Public Sector Partnerships Research Articles

The Sharing Economy, Inclusive Tourism Development and Entrepreneurship: A Case Study from South Africa

The sharing economy has been increasingly recognized for providing opportunities for tourism entrepreneurs and fostering inclusive tourism growth. Through its Inclusive Tourism pledge, Airbnb established the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy to empower women and youth in rural communities. This study examines the role of Airbnb and its private-public partnerships in fostering inclusive tourism growth in the Waterberg District of South Africa through the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy. The study was conducted using qualitative interviews and focus groups with stakeholders involved in the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy, including four Airbnb representatives, twentythree academy graduates, and eight public and private sector partners. The key findings show that driving inclusive tourism development in the Waterberg required the involvement of local, regional and national public and private partners. The study found that the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy was instrumental in providing knowledge and capacity-building opportunities to emerging entrepreneurs in the region. Additionally, social capital, mentorship and continued support emerged as important drivers enabling emerging entrepreneurs to actively participate in the tourism sector. However, the local tourism context influences the successful operations of tourism enterprises and, consequently, inclusive growth through tourism. This study contributes to the growing literature on tourism skills development and the sharing economy within rural and emerging tourism destinations.

Diet, nutrition, and climate: historical and contemporary connections.

This paper reviews the past global nutrition efforts, particularly those led by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), at the critical intersection of nutrition and climate change. Despite progress in tackling malnutrition and promoting sustainable food systems, significant challenges remain, especially in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where micronutrient deficiencies persist. The paper underscores the urgent need to integrate nutrition into climate strategies and strengthen food system resilience. Initiatives like the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement, the Food Systems Dashboard, and GAIN's public and private sector partnerships at the local levels have contributed to transforming food systems. However, there is an urgent need for more robust policies that effectively align nutrition, climate, and equity goals. Looking ahead, we advocate for increased financial investment, improved policy frameworks, and innovations in technology and data monitoring to drive sustainable food system transformations. We further underscore the importance of addressing micronutrient deficiencies, promoting biodiversity, and developing healthier crops to support climate-smart agriculture. Achieving resilient, equitable, and sustainable food systems over the next years will depend on collaborative efforts across sectors and stakeholders.

Ruby Princess case study: a systems thinking analysis of COVID-19, cruise ships and Australia’s response

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic tested leadership in chaos and complexity and resulted in many lessons learnt in the process. One such opportunity was the cruise ship Ruby Princess “mishap” in Australia which resulted in the failure to quarantine the virus onboard the cruise ship thus allowing transmission into the Australian community. The purpose of this paper is to use the Ruby Princess as a case study and apply a systems thinking analysis to it.Design/methodology/approachWhilst many inquiries and commissions have documented the failings of the agencies or “systems” involved in the Ruby Princess, the Ruby Princess case study provides a suitable example for the application of systems thinking analysis. The paper proceeds by identifying the various agencies either directly or indirectly involved in the Ruby Princess disaster and groups them based on the system they represented (state; federal; international or cruise-based system). These systems were mapped providing a visual representation of the complexity of the landscape in which police and public safety agencies had to operate in to respond to the Ruby Princess.FindingsOver 30 agencies were found to be either directly or indirectly involved in the Ruby Princess. Following the application of systems thinking analysis, it was clear that the various systems were operating in silos, thus failing to fully exploit the interconnections between and within all the systems which ultimately resulted in the Ruby Princess.Practical implicationsThe results of this analysis have informed a series of recommendations for leadership development within similar contexts, including embracing a systems thinking approach.Originality/valueUsing the Ruby Princess as a case study, this article presents a novel approach through the application of systems thinking and how it can enhance a leader’s ability to navigate the current “new normal” operating environment. It highlights the importance of public safety leadership moving away from an insular systems focus towards more of a public sector partnership which is an imperative for police and other public safety agencies to navigate through times of complexity and chaos.

