Strengthening CrossSector Partnerships

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• Strengthening Cross-Sector Partnerships
• for Sustainable Development (CSP4SD)
• Through Improved Partnership Communication
• and Knowledge Management
• Julian Lauzzana - PIM 65
• Capstone Presentation
• August 20th, 2008

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Agenda

• Introduction and objectives
• Practicum experience
• Inquiry process
• Partnership broker role
• Research and analysis
• Role play
• Conclusions

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Introduction Objectives

• To illustrate the complexity of CSP
  communication.
• To explicate the importance of partnership broker
  role.
• To demonstrate a new tool designed for improving
  CSP communication.

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Practicum Experience Arcosanti (www.arcosanti.org)
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Inquiry process literature review

• CRITIQUE OF GLOBAL ECONOMY
• Herman Daly, Paul Hawken, Al Krebs, Jeffrey
  Sachs, U.N.MDGs and Global Compact
• SOCIAL CAPITAL - Robert Putnam, etc.
• SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
• Micro-credit and BOP
• Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the Poor, 1999.
• Stuart Hart. Capitalism at the Crossroads, 2005
• C.K. Prahalad, Fortune at the Bottom of the
  Pyramid, 2006.

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Inquiry process literature review

• CROSS SECTOR PARTNERSHIP
• David Teller 2007, AST, Melbourne Model
• Parker and Selsky, 2005
• Stott, L. Conflicting Cultures Lessons from a
  UN-business partnership, 2007
• PARTNERSHIP BROKERING
• Parntership Initiative. The Partnership
  Toolbook, 2003.
• KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS
• Creech and Willard Strategic Intentions
  Managing Knowledge Networks for Sustainable
  Development, 2001.

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Inquiry process literature review
4 Arenas of CSP Arena 1 Private/Nonprofit Arena
2 Public/Private Arena 3 Nonprofit/Public Arena
4 Nonprofit/Public/Private
Primary Source Selsky and Parker, 2005
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Methods of Improving Communication
2008, Tennyson, Talking the Walk A
communication Manual for Partnership
Practicionners
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Inquiry Research Question
How can improved partnership communication lead
to more effective cross sector partnership?

• How do sector predispositions impact CSP?
• Why are different forms of CSP initiated?
• How is knowledge shared and managed?

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Partnership Brokering the need for improved CSP
communication
We are completely different. We got on well, but
ultimately the cultural gaps between our two
organisations made the kind of partnership we
wanted impossible. - Business Representative

• Stott, Leda (2007) Conflicting Cultures
  Lessons from a UN-business partnership

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Defining the role of Partnership Broker

• a partnership broker operates as an active
  go-between or intermediary between different
  organisations and sectors (public, private and
  civil society) that aim to collaborate as
  partners in a sustainable development initiative.

While partnership brokers essentially operate as
process managers, they also have a
behind-the-scenes leadership functiona
leadership role that has shifted from that of
figurehead to that of catalyst.
Tenyson, The Brokering Guidebook, 2005.
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Defining the Partnership Broker
RoleInternal/External Individual/Org.
Source The Brokering Guidebook, Ros Tennyson
2005.
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Defining Partnership Broker Role
Internal/External Proactive/Reactive
Source The Brokering Guidebook, Ros Tennyson
2005.
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PB Role Navigating Complexityof CSP with
Systems Thinking

• 4 Frames for Reframing Organizations Structural,
  Human Resources, Symbolic, Political Bolman and
  Deal 2003.
• 5 Disciplines of a Learning Organization
  Systems Thinking, Mental Models, Team Learning,
  Shared Vision, Personal Mastery Senge 1990.

(STR, HR, SYM, PL)
( MM, TL, SV, PM)
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Partnership BrokeringHybrid Model with Frames
and Disciplines
Model developed by Julian Lauzzana, 2008.
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On-line Survey in Sustainable Ag
Research

• 91 respondents out of 428 approached
• 60 NP, 13 public, 8 private, 10 other
• 48 female, 37 male, 6 unknown
• Ages 24 (18-35 yrs.), 35 (36-50 yrs.),
• 24 (51-65 yrs.), 2 (66)
• All in United States of America

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Research
Interviews within Farm to Schools

• 11 interviews (9 by phone, 2 in person)
• 10 in NP, one in public (some crossover)
• 8 female and 3 male.
• Ages 4 (18-35 yrs.), 4 (36-50 yrs.), 2 (51-65
  yrs.), 1 (66)
• All from United States of America

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Advantages of Research Methods

• On-Line Survey
• Easily automated data analysis
• Quick and easy to distribute
• Interviews
• Appreciative Inquiry
• Benefits of shared knowledge

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Research Analysis-Sector Predispositions

• Time based predispositions
• Role clarification
• Have to be willing to listen to other sides
  perspectivewhat pieces are you willing to
  compromise, (Rose, 28, nonprofit).
• Consensus building
• private sector must adapt to "slow down" in
  public sector, (Joe, age 44, public, educational
  institution).

