Partnership Quality Research Articles

Partnership and relationship happiness in endometriosis related chronic pelvic pain: a multicenter case-control study.

Partnership is an important resource in dealing with endometriosis related chronic pain. Hence, our objective was to assess partnership in the context of endometriosis and its symptoms, considering the perspectives of both individuals involved. The study was designed as a multi-center matched case-control study in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Altogether 381 women with surgically/histologically confirmed endometriosis and 381 control women, 250 male partners of endometriosis-affected women and 229 of control women were evaluated. Partnership quality, partnership happiness, separation thoughts, and areas of conflict were evaluated through the Partnership Questionnaire and a validated list of conflict areas. Quality of partnership was rated as high by 60.1% of the women with endometriosis and 66.7% of the control women, as well as by 45.8 and 50.2% of their respective partners. Women with endometriosis mentioned separation thoughts, mostly related to sexual satisfaction, more often (34.9%/28.3%) and experienced more partnership-related conflicts than control women. Chronic pain, dyspareunia, dissatisfaction with sexuality, fatigue, and infertility were significantly associated with partnership conflicts. Fatigue and infertility but not pain experiences were related to lower partnership quality. Male partners in both groups reported separation thoughts equally often. In men, a high intensity of pain experienced by their partner was associated with reduced partnership happiness. Given the significance of partnership in dealing with chronic diseases and the connection between symptoms of endometriosis and a decrease in partnership quality, it is essential to incorporate strategies that alleviate the negative impacts on relationships for both partners into medical support. identifier NCT02511626.

Partnership quality and maternal depressive symptoms in the transition to parenthood: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundPregnancy and childbirth are critical life events which lead to significant changes in family structures and roles, thus having a substantial impact on partner relationship and maternal wellbeing. A dysfunctional partnership during this critical time of life has been associated with maternal depressiveness. However, sub-components of partnership quality and the causal relation with maternal symptoms of depression in the perinatal period have been sparsely studied so far. The current study aims to longitudinally assess the course of relationship quality and its sub-components from pregnancy to postpartum and to test a potential causal association with maternal symptoms of depression in the perinatal period.MethodsDiffering from previous studies, partnership quality and symptoms of depression have been assessed prospectively and longitudinally from an early stage of pregnancy (second trimester) until six months postpartum. Cross-lagged panel models were applied to investigate a potential causal relationship between partnership quality and maternal depressive symptoms.ResultsRelationship quality decreased significantly during the transition to parenthood (p < .05) with the steepest decline referring to tenderness (p < .001). We also found a substantial association of relationship quality and maternal depressiveness, but no indication for a clear causal direction of this association.ConclusionsOur results suggest that relationship quality and maternal depressiveness are substantially related in the perinatal period, thus pointing to the need of early prevention and intervention programs for peripartum women and their partners to prevent adverse outcome for the couple and the family.

Partnership Quality, Student’s Satisfaction, and Loyalty: A Study at Higher Education Legal Entities in Indonesia

Abstract Partnership among higher education institutions serves as the central element for sustainable development. The quality of their partnerships is highly necessary for higher education development, specifically in academic infrastructure, curriculum design, pedagogical practices, and financial frameworks. This progression is expected to enhance students’ satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, this study explores the effects of partnerships among higher education institutions with legal entities on students’ satisfaction and loyalty. Accordingly, this research adopted a quantitative descriptive and regressive survey approach. The research population consisted of students from a university with a legal entity. At the same time, the sample was taken through purposive sampling with the criteria of having interacted or received services from the university’s partner with a legal entity. Data were garnered through questionnaires, which have been declared valid and reliable. The collected data were analyzed using the structural equation model technique through Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares with SmartPLS 3 application. The research results indicate the following: (1) partnership quality (PQ) directly influences student satisfaction (SS), (2) SS directly affects student loyalty (SL), (3) PQ of higher education institutions with legal entity presents no effects on SL, and (4) PQ indirectly affects SL through SS.