An Investigation on The Extent of Usage and Challenges Faced by Tourism SMEs Concerning E-Marketing: Empowering Co-creation of Value

Due to advancements in technology and digital connectivity, travel patterns have changed. Technological developments have increased the amount of information and inspiration available to consumers, and big data analytics allows for the creation of innovative insights. When it comes to implementing cutting-edge technologies, small businesses typically lag behind larger ones. In light of the above, this study aims to examine the extent of usage and challenges SMEs face concerning e-marketing. SMEs in the tourism sector have demonstrated that they are drivers of economic growth through the development of entrepreneurial skills and job creation. In this study, data was qualitatively collected from 14 SME service providers, through a purposive sampling method. The findings revealed that SMEs struggle with the adoption of e-marketing. Moreover, the findings revealed that SMEs are also faced with the challenge of easy access to funding, this was found to affect their flexibility towards digital transformation. Lastly, this study found that SMEs are faced with the challenge of lack of expertise to implement digital transformations. This study concludes that, although in South Africa government funding provided to SMEs through grants plays a critical role, it is still not enough. The government can further their SME development initiatives through public sector and private sector partnerships. By increasing SMEs access to funding, joint SME development programs offer a substantial chance to promote entrepreneurship in South Africa.

NUA 45, a dry bean cultivar, builds a subtle brand in Zimbabwe against all odds

Global business today is driven by brands, each with a unique story, but rarely of a product that is a public good. Building a brand requires careful planning, creativity, and an understanding of the target market. Borrowing from various brand concepts and frameworks, this paper explores how a government-bred common bean cultivar., NUA 45, defied the odds to create a new identity and association in Zimbabwe. Firstly, the cultivar overcame the general lack of promotion investment in government-bred (public) common bean cultivars. Secondly, being a red mottle-colored cultivar in a red-speckled (sugar type) bean-predominated country, NUA 45 had to break the preference typecasts. Thirdly, NUA 45 was among the first generation of biofortified bean cultivars enriched with iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), some of the most sought-after micronutrients in a world ridden with hidden hunger. Overcoming these market barriers required a systematic approach to awareness creation, collaboration, and commercialization, avoiding the tragedy of the commons, and instead, achieving a win-win situation for all stakeholders. This entailed understanding the needs and preferences of different value chain actors, developing messages, and engaging local farmers, retailers, aggregators, and private and public sector partners to promote NUA 45. Lastly, developing compelling stories and leveraging digital channels to reach new customers that sought personal experiences, moved the cultivar name from a mere label to a spontaneously endorsed lifestyle and a brand that ‘spread like wildfire’ across the country and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region. The NUA 45 brand broke new ground for other biofortified bean cultivars and non-sugar bean cultivars. Following its release in seven other countries, NUA 45 pioneered listing on the SADC regional variety catalog.

Enabling product development partnerships to bring forward the next generation of health technologies.

Over the past quarter century, product development partnerships (PDPs) have importantly brought health technologies, particularly for neglected diseases, to market for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). With public sector financing, PDPs de-risk the gulf between where the global burden of disease falls and where paying markets exist. From fighting COVID-19 to developing novel antibiotics, the work of PDPs now extends beyond these traditional bounds. As PDPs have shepherded more health technologies to market, they are also confronting new access challenges. This article lays out 5 areas to strategically leverage the PDP model for better access to new health technologies. Making the case for enhanced support of the PDP approach will require greater transparency, as well as recognition of the contributions made by both public and private sector partners. The governance and funding of PDPs must be accountable to meeting the needs and building capacity of target beneficiaries in LMICs. To take an end-to-end approach, PDPs must work in tandem with other public sector institutions as well as local manufacturers as part of a larger innovation ecosystem. PDPs will need to keep pace with both the dynamics of diseases and markets in delivering the next generation of much needed health technologies.

