ABSTRACT
The General Accounting Office, which studies the effectiveness of the federal government, has published over 70 reports calling for more collaboration among agencies or among agencies and other stakeholders. Three reasons primarily account for the increase in public sector collaboration: most challenges are larger than one organization; the desire to improve effectiveness and performance of programs; and technology helps organizations and personnel share information. This chapter begins by discussing some of the prominent definitions of collaboration. It then focuses on collaboration as an aspect of a relationship and the characteristics, conduct, and skills that managers need to attain positive outcomes. Finally, it reflects on the need for more education and interdisciplinary thinking in the study and practice of collaboration in the public sector. It recognizes that the majority of the collaborations studied are not starting from a conflict and trying to resolve it. They begin with a shared problem and interdependent actors, sometimes mandated to work together to generate synergistic solutions. In some cases, the parties are vying for turf and may not be the right individuals to participate in constructive processes that need trust to be successful.