Unlocking success: Full year quality and utilization metrics of payer-provider OMH partnership.

41 Background: For more than a decade, CMS and commercial payers have sought to engage provider organizations in value-based cancer care payment models (VBPMs). Success of VBPMs requires payer/provider alignment on quality/utilization measures indicative of high-value care and the efficiency of data exchange between providers and payers. The following describes several key metrics from the first full year 2022 of the Tennessee Oncology (TO) and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) Oncology Medical Home (OMH) partnership. Methods: TO and BCBST implemented reporting methodologies for a combination of practice-reported quality and utilization measures and payer claims-based measures: Patient experience, Pathway adherence, Distress screening / interventions, Admissions/1000 patients, ED visits/1000 patients, Imaging utilization, and Observation stays. Bi-weekly meetings between practice and payer were necessary to review quality/utilization measure reporting, coordinate overall program administration, and monitor member attribution for care management and performance-based payments. Results: TO/BCBST co-developed a VBPM that included bi-directional reporting of practice-reported quality and utilization measures and payer claims-based measures. Technical challenges in data sharing and reporting occurred frequently and required regular troubleshooting. Questions regarding trends in observed data arose frequently for both TO and BCBST and required regular discussions between clinical/operational leaders of payer and practice (Table). Conclusions: These data suggest that payers and community oncology practices can co-develop value-based payment models that yield transparency in quality and utilization data reporting, and observed differences in performance and cost-efficiency among different practices in a market. Payers can gain increased transparency in quality and cost-efficiency of cancer care for their members. Practices can leverage care management payments and performance-based payments to support care delivery and quality/utilization data reporting improvements. Provider and payer capabilities to execute transparent QM/UM reporting is a major challenge in implementing OMH programs. 2022 OMH results. Measure % higher or lower than benchmarks Admissions /k -7.0 ED visit /k -8.4 Imaging utilization + 9.4 Observation stays -10.0 Patient experience NA Pathway adherence NA Distress screening / interventions NA Hospice reporting NA NA = not applicable, no benchmark data available/measured; /k = per 1000 patients; negative = lower than benchmarks; positive = higher than benchmarks.

Advancing Value-Based Academic-Clinical Partnership Evaluation in Physical Therapy Education: Multiattribute Utility Analysis as a Contextual Methodological Approach.

There is a need to investigate the application of systematic, scholarly methods to develop and implement a sustainable, flexible process for evaluating academic-clinical partnership effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential for multiattribute utility analysis (MAUA) methodology to be applied in the context of academic-clinical partnership evaluation. Persistent systemic challenges related to academic-clinical partnership volume and quality require intentional strategies addressing the inherent complexities of the clinical learning environment and contextual differences between academic institutions. Multiattribute utility analysis appears to be a viable existing methodological framework based on its successful application in a wide variety of fields. Directors and Co-Directors of Clinical Education in accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy programs. The MAUA methodological framework was used to identify and quantify weighted priorities in factors contributing to partnership effectiveness as perceived by academic-clinical education programs across the United States. Survey participants were invited to share their perspectives regarding priority characteristics and assessment approaches to advance value-based partnership evaluation in physical therapy education. The products resulting from this contemporary analysis, coupled with the previous applied MAUA simulation, offer a methodology and flexible framework that may be utilized by academic-clinical education faculty to perform a value-based partnership evaluation and make decisions within the context of their institution. Clinical educator survey results also provide a new depth of insight regarding trends in the collective degree of attribute prioritization and the complexity and intersectionality across partnership priorities. The proposed processes may allow academic programs to narrow the large number of possible partnership criteria to a manageable subset, offering a way forward for those interested in pursuing a quantitative method for practical decision making. The ability to assess partnership quality using an evidence-based framework such as MAUA may allow partners to maintain, enhance, or discontinue partnerships based on a shared understanding of attribute alignment, rather than reactively coming together in practice to address challenges needing resolution.

