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L. Kuitert
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1
The balancing act
How public construction clients safeguard public values in a changing construction industry
Public bodies acting in the construction industry have to deal with major transitional issues, such as globalization and urbanization, population ageing, climate change and digitalization. Moreover, the public domain, private parties and society are becoming increasingly interdependent. As a result, safeguarding public values in the built environment has become ever more complex. Public bodies face the challenge to adhere to collective public values while confronted with private and societal values of external partners. This means that they have to deal with value pluralism and value-conflicts. In research, scarce attention has been paid to providing guidance to practitioners for dealing with multi-value trade-offs in operational processes. Hence, this research provides a construction-sector specific operationalization and a network perspective to the field of public value research. This research highlights the important role to be played by public commissioning in terms of safeguarding public values. It consists of three qualitative studies that utilize a range of different methods, including interviews, observations and document analysis. By this the research provides a contemporary perspective through which to study and execute the safeguarding of public values by public clients in the transition towards network governance in the construction industry. The dynamics of the sector-specific value interests of public construction clients, the occurrence of value conflicts in commissioning, and the safeguarding processes within both internal and external commissioning are studied. The practical implications derived from the research were translated into a value dialogue tool that can be used by public construction clients to professionalize safeguarding in their daily practice.
...
Public bodies acting in the construction industry have to deal with major transitional issues, such as globalization and urbanization, population ageing, climate change and digitalization. Moreover, the public domain, private parties and society are becoming increasingly interdependent. As a result, safeguarding public values in the built environment has become ever more complex. Public bodies face the challenge to adhere to collective public values while confronted with private and societal values of external partners. This means that they have to deal with value pluralism and value-conflicts. In research, scarce attention has been paid to providing guidance to practitioners for dealing with multi-value trade-offs in operational processes. Hence, this research provides a construction-sector specific operationalization and a network perspective to the field of public value research. This research highlights the important role to be played by public commissioning in terms of safeguarding public values. It consists of three qualitative studies that utilize a range of different methods, including interviews, observations and document analysis. By this the research provides a contemporary perspective through which to study and execute the safeguarding of public values by public clients in the transition towards network governance in the construction industry. The dynamics of the sector-specific value interests of public construction clients, the occurrence of value conflicts in commissioning, and the safeguarding processes within both internal and external commissioning are studied. The practical implications derived from the research were translated into a value dialogue tool that can be used by public construction clients to professionalize safeguarding in their daily practice.
The public construction client of the future
Network-based collaborator in a traditional public administrative system
In the construction industry, public and semi-public clients increasingly depend on private parties to achieve project outcomes by adopting network type of governance approaches. However, social-political responsibilities remain at the public side. Hence, the general challenge for public commissioners is to find a new balance between dependency and responsibility when safeguarding competing traditional and network values. Based on three qualitative studies of a PhD project on safeguarding public values by public construction clients, applying concepts from public administration and public value theory, this paper presents three lessons learnt on future roles and responsibilities. We argue that future 'good' commissioning should be 1) more about embedding new value systems and less about changing existing values mechanisms, 2) more about paradox thinking in a convener role and less about trade-offs in a steering role and, 3) more about informal accountability in the value chain and less about formal accountability in the project chain. To ensure the 'right' kind of interference in the value process, public clients' way of coping with publicprivate conflicts, needs to correspond with the internal governance arrangements, and vice versa. Further research should focus on facilitating this alignment by providing a public value safeguarding strategy tool for public construction clients.
...
In the construction industry, public and semi-public clients increasingly depend on private parties to achieve project outcomes by adopting network type of governance approaches. However, social-political responsibilities remain at the public side. Hence, the general challenge for public commissioners is to find a new balance between dependency and responsibility when safeguarding competing traditional and network values. Based on three qualitative studies of a PhD project on safeguarding public values by public construction clients, applying concepts from public administration and public value theory, this paper presents three lessons learnt on future roles and responsibilities. We argue that future 'good' commissioning should be 1) more about embedding new value systems and less about changing existing values mechanisms, 2) more about paradox thinking in a convener role and less about trade-offs in a steering role and, 3) more about informal accountability in the value chain and less about formal accountability in the project chain. To ensure the 'right' kind of interference in the value process, public clients' way of coping with publicprivate conflicts, needs to correspond with the internal governance arrangements, and vice versa. Further research should focus on facilitating this alignment by providing a public value safeguarding strategy tool for public construction clients.