Evaluation of Electric Vehicle Charging Usage and Driver Activity

As the country moves toward electric vehicles (EV), the United States is in the process of investing over USD 7.5 billion in EV charging stations, and Indiana has been allocated $100 million to invest in their EV charging network. In contrast to traditional “gas stations”, EV charging times, depending on the charger power delivery rating, can require considerably longer dwell times. As a result, drivers tend to pair charging with other activities. This study looks at two EV public charging locations and monitors driver activity while charging, charge time, and station utilization over a 2-month period in Lafayette, Indiana. Over 4000 charging sessions at stations with varying power levels (350 kW, 150 kW, and 50 kW) were monitored, and the median charge time was between 28 and 36 min. A large variation in station utilization was observed at Electrify America charging stations that had a range of stations with 350 kW, 150 kW, and 50 kW available. The highest utilization rates by hour of day on average were observed at 25% at the 150 kW Tesla station. Driver activity during charging influenced dwell times, with the average dwell time of drivers who waited in their vehicles to charge being 10 min shorter than those who would travel to the shops. Rain in the forecast also impacted the number of users per day. Although there are no published metrics for EV utilization and associated driver activities, we believe examining this relationship will produce best practices for planning future investments in EV charging infrastructure as public and private sector partners develop a nationwide charging network.

Partnership Structure and Partner Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Large Community Sustainability Cross-Sector Partnerships in Montreal, Barcelona and Gwangju

The aim of this research was to understand the structural features of large cross-sector social partnerships (CSSPs) and their resulting partner outcomes. This study analyzed and compared the partnership structures of three large CSSPs, each from a different continent: Barcelona + Sustainable in Barcelona, Spain; Gwangju Council for Sustainable Development in Gwangju, South Korea; and Sustainable Montreal in Montreal, Canada. Based on a survey of the partners in each of the three partnerships, the partner outcomes were also determined and compared. Building on these findings and using abductive analysis, the relationships between the partnerships’ structural features and partner outcomes are considered. An updated set of seven structural features for studying large cross-sector partnerships is offered. The empirical findings show some differences between the partnership designs and between the partner outcomes of the three partnerships. The experiences of the civil society, private sector and public sector partners in each of the cases were relatively similar, showing that in large partnerships, the sector was less relevant than in small partnerships.

Green design or multiple re-useable product packaging as regards solid waste in selected areas in Awka Metropolis, Nigeria

This study enumerates how product packaging amount to solid wastes among other Awka MSW constituents with the view to unfold green design or multiple re-useable product packaging as achievable means of minimizing solid waste in Awka Metropolis, Nigeria. Perhaps, there are locations with well managed or minimized packaging waste; accordingly, this study includes the review of some literatures on Awka MSW so as to note the extent of studies that have been published and made available in trendy media. Thus, the study is descriptive, literature-based and naturalistic observation -based in terms of estimated counting during the visitation to the selected areas. The findings reveal that studies on solid waste characterization, health, perception, behaviour of the populace in relation to solid waste and sustainability are ubiquitous. Still, the aspect of product packaging waste in the Awka metropolis has not been extensively studied; thus, present study fills this gap by aiming at unfolding green design or multiple re-useable product packaging as achievable means of minimizing solid waste in Awka Metropolis, Nigeria. However, this study in concord with prior studies shows that the product package among other solid waste occurs in a similar way in residential locations except other locations such as markets, schools, hospitals, municipal and industrial areas which have more of the litters of non-green packaging materials. Example is the plastic package with the largest quantity of generated solid waste within selected location in relation to other solid waste. Thus, the policy approach under which producers are given significant responsibility for waste prevention/diversion of post-consumer products should be ongoing through Private - Public Sector Partnerships (PPP) harmonized with EPR. This can be done by enhancing the concern of everybody (manufactures, consumers, organizations and other entrepreneurs including waste pickers/scavengers). Situation where by producers persuade the consumers through gainful or attractive means to return used product packages can be encouraged. Thus, the present study unfolds green design or multiple reuses of product packages as a means of attaining zero waste in Awka metropolis.