The Influence of Social Awareness and Social Skills on the Quality of Midwife Partnerships in Postnatal Care Services

Postpartum maternal deaths have always been more than 50% of total maternal deaths from 2016-2021, and the realization of visits by postpartum mothers at Community Health Centers has also not met the target. The low number of visits is due to the fact that postpartum mothers still need strong encouragement and motivation. Midwives have the role of providing information, education and monitoring the condition of postpartum mothers, so midwives need support from social competence and good partnerships with various parties. This research aims to analyze the influence of social competence, which includes social awareness and social skills, on midwife partnerships in postnatal care services. The research design is observational analytic with a cross-sectional time approach. The research location was carried out at 63 Community Health Centers, Surabaya City, Indonesia with a sample of 100 midwives taken using Proportional Stratified Random Sampling. The variables measured are social awareness, social skills and partnerships through distributing questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. This research has gone through an ethical review with number 085/HRECC.FODM/III/2022. The research results showed that the social awareness competency and social skills of midwives related to postnatal care services had a good percentage rating (93%, 81%, 98%). The quality of midwife partnerships in providing postnatal care services is influenced by social awareness (p= 0.04 &amp; PR= 0.714x), but not influenced by social skills (p=0.345). If midwives' social awareness is better, the quality of midwife partnerships will be better. Therefore, midwives must be able to establish good relationships and be more open in communicating with colleagues or other work units when serving postpartum mothers.

Mutuality in engaged North–South transnational higher education partnerships: The case of Kenya

AbstractThe quality of transnational higher education partnerships (THEPs) has increasingly come under scrutiny with the growing role of higher education in development. Mutuality has emerged as a key focus of this examination. We seek to understand how mutuality is expressed within North–South THEPs that have a major focus on community engagement. We refer to THEPs with this focus as engaged transnational higher education partnerships (ETHEPs). This study is based on a secondary analysis of extant literature on one ETHEP based in Kenya. A thematic content analysis revealed that celebrated outcomes of mutuality included capacity building, institutionalization, collaborative relationships and solidarity around community engagement. Challenges to mutuality were related to structural and cultural differences, self‐sustainability and equity. A discussion of findings is followed by possible questions to guide inquiry toward strengthening mutuality in North–South ETHEPs.

Barriers and Facilitators to Establishing Partnerships for Substance Use Disorder Care Transitions Between Safety-Net Hospitals and Community-Based Organizations.

The effectiveness of hospital-based transitional opioid programs (TOPs), which aim to connect patients with substance use disorders (SUD) to ongoing treatment in the community following initiation of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment in the hospital, hinges on successful patient transitions. These transitions are enabled by strong partnerships between hospitals and community-based organizations (CBOs). However, no prior study has specifically examined barriers and facilitators to establishing SUD care transition partnerships between hospitals and CBOs. To identify barriers and facilitators to developing partnerships between hospitals and CBOs to facilitate care transitions for patients with SUDs. Qualitative study using semi structured interviews conducted between November 2022-August 2023. Staff and providers from hospitals affiliated with four safety-net health systems (n=21), and leaders and staff from the CBOs with which they had established partnerships (n=5). Interview questions focused on barriers and facilitators to implementing TOPs, developing partnerships with CBOs, and successfully transitioning SUD patients from hospital settings to CBOs. We identified four key barriers to establishing transition partnerships: policy and philosophical differences between organizations, ineffective communication, limited trust, and a lack of connectivity between data systems. We also identified three facilitators to partnership development: strategies focused on building partnership quality, strategic staffing, and organizing partnership processes. Our findings demonstrate that while multiple barriers to developing hospital-CBO partnerships exist, stakeholders can adopt implementation strategies that mitigate these challenges such as using mediators, cross-hiring, and focusing on mutually beneficial services, even within resource-limited safety-net settings. Policymakers and health system leaders who wish to optimize TOPs in their facilities should focus on adopting implementation strategies to support transition partnerships such as inadequate data collection and sharing systems.

