Author: Nylen U
Journal: Public Administration, 2007
Volume/pages: Vol 85(1), pp143-166

About the study
This paper investigates the effectiveness consequences of alternative collaboration arrangements. From a literature review, the degree of formalisation and intensity, respectively, stand out as major aspects of collaboration. The impact on effectiveness from intensity and formalisation was investigated through an explorative case study of collaboration projects in Sweden.

Findings
Results suggest that the particular combination of formalisation and intensity determines the impact on effectiveness. This emerged from a study of three services relevant to health and social care integration: delegation of nursing tasks to home help personnel; joint rehabilitation; and hospice home care.

Key messages

• In informal arrangements, resource inputs are low - but formalisation can help improve effectiveness, and is important unless individuals can develop mutual interaction without formalised support.
• Low intensity is sufficient for simple sequential tasks - but 'more complicated services for multi-problem clients require intense collaboration arrangements'.