Practices of isolation
The shaping of project autonomy in innovation projects
Journal article
(2020)
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Thijs Willems, Alfons van Marrewijk, Lizet Kuitert, Leentje Volker, Marleen Hermans
A project's autonomy, the degree to which a project can evolve without constant interference from the parent organization, is a key feature of innovation projects. The literature treats autonomy as a passive phenomenon and underestimates how projects as temporary organizations interact with more permanent forms of organizations. A dynamic and contextually sensitive understanding of project autonomy is valuable; autonomy can change over the course of the project's lifecycle and evolve into extreme isolation. We show how autonomy is shaped through practices of isolation and how this influences project outcomes. Two innovation projects were studied through qualitative\055interpretive methods and we analyzed symbolic, discursive and spatial practices of isolation. These practices facilitate the exploration of innovations but limit the transmission of these innovations to the parent organization. We contribute to the literature on temporary organizations and project-to-parent integration by illustrating and theorizing the role of practices of isolation in this process.
...
A project's autonomy, the degree to which a project can evolve without constant interference from the parent organization, is a key feature of innovation projects. The literature treats autonomy as a passive phenomenon and underestimates how projects as temporary organizations interact with more permanent forms of organizations. A dynamic and contextually sensitive understanding of project autonomy is valuable; autonomy can change over the course of the project's lifecycle and evolve into extreme isolation. We show how autonomy is shaped through practices of isolation and how this influences project outcomes. Two innovation projects were studied through qualitative\055interpretive methods and we analyzed symbolic, discursive and spatial practices of isolation. These practices facilitate the exploration of innovations but limit the transmission of these innovations to the parent organization. We contribute to the literature on temporary organizations and project-to-parent integration by illustrating and theorizing the role of practices of isolation in this process.
One way of achieving public value is by policy-delivery through exchanges of product, services and financing between individuals, companies, social institutions, and government. This way complex networks of multiple internal and external actors develop in which public organizations must cope with different logics in often conflicting value systems. Strategies to address trade-offs in the management of policy implementation are key to business optimization and of great relevance to safeguarding public value. In this paper we look into strategy alignment practices of a Dutch municipality that implement a new participatory procurement strategy to redevelop a city park in a multicultural neighborhood. Based on an ethnographic case study research we answer to the question: ‘How do public organizations balance the multiple institutional logics that belong to different public value regimes in safeguarding public service delivery in the built environment?’ Results indicate that there are many obstacles in sufficiently responding to conflicting value systems, originating from a misalignment in application of governance mechanisms. In an attempt to transition to a network type of governance, which is more sufficient for the delivery of public services in todays fragmented society and -public domain, elements of different governance mechanisms were applied at different decision-making levels. More informal ways of organising were only found as addition to the existing formal systems, preventing sustainable organizational maturing in handling the multi-level challenge of managing often conflicting policy goals. We should therefore expand our knowledge on combining ‘old’ and ‘new’ patterns of organizational governance in approaching public values.
...
One way of achieving public value is by policy-delivery through exchanges of product, services and financing between individuals, companies, social institutions, and government. This way complex networks of multiple internal and external actors develop in which public organizations must cope with different logics in often conflicting value systems. Strategies to address trade-offs in the management of policy implementation are key to business optimization and of great relevance to safeguarding public value. In this paper we look into strategy alignment practices of a Dutch municipality that implement a new participatory procurement strategy to redevelop a city park in a multicultural neighborhood. Based on an ethnographic case study research we answer to the question: ‘How do public organizations balance the multiple institutional logics that belong to different public value regimes in safeguarding public service delivery in the built environment?’ Results indicate that there are many obstacles in sufficiently responding to conflicting value systems, originating from a misalignment in application of governance mechanisms. In an attempt to transition to a network type of governance, which is more sufficient for the delivery of public services in todays fragmented society and -public domain, elements of different governance mechanisms were applied at different decision-making levels. More informal ways of organising were only found as addition to the existing formal systems, preventing sustainable organizational maturing in handling the multi-level challenge of managing often conflicting policy goals. We should therefore expand our knowledge on combining ‘old’ and ‘new’ patterns of organizational governance in approaching public values.