Psychosocial distress and psychosocial resources in couples facing non-melanoma skin cancers and malignant melanoma

Background Skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and comprises various non-melanoma skin cancer (NMCS) diagnoses and malignant melanoma (MM). It places a psychological burden on patients and their spouses. The present study aims to investigate psychological distress, temporal changes of psychosocial resources (PR), as well as dyadic dynamics of psychological distress and PR in patients with NMSC or MM and their spouses. Methods Fifty-four heterosexual couples with different skin cancers, diagnosed within the previous 12 months, participated in this quantitative cross-sectional study. Patients and spouses provided information about depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), PR within the last four weeks and last three years (Essen Resource Inventory), and partnership quality (Partnership Questionnaire, short version). Dyadic dynamics were analyzed with multiple regression analyses. Results We found similar distress levels in patients and spouses, as well as in patients with different skin cancers. Spouses from patients with MM reported significant higher distress levels than spouses from patient with NMSC. Patients’ depression predicted spouses’ depression, and spouses’ anxiety predicted patients’ anxiety. In patients, we found associations between personal resources (within the last four weeks and three years) and depression, and an association between patients’ social resources (within the last three years) and spouses’ depression. Conclusions The psychological interdependencies between patients’ and spouses’ depression and anxiety highlight the importance of considering psychological distress in patients with different skin cancers from a dyadic perspective in clinical contexts. Further, personal resources were indicated as a “distress buffer” for patients’ mental health. Our results underline the importance of couple interventions that activate PR in patients with cancer and their spouses.

Interview study exploring how global health partnership principles are enacted and recommendations for practice

BackgroundEffective global health partnerships can strengthen and improve health and healthcare systems across the world; however, establishing and maintaining effective partnerships can be challenging. Principles of Partnerships have been developed...

Decision framework for public-private partnership in agricultural commodities

Public-private partnerships are critical to advancing sustainability in the agricultural sector and increasing global food security. Partnerships are a means of increasing productivity and encouraging growth in the agricultural sector. The Partnership encourages private sector participation to reduce risks that occur in the agricultural sector. The aim of this research is to understand how supply chains are configured, to identify drivers of supply chain partnerships and to synthesize partnership strategies. Currently, agricultural areas in East Java are trying to build sustainable partnerships to improve farmers’ abilities in managing the agricultural sector. By using data from surveys and observations of 50 private companies and 50 farmers spread across the research object locations, it was found that there was quite a significant interaction between intensive coordination, partnership quality, quantity and quality of partners. The mechanisms used in partnerships can encourage sustainable agricultural management. It is hoped that the implementation of these findings can encourage partnerships between the private sector and the public sector to achieve significant development. It is hoped that this partnership can play an important role in addressing agricultural problems. Partnerships are formed to create shared values in the form of an institutional framework to address the root of problems.

Perceived Discrimination and Incident Dementia Among Older Adults in the United States: The Buffering Role of Social Relationships.

Recent studies have found that perceived discrimination as a chronic stressor predicts poorer cognitive health. However, little research has investigated how social relationships as potential intervening mechanisms may mitigate or exacerbate this association. Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults, this study examined how the existence and quality of 4 types of relationships-with a partner, children, other family members, and friends-may modify the impact of perceived discrimination on incident dementia. We analyzed data from the 2006 to 2016 Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,236) using discrete-time event history models with competing risks. We used perceived discrimination, social relationships, and their interactions at the baseline to predict the risk of incident dementia in the follow-ups. Perceived discrimination predicted a higher risk of incident dementia in the follow-ups. Although having a partner or not did not modify this association, partnership support attenuated the negative effects of discrimination on incident dementia. Neither the existence nor quality of relationships with children, other family members, or friends modified the association. Our findings imply that intimate partnership plays a critical role in coping with discrimination and, consequently, influencing the cognitive health of older adults. Although perceived discrimination is a significant risk factor for the incidence of dementia, better partnership quality may attenuate this association. Policies that eliminate discrimination and interventions that strengthen intimate partnerships may facilitate better cognitive health in late life.