Evaluating the Implementation of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Housing Provision in Nigeria: A Case Study of Niger State

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) is a joint effort by the public and private sector for the financing, development, operation, and or ownership of public housing and infrastructure. The rapid increase in population and urbanization in Nigeria has resulted in a housing deficit of about 17-23 million. Mortgage financing which is the predominant means of funding housing eludes the low income earners due to their inability to access mortgage facilities. This paper evaluated the implementation of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an option for public housing delivery in Nigeria using Niger State as a case study. Questionnaires were administered to 200 built-environment professionals in public and private sectors in Niger State and interview was conducted with NSPPPA officials on project conception and management. Official reports and guidance documents on PPP implementation for housing were also reviewed. The responses to the questions were categorized into political, project, financial, and environmental factors and the mean score of responses to each question were calculated before calculating the mean score of each category. Political (4.28) and project (4.24) factors were found to have the greatest influence in implementing PPPs in Niger State. Interview and document reviews also revealed that out of eight housing projects conceived under the Niger State PPP program in 2013 only four were implemented. Of the four implemented projects, two were completed while two were delayed due to lack of funds and disagreements between public and private sector partners. The study recommends among others that all stakeholders in Nigeria’s housing sector should work together to realize the goal of PPPs in housing as stated in the New National Housing and Urban Development Policy (NNHUDP) of 2002 and that government should focus more on the provision of housing for the low income earners as they are the most affected by the housing problem in Nigeria.

Third sector provision of dementia support in the community: results from a scoping exercise of charity involvement in the UK

Third sector dementia support is characterised by wide variation and a heavy reliance on volunteer engagement. While there has been a growth in the reach and diversity of different schemes, their short-term funding results in a loss of networks, collaborations and local knowledge. This practice paper reflects on strengthening community-based dementia support and care via public and third sector partnerships. National and local data sources could help charities and commissioners begin to identify inequalities of provision.

Understanding absences and ambiguities of Post-decision Project Evaluation in the UK's PPPs: drawing from the sociology of ignorance

PurposeThe authors explore the under-researched area of post-decision evaluation in PPPs (public–private partnerships), focusing upon how and whether Post-decision Project Evaluation (PdPE) is considered and provided for in United Kingdom (UK) public infrastructure projects.Design/methodology/approachThe authors’ research design sought insights from overviewing UK PPP planning and more focused exploration of PPP operational practice. The authors combine the extensive analysis of planning documents for operational UK PPP projects with interviews of different stakeholders in PPP projects in one city. Mobilising an open critical perspective, documents were analysed using ethnographic content analysis (ECA) and interviews were analysed using thematic analysis consistent therewith. The authors theorise the absence and ambiguities of PdPE drawing on the sociology of ignorance.FindingsThe authors find a long-standing absence and lack of PdPE in PPP projects throughout planning and operational practice, reflecting a dynamic, multi-faceted ignorance. Concerning planning practice, the authors’ documentary analysis evidences a trend in PdPE from its absence in the early years (which may indicate some natural or genuine ignorance) to different levels or forms of weak inclusion later. Regarding this inclusion, the authors find strategic ignorance played a substantive role, involving “deliberate engineering” by both public sector and private partners. Interview findings indicate lack of clarity over PdPE and its under-development in PPP practice, deficiencies again suggestive of natural and strategic ignorance.Originality/valueThe authors draw from the sociology of ignorance vis-à-vis accounting's absence and ambiguity in the context of PPP, contributing to an under-researched area.

Issuance of Agency Notices and Tax Compliance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nairobi County, Kenya