Today’s societal challenges increasingly ask for collaborations of public, private and societal parties to achieve public goals though public service delivery projects. Complex hybrid networks of multiple internal and external actors develop in which public organisations must cope with different logics in often conflicting value systems. In this paper we aim to improve our understanding of how multiple institutional logics can coexist within public commissioning organisations and how they are balanced. We look into how hybrid organisations select, prioritize and integrate plural institutional logics using different response strategies to organisational complexity. We use an in-depth case study to identify the main tensions that are present between the different value systems of the public, private and societal organisations involved in the delivery of public goods and services in the supply chain of an urban area project. And identify different resources (administrative and otherwise) that are consciously or unconsciously deployed coper with value conflicts. The fieldwork was conducted between June 2017 and May 2019 and consisted of interviews, observations and document analysis. Using public value process mapping, we followed the participatory procurement process ‘bottom-up’, connecting project objectives that are set on organisational level to project management practices and trace how public values are translated from public parties to private parties in the construction industry. Results indicate that responses to conflicting value systems were mostly individual and defensive. More informal ways of organising were only found as addition to the existing formal systems, preventing sustainable organisational maturing in handling the multi-level challenge of managing often conflicting policy goals. We should therefore expand our knowledge on combining ‘old’ and ‘new’ patterns of organisational governance in safeguarding public values.
...
Today’s societal challenges increasingly ask for collaborations of public, private and societal parties to achieve public goals though public service delivery projects. Complex hybrid networks of multiple internal and external actors develop in which public organisations must cope with different logics in often conflicting value systems. In this paper we aim to improve our understanding of how multiple institutional logics can coexist within public commissioning organisations and how they are balanced. We look into how hybrid organisations select, prioritize and integrate plural institutional logics using different response strategies to organisational complexity. We use an in-depth case study to identify the main tensions that are present between the different value systems of the public, private and societal organisations involved in the delivery of public goods and services in the supply chain of an urban area project. And identify different resources (administrative and otherwise) that are consciously or unconsciously deployed coper with value conflicts. The fieldwork was conducted between June 2017 and May 2019 and consisted of interviews, observations and document analysis. Using public value process mapping, we followed the participatory procurement process ‘bottom-up’, connecting project objectives that are set on organisational level to project management practices and trace how public values are translated from public parties to private parties in the construction industry. Results indicate that responses to conflicting value systems were mostly individual and defensive. More informal ways of organising were only found as addition to the existing formal systems, preventing sustainable organisational maturing in handling the multi-level challenge of managing often conflicting policy goals. We should therefore expand our knowledge on combining ‘old’ and ‘new’ patterns of organisational governance in safeguarding public values.
Today’s societal challenges increasingly ask for collaborations of public, private and societal parties to achieve public goals though public service delivery projects. In these PPPs project managers have to align the interests of the permanent parent organization with the interests of the temporary project organization. Especially in urban area development projects a network of multiple internal and external actors creates a situation in which public construction client organizations must cope with different logics in, often conflicting, value systems. They are challenged to balance values related to their legal obligations, such as reliability and equity, and the increasingly important values related both product and process innovation. We use an in-depth case study to identify the main tensions that are present between the different logics of the public, private and societal organizations involved in the delivery of public goods and services in the supply chain of an urban area project. And identify different resources (administrative and otherwise) that are consciously or unconsciously deployed coper with value conflicts. The fieldwork was conducted between June 2017 and December 2018 and consisted of interviews, observations and document analysis. Using public value process mapping, we followed both top-down and bottom-up strategy alignment practices. Findings show that the particularly participatory context displays a mixture of three logics; 1) the logic of the public commissioning organization, 2) the logic of residents organized in a panel and 3) the business logics of local suppliers organized in a tender pool. We identified various collective or individual, formal or informal, or defensive or active strategic responses to these conflicting values systems. Results of the study will increase the awareness of project managers on steering public values within the public domain and can be used to explicate the
pallet of safeguarding mechanisms that are applied in construction projects.
...