The Military-Civilian Partnership Quality Improvement Program Concept: A Process to Improve Data Collection and Outcomes Assessment.

Military-Civilian Partnerships (MCPs) are vital for maintaining the deployment readiness of military health care physicians. However, tracking their clinical activity has proven to be challenging. In this study, we introduce a locally driven process aimed at the passive collection of external clinical workload data. This process is designed to facilitate an assessment of MCP physicians' deployment readiness and the effectiveness of individual MCPs. From March 2020 to February 2023, we conducted a series of quality improvement projects at the Wright Patterson Medical Center (WPMC) to enhance our data collection efforts for MCP physicians. Our methodology encompassed several steps. First, we assessed our existing data collection processes and their outcomes to identify improvement areas. Next, we tested various data collection methods, including self-reporting, a web-based smart phone application, and an automated process based on billing or electronic health record data. Following this, we refined our data collection process, incorporating the identified improvements and systematically tracking outcomes. Finally, we evaluated the refined process in 2 different MCPs, with our primary outcome measure being the collection of monthly health care data. Our examination at the WPMC initially identified several weaknesses in our established data collection efforts. These included unclear responsibility for data collection within the Medical Group, an inadequate roster of participating MCP physicians, and underutilization of military and community resources for data collection. To address these issues, we implemented revisions to our data collection process. These revisions included establishing clear responsibility for data collection through the Office of Military-Civilian Partnerships, introducing a regular "roll call" to match physicians to MCP agreements, passively collecting data each month through civilian partner billing or information technology offices, and integrating Office of Military-Civilian Partnership efforts into regular executive committee meetings. As a result, we observed a 4-fold increase in monthly data capture at WPMC, with similar gains when the refined process was implemented at an Air Force Center for the Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills site. The Military-Civilian Partnership Quality Improvement Program concept is an effective, locally driven process for enhancing the capture of external clinical workload data for military providers engaged in MCPs. Further examination of the Military-Civilian Partnership Quality Improvement Program process is needed at other institutions to validate its effectiveness and build a community of MCP champions.

Digitalization transformation and enterprise green innovation: empirical evidence from Chinese listed companies

Green innovation is an essential strategy for businesses to gain a competitive edge and attain long-term sustainable growth. It does, however, often run into money problems. The rapid advancement of digital technology provides organizations with potent tools to get external resources through digital transformation, surmount resource obstacles, and promote environmentally-friendly innovation. The impact mechanism, however, necessitates additional elucidation. This article analyzes the data of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2012 to 2022, using resource dependence theory and stakeholder theory. This study examines how digital transformation affects the ability of organizations to innovate in environmentally friendly ways by focusing on the acquisition of external resources. Research has shown that digital transformation may significantly improve the quantity and quality of green innovation in businesses. Moreover, the findings of the intermediate impact study indicate that digital transformation has the potential to enhance the green innovation capacity of businesses by improving their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Concurrently, we noticed that the level of openness in disclosing environmental information by corporations and the quality of partnerships between the government and enterprises play a positive role in influencing the effects of digital transformation on the ability to innovate in environmentally friendly ways. Based on the findings of our research, we provide fresh perspectives and policy suggestions to assist business managers and governments in fostering environmentally-friendly innovation in enterprises.

Examining the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effectiveness of Remote Training on Community-Based Participatory Research: Single-Arm Pre-Post Pilot Study.