This study's purpose was to investigate the influence of the issuance of agency notices on tax compliance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nairobi County, Kenya. SMEs in Nairobi County made up the research's study population, which was based on the fiscal psychology theory. The study used a targeted sample of 399 managers and owners of SMEs in Nairobi County using a descriptive cross-sectional design in accordance with the positivist research philosophy. The data from the respondents was gathered using a standardized questionnaire with closed-ended questions. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), descriptive and regression analysis were performed on the collected data. The study findings determined that issuance of agency notices had a positive and significant effect on tax compliance of SMEs in Nairobi County, Kenya (β= 0.543, t = 13.344, p < 0.05). This study concluded that issuance of agency notices was vital in enhancing tax compliance of SMEs. The study recommends to tax authorities in Kenya to take the option of collecting unpaid taxes directly from the SME’s bank when SMEs fail to comply within the negotiated period. Moreover, tax authorities should increase their tax debt recovery by increasing the usage and issuance of agency notices as soft enforcement measures, while enabling facilitation for enhanced tax compliance. This can be done by revamping the debt management organization (segmentation, centralization, digitalization, public sector partnership, and cooperation) and using call centres with functional customer relationship management (CRM). When equipped with a database with sufficient details about the debtors such as the telephone, mail, and physical addresses, CRM can fast-track the collection of the tax debt outstanding, especially from unreachable taxpayers.

States, Markets, and Foreign Aid by Simone Dietrich

Developing countries face multiple challenges. Beyond lacking resources, their governments may be corrupt or of low capacity. This poses risks for donor states, whose financial aid might not help those who need it most. However, donors do not handle the risk identically: some continue to funnel much aid through those governments, others redirect large portions to nonstate actors. When facing similar risks, why would donor states deliver foreign aid differently? According to Simone Dietrich's book States, Markets, and Foreign Aid, the answer is donors’ ideological differences, long enshrined in their aid institutions. Some donors are ideologically more “statist,” others are more “neoliberal.” Statist donors tend to have an active public sector themselves, and when distributing aid internationally they favor public-sector partners. Neoliberal donors tend to have active nonprofit and private sectors, and when distributing aid internationally they favor nonstate partners. Moreover, whereas neoliberal donors emphasize shorter-term poverty relief, statist donors aim for longer-term state capacity. Over time, these diverging ideologies have shaped domestic institutions, with donors’ aid systems becoming more incentivized toward particular delivery modes. Institutionalized incentive structures constrain current aid officials: even when a recipient government has corruption or capacity problems, individuals working in a statist system cannot easily bypass it. Similarly, even when breaking poverty's vicious cycle would require building state capacity, individuals working in a neoliberal system cannot easily redirect resources that are usually channeled through nonstate partners.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES MANAGEMENT

In ensuring an effective implementation and maximum impact of regional development projects and programmes, the element of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) should also be considered. East Coast Economic Region (ECER) is one of five regional economic corridors established in Malaysia to facilitate the socioeconomic transformation of this region towards becoming a high-income nation by 2025. East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) was established in 2008 as a statutory body under the East Coast Economic Region Development Council Act (Act 688) to drive the implementation of ECER Master Plan. ECERDC also came out with a list of CSFs that serves as a guidance to achieve all the expected goals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of ownership at all levels, creation of ECER Development Council, complementation among ECER states, complementation of ECER towards other regional developments, and private and public sector partnerships in the implementation of various regional development programmes and projects by ECERDC. This study used qualitative method which utilized in-depth interviews with 10 key informants. The obtained findings demonstrated that ECERDC has practiced all five CSFs effectively and as a return, the implementation of various regional development programmes has brought positive outcomes to the organisation. The result should help understand which factors must be given priority by the stakeholders, especially in maximising the impact of the government development projects that benefit the local community.

Lessons Learned from the Colorado Project to Comprehensively Combat Human Trafficking

Countering human trafficking at a statewide level requires a combination of knowledge from lived experience, inter-sector collaborations, and evidence-based tools to measure progress. Since 2010, the nonprofit Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking (LCHT) has collected and analyzed the data on how partners and organizations across the state work toward ending human trafficking. LCHT uses Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to measure and illuminate promising paths toward ending human trafficking. Through CBPR, many collaborative working documents and activities have been created: Colorado Action Plans, Policy Recommendations, a Partnership Toolkit, and Partnership Convenings. This paper provides a single case study analysis of the Colorado Project, from 2013 through 2023, and offers a glimpse into the goals for the Colorado Project 2028. The ideas, strengths, and challenges presented here can guide other local efforts to support data-informed responses to trafficking. The CBPR methodology sheds light on the changes in Colorado’s anti-trafficking movement and the actions taken on behalf of partnerships (task forces and coalitions) across the state of Colorado. This paper offers a roadmap for collaborative design and decision-making among academic, nonprofit, and public sector partners seeking to conduct research on social movements utilizing a community-engaged process.