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Research Analysis-Sector Predispositions

• Power based predispositions
• Leadership
• you cant underestimate the power or influence
  of community based organizationsits a delicate
  balancepeople sabotage if they are not being
  heard, (Susan, age 57, governmental nonprofit).
• Economics
• the decision to do these things is not an
  economic
• decision, its a values based decision (Joan,
  age 52, nonprofit).

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AnalysisSector Predispositions

• Pred. based on Organizational Culture
• Values Organizational Structure
• a business may want to give a couple hundred
  dollars and get their name in a
  newsletterschools require a longer term
  commitment to build trust and be effective,
  (Sara, 31, nonprofit).

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Research AnalysisReasons for Partnership
Initiation

• Survey Question
• Do you feel the scale is appropriate to the work
  of your organization?

1 said scale of organization was too large 40
said too small, 43 said appropriate.
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Appropriateness of Scale

• Too Big 1 (50-100 employees)
• Too Small 16 (lt10), 12 (10-50), 8 (50-100), 1
  (100-25o), 3 (500)
• Appropriate 15(lt10), 17 (10-50),
• 9 (50-100) 1 (100-250), 1 (250-500)

1 said scale of organization was too large 40
said too small, 43 said appropriate.
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Research AnalysisReasons for Partnership
Initiation

• Private sector tendency to feel appropriate
• Public sector tended to feel scale too small
• NP 50/50

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Research AnalysisExpansion through partnership

• by forming a partnership you are expanding
• it is intrinsically valuable to not always
• reinvent the wheelespecially in regards to
• what you have in your local societies
• infrastructureyou cant just work in a silo,
• (Rose, 28, educational nonprofit).

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Research AnalysisKnowledge Sharing/Management

• there was holding of knowledge to make sure
  that you have some sort of niche thats gonna get
  you that funding, (Nina, 38, educational
  nonprofit).
• when youre dealing with so many different
  facets and so many people coming from different
  perspectivesits very beneficial to have a
  actual funded person who spends their time
  coordinating their efforts (Rose, 28,
  educational nonprofit).

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Data AnalysisSystems Thinking
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Data Analysis using Systems thinking
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Data Analysis using Systems thinking
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Data Analysis using Systems thinking
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CSP Communication Tool(Partnership Brokering
Tool)
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Role Play - FtS

• The shared vision of all parties is to improve
  quality of food served to students of an inner
  city school. Currently the school has an
  exclusive and binding contract with a food
  service provider that extends for two more years.
  Regional farms are willing to supply better
  quality local organic produce, dairy and meatbut
  cost is higher.

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Role Play - FtS

• Choose a Partner
• 1) Public health agency working to decrease
  childhood obesity (public)
• 2) Grassroots local nonprofit focused on food
  security and social justice (nonprofit)
• 3) Local farmers interested in switching from
  monoculture to organic (private)
• 4) Current food service providers and
  distributors who may lose contract (private)
• 5) School administration being pressured for
  better food (public)

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APPLICATIONS

• Tool for Partnership Broker
• To improve systems thinking within partners.
• Potential as conflict resolution tool

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Limitations of Study

• Nonprofit focus, little from private sector.
• Individual analysis - not a group process.
• Survey was too broad.
• Data analysis is subjective
• Technology and systems based approach may leave
  out or turn off some participants.

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Conclusions

• Although not conclusive, it does appear that
  sector predispositions have a large impact on CSP
  communication.
• Shared vision and desire to expand through
  partnership are reasons for initiating CSP.

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Conclusions

• Tacit knowledge, which is then openly discussed
  between sectors, organizations and individuals,
  will likely allow for greater mutual
  understanding and improved CSP communication.

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Conclusions

• The complexity of managing CSP communication, and
  the failure of many CSPs, illuminates the need
  for improved partnership brokering.

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QA