Over the past decade, a growing body of scientific evidence has demonstrated that community engagement in research leads to more relevant research, enhances the uptake of research findings, and improves clinical outcomes. Despite the increasing need for the integration of community engagement methodologies into the scientific inquiry, doctoral and master's level competencies in the field of psychiatry often lack dedicated training or coursework on community engagement methodologies. A total of 13 service users, peer support specialists, caregivers of people with mental health challenges, and scientists (with specialties ranging from basic science to implementation science) aged 18 and older participated in remote training on community-based participatory research. Data were collected at baseline, 2 days, and 3 months. A total of 13 service users, peer support specialists, caregivers of people with mental health challenges, and scientists (with specialties ranging from basic science to implementation science) aged 18 and older participated in remote training on community-based participatory research. Data were collected at baseline, 2 days, and 3 months. The pilot study demonstrated that a 3-month remote training on community-based participatory research ("Partnership Academy") was deemed feasible and acceptable by service users, peer support specialists, caregivers of people with mental health challenges, and scientists. Improvements were found in research engagement and the quality of partnership. A marked increase in distrust in the medical system was also found. Groups submitted 4 grant applications and published 1 peer-reviewed journal at a 3-month follow-up. This pre- and postpilot study demonstrated it is possible to train groups of service users, peer support specialists, caregivers of people with mental health challenges, and scientists in community-based participatory research. These findings provide preliminary evidence that a 3-month remote training on community-based participatory research ("Partnership Academy") is feasible, acceptable, and potentially associated with improvements in research engagement as well as the quality of partnership and output, such as manuscripts and grant applications.

Attachment-based Prevention Program Involving Mothers and Fathers: Seven-year Post-Intervention Outcomes of a Randomized Control Trial

The effects of a holistic attachment-based primary prevention program (SAFE), which is aimed at fathers and mothers during the transition to parenthood, were assessed over the 7-year post-intervention follow-up of a randomized control trial. A non-clinical German sample was included in the trial (fathers: n = 58, mothers: n = 71; children: n = 72). The children’s mean age was 7.30 years (SD = 0.41) and their attachment representations were assessed using a doll play procedure. Among the group of insecure mothers (n = 58), significantly more children (50%) in the SAFE group displayed a secure attachment representation compared to the control group (25%). No children of mothers with unresolved trauma displayed a disorganized attachment representation. In the parent domain, the increase in couple discord over time perceived by the SAFE mothers was significantly lower than that for the mothers in the control group. Furthermore, mothers in the SAFE group reported significantly higher partnership quality than the control mothers. The perceived benefits of the programs were significantly higher, in multiple domains, among SAFE fathers and mothers compared to control parents. The effect sizes were medium to large. Even after 7 years, program participation continues to have a positive impact on the children, and their fathers and mothers. The most important implication of this study for clinical practice is the need to support mothers with insecure or unresolved trauma in order to promote healthy child development. In addition, we think that it is important to support both parents during the transition to parenthood. TRN: DRKS00017050 (retrospectively registered, March, 28th 2019)

Formation of an organizational and economic mechanism for increasing the economic stability of an enterprise in the management of intellectual property objects

The purpose of the study is to analyze the impact of macro- and microeconomic factors on the formation of the management system of intellectual property objects as a structural element of the organizational and economic mechanism of increasing the economic sustainability of the enterprise. The right of ownership of intellectual products is considered an institutional prerequisite for increasing the enterprise's sustainability on an innovative basis, and objects of intellectual property are determined as a critical factor of social production. In enterprise management's organizational and economic mechanism, attention is focused on goals and incentives. It is proposed to consider increasing the economic stability of the enterprise as a complex goal of management, the reengineering of which is initiated by disturbances of various etymologies with the dominant influence of external factors. As an adaptive tool for transforming the organizational and economic mechanism of enterprise management into an open system, the creation of conditions for the effective implementation of the formation, use, and distribution of intellectual property objects is proposed. The system's components of increasing the enterprise's innovative potential are highlighted, including strategic management of intellectual property, protection of intellectual property rights, management of the intellectual property portfolio, internal knowledge management, creation of an innovative culture, and optimization of financial management of intellectual assets. A comprehensive understanding of the prerequisites for protecting intellectual property rights in the context of the institutional system functioning at the national level is presented. It has been proven that the ability to transform intellectual property objects into an influential factor in acquiring sustainability by business entities depends on the quality of public-private partnerships in terms of relations between the government, businesses, and universities. Keywords: organizational and economic mechanism, economic stability, enterprise, intellectual property management, intellectual property objects, intellectual capital, national innovation system.