Today’s societal challenges increasingly ask for collaborations of public, private and societal parties to achieve public goals though public service delivery projects. In these PPPs project managers have to align the interests of the permanent parent organization with the interests of the temporary project organization. Especially in urban area development projects a network of multiple internal and external actors creates a situation in which public construction client organizations must cope with different logics in, often conflicting, value systems. They are challenged to balance values related to their legal obligations, such as reliability and equity, and the increasingly important values related both product and process innovation. We use an in-depth case study to identify the main tensions that are present between the different logics of the public, private and societal organizations involved in the delivery of public goods and services in the supply chain of an urban area project. And identify different resources (administrative and otherwise) that are consciously or unconsciously deployed coper with value conflicts. The fieldwork was conducted between June 2017 and December 2018 and consisted of interviews, observations and document analysis. Using public value process mapping, we followed both top-down and bottom-up strategy alignment practices. Findings show that the particularly participatory context displays a mixture of three logics; 1) the logic of the public commissioning organization, 2) the logic of residents organized in a panel and 3) the business logics of local suppliers organized in a tender pool. We identified various collective or individual, formal or informal, or defensive or active strategic responses to these conflicting values systems. Results of the study will increase the awareness of project managers on steering public values within the public domain and can be used to explicate the
pallet of safeguarding mechanisms that are applied in construction projects.
In today’s construction industry we witness an increase in public private collaboration in the delivery of public goods. By transferring operational responsibility to private contractors, public construction clients have fewer possibilities to directly influence and steer the outcomes of these processes while remaining socio-political responsible.
In this paper we aim to explore how public construction clients try to find a balance in public value management activities by rethinking their roles and responsibilities in the client-contractor relationship. This paper results of a set of semi-structured interviews with different actors playing a part in commissioning of organisations with different degrees of publicness are presented. Results indicate that the alignment of the client role and change in responsibilities should be rather flexible in order to deal with the restrictions that procedural values such as lawfulness, reliability and transparency bring along. This requires significant changes in the interpretation of the commissioning profession and the transformation of the collaborative relationship in public private collaboration. Further research should look more closely into the alignment of the shifted roles and responsibilities and organizational- and steering mechanisms that could be applied to enhance this value shift in practice.
...
In today’s construction industry we witness an increase in public private collaboration in the delivery of public goods. By transferring operational responsibility to private contractors, public construction clients have fewer possibilities to directly influence and steer the outcomes of these processes while remaining socio-political responsible.
In this paper we aim to explore how public construction clients try to find a balance in public value management activities by rethinking their roles and responsibilities in the client-contractor relationship. This paper results of a set of semi-structured interviews with different actors playing a part in commissioning of organisations with different degrees of publicness are presented. Results indicate that the alignment of the client role and change in responsibilities should be rather flexible in order to deal with the restrictions that procedural values such as lawfulness, reliability and transparency bring along. This requires significant changes in the interpretation of the commissioning profession and the transformation of the collaborative relationship in public private collaboration. Further research should look more closely into the alignment of the shifted roles and responsibilities and organizational- and steering mechanisms that could be applied to enhance this value shift in practice.
Contradictions in Project Based Learning
A Qualitative Study of Three City Development Projects
Conference paper
(2018)
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Lizet Kuitert, Thijs Willems, Leentje Volker, Marleen Hermans, Alfons van Marrewijk
In complex product system industries such as construction, innovation and explorative intra-project learning are critical aspects for developing and delivering complex and customized products. Some research has, however, demonstrated that it is difficult to utilize learning from development projects in the permanent organisation. Hence, the project learning paradox explains that the unique and discontinuous character of project-based activities creates intra-firm boundaries that hinder the transfer and use of valuable knowledge gained within particular projects.
In this paper we aim to gain further understanding of the obstacles in project based learning in a public client organisation by illustrating the impact of the learning paradox on daily practices in complex urban area development projects. This paper is based on the data from three qualitative case studies at a large Municipality in the western part of the Netherlands. We present results of a set of 15 semi-structured interviews with different actors representing the project organisation and the permanent organisation. Each interview was individually analysed on the basis of an analytical framework based on layers of knowledge governance and were then further analysed within the project team.
The results indicate six contradictions; three contradiction in the learning structure of project organisation and permanent organisation, and three contradictions in transferring and capturing knowledge by project organisation and permanent organisation. This contributes to unravelling the complex phenomenon of organisational processes of knowledge governance in PBO’s since the temporary versus permanent dichotomy appears to problematic in its pervasiveness.
...
In complex product system industries such as construction, innovation and explorative intra-project learning are critical aspects for developing and delivering complex and customized products. Some research has, however, demonstrated that it is difficult to utilize learning from development projects in the permanent organisation. Hence, the project learning paradox explains that the unique and discontinuous character of project-based activities creates intra-firm boundaries that hinder the transfer and use of valuable knowledge gained within particular projects.
