Dissecting the collaborative advantage of the Urban Agenda

Veerle Isabella Smit

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This thesis investigated aspects of the Urban Partnerships’ functioning and subsequent successful collaboration. The empirical research consisted out of 11 qualitative interviews with the project manager or junior coordinator of ten of the twelve partnerships. The study has explored the success of the collaboration of the different urban partnerships by investigating the balance between goal divergence and convergence, the involvement of partners and subsequently looked at whether the partnerships produce outcomes. The comparative case analysis led to the observation that all partnerships have a successful balance between goal convergence and divergence, and that whereas not all actors are involved, those who are, are actively involved. This entails that essentially in all partnerships there is successful collaboration and outcomes have been produced. Nevertheless, there is a different degree of success in collaboration in the partnerships because there has been differential involvement of partners. Fundamentally, research on the developments concerning the increased proliferation of EU level policy making with regards to urban areas is meagre, whilst this is of utmost importance for public administration and governance challenges in general. The findings of this study have implications for the urban partnerships as well as networks in general since the structure of a network can be said to influence network level outcomes.

Abstract:

This thesis investigated aspects of the Urban Partnerships’ functioning and subsequent successful collaboration. The empirical research consisted out of 11 qualitative interviews with the project manager or junior coordinator of ten of the twelve partnerships. The study has explored the success of the collaboration of the different urban partnerships by investigating the balance between goal divergence and convergence, the involvement of partners and subsequently looked at whether the partnerships produce outcomes. The comparative case analysis led to the observation that all partnerships have a successful balance between goal convergence and divergence, and that whereas not all actors are involved, those who are, are actively involved. This entails that essentially in all partnerships there is successful collaboration and outcomes have been produced. Nevertheless, there is a different degree of success in collaboration in the partnerships because there has been differential involvement of partners. Fundamentally, research on the developments concerning the increased proliferation of EU level policy making with regards to urban areas is meagre, whilst this is of utmost importance for public administration and governance challenges in general. The findings of this study have implications for the urban partnerships as well as networks in general since the structure of a network can be said to influence network level outcomes.

Keywords

EuropeanGovernance, NetworkGovernance, Collaboration, UrbanAgenda, Urban Partnerships, Goals, Outcomes

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 17. 10. 2018

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 6. 7. 2018
• Supervisor: Prof. dr. Joop Schippers
• Reader: PhDr. Zdeněk Sychra, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
International Territorial Studies / European Governance