Expanding the concept of contractual and relational governance interplay in public-private partnerships: A dynamic realist approach

Camilo Benitez-Avila

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    Abstract

    This working paper presents a preliminary conceptualization of a process theoretical approach for studying the interplay between contractual and relational governance activities in Public Private Partnerships. Taking into account that “action” is not necessarily an instrumental consequence of decisions, we argue that day-to-day practitioners aim at balancing their role as a member of an organization, a part of a PPP team and personal professional interest. Their subjective concern for improving or maintaining their positions trustworthy "experts" drives modes of interaction and governing activities. The approach integrates the traditional functional-regulatory approach extensively used for studying the interplay in terms of complementarity/substitutivity, with theoretical insights from critical realism theory on trust and control in working organizations. The illustrative case is the interaction between a public project manager and a private facility manager during the introduction of changes in the exploitation phase of a Public Private Partnership in the Netherlands.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication15th Engineering Project Organization Conference with 5th International Megaprojects Workshop
    Subtitle of host publicationStanford Sierra Camp, California June 5-7, 2017
    EditorsAshwin Mahalingam, Tripp Shealy, Nuno Gil
    Place of PublicationStanford, CA
    PublisherEPOS
    Number of pages21
    Publication statusPublished - 2017
    Event15th Engineering Project Organization Conference 2017 - Stanford Sierra Camp, Stanford, United States
    Duration: 5 Jun 20177 Jun 2017
    Conference number: 15
    http://epossociety.org/EPOC2017/

    Publication series

    NameWorking Paper Proceedings
    PublisherEPOS
    Volume2017

    Conference

    Conference15th Engineering Project Organization Conference 2017
    Abbreviated titleEPOC 2017
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CityStanford
    Period5/06/177/06/17
    Otherheld in conjunction with the 5th International Megaprojects Workshop: Theory meets Practice
    Internet address

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