In this paper we aim to gain further understanding of the obstacles in project based learning in a public client organisation by illustrating the impact of the learning paradox on daily practices in complex urban area development projects. This paper is based on the data from three qualitative case studies at a large Municipality in the western part of the Netherlands. We present results of a set of 15 semi-structured interviews with different actors representing the project organisation and the permanent organisation. Each interview was individually analysed on the basis of an analytical framework based on layers of knowledge governance and were then further analysed within the project team.
The results indicate six contradictions; three contradiction in the learning structure of project organisation and permanent organisation, and three contradictions in transferring and capturing knowledge by project organisation and permanent organisation. This contributes to unravelling the complex phenomenon of organisational processes of knowledge governance in PBO’s since the temporary versus permanent dichotomy appears to problematic in its pervasiveness.
When project autonomy turns into isolation
Understanding the influence of project isolation on project-based learning
Conference paper
(2018)
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Thijs Willems, Lizet Kuitert, Alfons van Marrewijk, Leentje Volker, Marleen Hermans
Successfully sharing knowledge through interactions between projects and the organization is, especially in a situation of changing work processes, an important capability for organizations to learn. The aim of this study is to gain insights into the process of project-based learning, specifically by studying how project-based learning relates to project autonomy. Drawing on the data of two teams in collaborative projects, we found that in both projects symbolic, discursive, and spatial practices of isolation were developed that changed the relationship with the permanent organization. We show how these practices contributed to the project teams moving from operating autonomously – whilst still having their goals aligned with the organization – to operating in isolation from the permanent organization. The findings indicate that project autonomy is beneficial for explorative forms of project-based learning, but when turning into isolation project autonomy inhibits the dissemination of knowledge to the wider project-oriented environment.
...
Successfully sharing knowledge through interactions between projects and the organization is, especially in a situation of changing work processes, an important capability for organizations to learn. The aim of this study is to gain insights into the process of project-based learning, specifically by studying how project-based learning relates to project autonomy. Drawing on the data of two teams in collaborative projects, we found that in both projects symbolic, discursive, and spatial practices of isolation were developed that changed the relationship with the permanent organization. We show how these practices contributed to the project teams moving from operating autonomously – whilst still having their goals aligned with the organization – to operating in isolation from the permanent organization. The findings indicate that project autonomy is beneficial for explorative forms of project-based learning, but when turning into isolation project autonomy inhibits the dissemination of knowledge to the wider project-oriented environment.
Taking on a wider view
Public value interests of construction clients in a changing construction industry
For financial and strategic reasons, public and semi-public construction clients increasingly depend on private parties to carry out public service delivery. They subcontract operational responsibilities to private parties while remaining socio-politically responsible for ensuring public values. Public administration literature mainly addresses the importance of procedural and performance values in safeguarding public values. However, safeguarding the quality of the built environment also requires a focus on product values. In this study, we aim to increase the understanding of the meaning and significance of public values in the daily practice of public construction clients and identify the challenges they face in commissioning these seemingly opposing values. A set of semi-structured interviews with the public administrators of a variety of public and semi-public construction client organizations in the Netherlands shows that both internal and external factors influence the collaborative practices between clients and contractors. This causes a value shift from an emphasis on procedural values to managing performance and product values, indicating that clients need to take on a wider view on public values. Six main public value dilemmas were found that complicate the task of developing an open, transparent and sustainable long-term client–contractor relationship. The current contractual system, however, lacks the flexibility to facilitate this product-based value view in construction.
...
For financial and strategic reasons, public and semi-public construction clients increasingly depend on private parties to carry out public service delivery. They subcontract operational responsibilities to private parties while remaining socio-politically responsible for ensuring public values. Public administration literature mainly addresses the importance of procedural and performance values in safeguarding public values. However, safeguarding the quality of the built environment also requires a focus on product values. In this study, we aim to increase the understanding of the meaning and significance of public values in the daily practice of public construction clients and identify the challenges they face in commissioning these seemingly opposing values. A set of semi-structured interviews with the public administrators of a variety of public and semi-public construction client organizations in the Netherlands shows that both internal and external factors influence the collaborative practices between clients and contractors. This causes a value shift from an emphasis on procedural values to managing performance and product values, indicating that clients need to take on a wider view on public values. Six main public value dilemmas were found that complicate the task of developing an open, transparent and sustainable long-term client–contractor relationship. The current contractual system, however, lacks the flexibility to facilitate this product-based value view in construction.
