free-riding and competition. QICs should learn from work on the challenges of collective action; set realistic goals; account for context; ensure sufficient time and resources are made available; and carefully manage the collaborative to mitigate the risks of collaborative inertia and unhelpful competitive or anti-cooperative behaviors. Individual organizations should assess the costs and benefits of collaboration as a means of attaining quality improvement.

All That Glitters

By recognizing that economists use the transaction-cost methodology to account for the role of actors engaged in market exchange, this study draws from that insight as a way of delineating various critical factors that influence the effectiveness of collaborations in the public sector. Collaboration is not only about making public service delivery more efficient, but it also transcends the constant struggle for advantage and accommodation between agencies either in specific policy domains or in the control over resources and asset-specific programmatic initiatives. As organizations seek the protection of their institutional identity, culture, and power, they also set in motion corresponding processes that work in tandem to create factors that may lead to collaborative inertia. Effective collaboration therefore requires a complementary structural design (governance mechanism) that accommodates the various disincentives of asymmetry and size–power relations in complex collaborative processes.

Leading multi-professional teams in the children's workforce: an action research project.

The 2004 Children Act in the UK saw the introduction of integrated working in children's services. A raft of change followed with processes designed to make joint working easier, and models and theories to support the development of integrated work. This paper explores the links between key concepts and practice. A practitioner action research approach is taken using an autoethnographic account kept over six months. The research question was, to what extent is this group collaborating? When the architecture of practice was revealed, differences between espoused and real practice could be seen. Whilst understanding and displaying the outward signs of an effective multi professional group, the individuals did not trust one another. This was exhibited by covert interprofessional issues. As a result, collaborative inertia was achieved. This realisation prompted them to participate in further developmental and participative action research. The paper concludes that trust and relational agency are central to effective leadership of multi professional teams.

Realizing the Advantage or Succumbing to Inertia?

We explore the nature of the practice of collaboration, focusing in particular on some of the reasons why collaborative initiatives tend to challenge those involved. Two concepts are central to this exploration. The first is collaborative advantage. This captures the synergy argument: to gain real advantage from collaboration, something has to be achieved that could not have been achieved by any one of the organizations acting alone. This concept provides a useful guiding light for the purpose of collaboration. The second concept, collaborative inertia, captures what happens very frequently in practice: the output from a collaborative arrangement is negligible, the rate of output is extremely slow, or stories of pain and hard grind are integral to successes achieved.

Doing things collaboratively: realizing the advantage or succumbing to inertia?

We explore the nature of the practice of collaboration, focusing in particular on some of the reasons why collaborative initiatives tend to challenge those involved. Two concepts are central to this exploration. The first is collaborative advantage. This captures the synergy argument: to gain real advantage from collaboration, something has to be achieved that could not have been achieved by any one of the organizations acting alone. This concept provides a useful guiding light for the purpose of collaboration. The second concept, collaborative inertia, captures what happens very frequently in practice: the output from a collaborative arrangement is negligible, the rate of output is extremely slow, or stories of pain and hard grind are integral to successes achieved.

Theorizing collaboration practice

This article provides an overview of the theory of collaborative advantage. This is a practice-oriented theory concerned with enhancing practical understanding of the management isssues involved in joint working across organizations. Two contrasting concepts are central to it: collaborative advantage which is concerned with the potential for synergy from working collaboratively; and, collaborative inertia which relates to the often disappointing output in reality. The theory is structured as a set of overlapping themes, which are predominantly issues that practitioners see as causing pain and reward in collaborative situations. Five example themes are discussed: common aims; power; trust; membership structures; and, leadership. It is argued that the theory captures the complexity that underlies collaborative situations and conveys it in a way that seems real to those involved. It aims to empower those involved through legitimising experienced frustration and providing conceptual handles to help address the practical issues involved.