Legal Security for the Provision of Publicly Significant Medical Services Through Public and Private Sector Partnership Mechanisms During the Post-War Reconstruction of Ukraine

Legal Security for the Provision of Publicly Significant Medical Services Through Public and Private Sector Partnership Mechanisms During the Post-War Reconstruction of Ukraine

THE ROLE OF THE LEGISLATURE IN DEVELOPMENT POLICIES IMPLEMENTATION IN NIGERIA

While Nigeria boasts as the most populous nation and the biggest economy in Africa in terms of nominal GDP, the Country lags behind some of its peers on the continent in development. The country has had five development plans since independence, without truly reaping the benefits of such projections. This paper, therefore, reviewed the reasons behind such failures and noted that the failures could be attributed to a lack of continuity in development planning from one government to another; a lack of political will by the incumbent government because of corruption across all sectors of the government and national life. Other factors identified by this paper for the repeated failure include the lack of a true sense of commitment and clear vision by the successive leadership. There is also the over-politicization of the entire process, by not tackling the core development issues in the country. Nigeria’s development plans are also too tailored along those of the developed economies rather than evolving a plan that is realistic and suitable to our environment. The paper also recognized other major constraints such as lack of financial capacity to implement these lofty ideas, the inadequacy of professional planners, indiscipline, and unnecessary partnership; poor and inadequate feasibility studies in planning; lack of accurate data; erratic and conflicting government policies which result in policy summersault and abandonment. There are also issues of lack of inter-ministerial and inter-disciplinary coordinating machinery, lack of proper project monitoring, lack of efficient public sector, and lack of proper public and private sector partnership. As a remedy to these repeated failures in development planning, the paper brought to the fore the constitutional roles of the legislatures as the bastion of any democracy, to stand up to their constitutional duties, in not only passing the bills, but also ensuring that they are signed into law, and also implemented to the benefit of the country.

Not the usual suspects: creating the conditions for and implementing co-production with marginalised young people in Glasgow

Co-production is now an established part of public service delivery. Despite its popularity, there is only a limited understanding about how co-production works in practice, particularly with marginalised groups. This paper identifies and explores insights from three case studies of a successful co-productive approach in Glasgow, Scotland. Operation Modulus is a criminal justice initiative involving public and third sector partners in the co-production of services with marginalised young people to reduce their involvement in crime and antisocial behaviour. The data highlighted the importance of leadership, the role of public service professionals and the process of working with marginalised young people; these are explored, all within the context of the authorising environment created at the level of a collaborative governance body. The findings underscore, first, the importance of distributed leadership and process in developing trust amongst partners and in turn in the relationships of partners with young people. Second, the essential role of effective co-management amongst service providers in creating the requisite conditions for meaningful co-production with marginalised citizens. Third, the potential for and importance of shared management to facilitate changes in professional relationships and ways of working, even if these do not lead to organisational systems change. Fourth, the significance of public service professionals having the authority and agency to explore collaborative ways of working.

Political and ethical dilemmas in multi-agency participatory research: The role of the buffer zone

The ‘buffer zone’ frames the contested space that university researchers must persistently animate and mediate to successfully pursue participatory research with public and third sector partners. This article explores this conceptualisation through a consideration of political and ethical dilemmas in participatory research practice. We contend that participatory researchers must identify, respond to and reflect on everyday and momentous dilemmas by combining technical, relational and political skills. We illustrate this by drawing on extensive collaborative action research conducted with public service partners as part of the What Works Scotland programme (2014–2019). By critically reflecting on university research realities, this article shares insights into complex multi-agency participatory research dilemmas; offers methodological, conceptual, ethical and political evidence to help university researchers navigate such contexts, notably by engaging the buffer zone and finally, considers how universities and research funders should better support participatory research practices.