Collaboration, Public Value, and Accountability

Abstract: Networks present an interesting governance challenge. Little is known about how to design effective institutions and implement public policies in a world of shared power and authority. One implementation strategy used in networked settings is collaboration. This study used an in-depth qualitative research design to understand the role that collaboration plays as an implementation strategy. Specifically, the paper examines two research questions: (1) what types of collaborative activities were used to implement public policies? and (2) what public value (or costs) was added as a result of these actions? To answer these questions, we examined the implementation of six watershed management plans. Watershed management efforts are a useful policy arena for studying collaboration. Every watershed is “managed ” by a wide range of governmental and nongovernmental actors whose decisions influence the health and integrity of ecological systems. Therefore, watershed management programs often focus on finding ways to get this portfolio of actors and programs to work together more effectively. Our analysis revealed a variety of collaborative activities at the operational, policy-making, and institutional levels. We then present a conceptual framework for understanding the various ways that public value can be added at the individual, organizational, network, and societal levels. Our hope is that an improved understanding of the collaborative process will enhance our understanding of policy implementation in a networked setting and allow practitioners to exploit the collaborative capacity inherent in our federal system