ABSTRACT
Most partnerships, particularly the larger ones, suffered the same fate as their public-sector predecessors. Personal, political and commercial interests replaced innovation based on social entrepreneurship. Cultures of low performance set in, driven by the high transaction costs endemic to partnerships, a lack of focus and, increasingly, straightforward corruption. Public demand for greater accountability shifted their focus from business to partnerships and from partnerships to their constituent partners, notably public bodies and civil-society organisations. Partnerships involving business could make a real contribution to development. Credibility of the partnership approach therefore depended on it achieving a (positive) 'development discontinuity', a demonstrable leap in social and environmental gains. The Summit's silver bullet and bete noire were the partnerships of public bodies and civil-society organisations created from businesses' choice, whether for market-related, fiscal or statutory reasons, to address social, economic and environmental aims as part of its day-today practice and underlying success model.