Perspectives of Behavior Analysts and Mental Health Specialists on Collaborating to Support Students with Intensive Intervention Needs

Interdisciplinary collaboration is critical to address the multiple and varied needs of students with social/emotional and behavioral (SEB) challenges. Yet little is known about the nature of collaboration between two specialist groups who commonly support them: behavior analysts and mental health specialists. Considering expectations for collaboration, and the potential challenges unique to this partnership, we conducted a series of interviews in the U.S. state of Tennessee to explore these specialists’ experiences and perspectives around collaboration. We used a qualitative description approach, which led to identifying themes related to (a) specialists’ preparation to collaborate, (b) facilitators and barriers to effective collaboration, and (c) supports needed to collaborate more effectively in their current roles. Specialists from both groups felt their pre-service training inadequately prepared them to collaborate with one another. They identified several factors that impacted their ability to meaningfully collaborate and expressed needs for cross-discipline education, collaborative conversations, and training on “soft skills” to partner more effectively. We highlight distinct and overlapping perspectives within and across themes between behavior analysts and mental health specialists and discuss implications for improving the quality of these important partnerships.

Modeling Partners’ Behavior in Long-Lasting B2B Supply Chain Relationships

Companies have strengthened their long-term inter-organizational partnerships throughout the supply chain to neutralize competitive pressures and risks in uncertain environments. On this basis, this research aims to propose and test a model of partners’ behavior aimed at the maintenance of long-term collaboration. By using confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and rival model testing, the theoretical model proposed attempts to identify, from a seller’s perspective, the critical variables of partners’ behavior. It also seeks to understand the effect of satisfaction between trust and commitment (as antecedents associated with relationship quality) and sales formalization, sales opportunism, and sales-specific assets (as postcendents linked to relationship efficiency). Our findings verify the nomological framework and demonstrate that the partnership quality variables affect relationship efficiency, through sales satisfaction. However, the results of our research cannot confirm the relationship between satisfaction and specific assets. This research is relevant as it deals with inter-organizational partnerships from a seller-oriented approach, and it is based on a combination of Relationship Marketing Theory and Transaction Cost Theory to demonstrate that the inter-organizational partnership quality variables exert a direct effect on the partnership efficiency variables.

Partnership of University Institutions with Industries and Graduates’ Employability in Cameroon: Case of Graduates of Technical and Professional Schools of the University of Ngaoundéré

Context: Graduate employability remains a global interest in this 21st century as workplace demands and economic sustainability are growing, changing, and driving new competencies and needs as well as the need for an innovative, flexible, and motivated workplace. The quality of university graduates is not only crucial to individual productivity but also to national productivity, economic growth, and development. This quality could be enhanced by effective collaboration between institutions of the university and the industry. Therefore, this study examines the influence of the quality of partnerships between university institutions and industries on the employability of graduates from technical and professional schools of the University of Ngaoundere. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted amongst graduates from the University of Ngaoundere recruited through snowball and purposive sampling. The data were analyzed by SPSS Software, Version 20, using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression. Results: Findings revealed that the quality of the partnership between university institutions and industries strongly and significantly influences graduates’ employability (R2 =0.505, β=0.711, p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Therefore, the study recommends that effective educational policy and strategy should be adopted to improve graduates’ employability by focusing on improving collaboration and cooperation between university institutions and industries.