Conference paper
(2018)
-
Leentje Volker, Thijs Willems, Lizet Kuitert, Alfons van Marrewijk, Marleen Hermans
Successfully sharing knowledge through interactions between projects and the organization is, especially in a situation of changing work processes, an important capability for organizations to learn. The aim of this study is to gain insights into the process of project-based learning, specifically by studying how project-based learning relates to project autonomy. Drawing on the data of two collaborative projects, we found that in both projects symbolic, discursive, and spatial practices of isolation were developed that changed the relationship with the permanent organization. We show how these practices contributed to the project teams moving from operating autonomously – whilst still having their goals aligned with the organization – to operating in isolation from the permanent organization. The findings indicate that project autonomy is beneficial for explorative forms of project-based learning, but when turning into isolation project autonomy inhibits the dissemination of knowledge to the wider project-oriented environment.
...
Successfully sharing knowledge through interactions between projects and the organization is, especially in a situation of changing work processes, an important capability for organizations to learn. The aim of this study is to gain insights into the process of project-based learning, specifically by studying how project-based learning relates to project autonomy. Drawing on the data of two collaborative projects, we found that in both projects symbolic, discursive, and spatial practices of isolation were developed that changed the relationship with the permanent organization. We show how these practices contributed to the project teams moving from operating autonomously – whilst still having their goals aligned with the organization – to operating in isolation from the permanent organization. The findings indicate that project autonomy is beneficial for explorative forms of project-based learning, but when turning into isolation project autonomy inhibits the dissemination of knowledge to the wider project-oriented environment.
In today’s construction industry we witness an increase in public private collaboration in the delivery of public goods. New public private structures affect the traditional notion of accountability, bringing along a strong emphasis on performance and outcome. By transferring operational responsibility to the market parties in public private collaboration, there are fewer possibilities to directly influence the outcomes of these processes. Socio-political responsibilities, however, remain with public parties, requiring other kinds of safeguarding mechanisms to come into play. In this paper we aim to explore how public construction clients try to find a balance in public value management activities by rethinking their roles and responsibilities in the context of an increasing value and volume of integrated service deliveries in construction. We present results of a set of semi-structured interviews with different actors playing a part in commissioning of organisations with different degrees of publicness. The results indicate that the alignment of the client role and change in responsibilities should be rather flexible in order to balance the potentially conflicting procedural obligations as a public organisation and creating room to steer on increasingly important values of sustainability, innovation and quality. It was shown that public agents need to adopt a more facilitating and frame-setting role and build sustainable relationships based on trust. And although they are dependent of private market parties to achieve certain new‘ values, their position as public client organisations actually enables them to take a forerunners‘ role. In order to facilitate the desired value shift roles and responsibilities need to be aligned with steering mechanisms. Further research could look more closely into the alignment of the role and responsibility change and organisational- and steering mechanisms that are flexible enough to deal with the restrictions that lawfulness brings along.
...
In today’s construction industry we witness an increase in public private collaboration in the delivery of public goods. New public private structures affect the traditional notion of accountability, bringing along a strong emphasis on performance and outcome. By transferring operational responsibility to the market parties in public private collaboration, there are fewer possibilities to directly influence the outcomes of these processes. Socio-political responsibilities, however, remain with public parties, requiring other kinds of safeguarding mechanisms to come into play. In this paper we aim to explore how public construction clients try to find a balance in public value management activities by rethinking their roles and responsibilities in the context of an increasing value and volume of integrated service deliveries in construction. We present results of a set of semi-structured interviews with different actors playing a part in commissioning of organisations with different degrees of publicness. The results indicate that the alignment of the client role and change in responsibilities should be rather flexible in order to balance the potentially conflicting procedural obligations as a public organisation and creating room to steer on increasingly important values of sustainability, innovation and quality. It was shown that public agents need to adopt a more facilitating and frame-setting role and build sustainable relationships based on trust. And although they are dependent of private market parties to achieve certain new‘ values, their position as public client organisations actually enables them to take a forerunners‘ role. In order to facilitate the desired value shift roles and responsibilities need to be aligned with steering mechanisms. Further research could look more closely into the alignment of the role and responsibility change and organisational- and steering mechanisms that are flexible enough to deal with the restrictions that lawfulness brings along.
Public commissioning in a new era
Public value interests of construction clients
In the construction industry public and semi-public clients increasingly depend on private parties to achieve project outcomes by subcontracting part of their activities using integrated contracts. Due to their social-political responsibilities, public bodies retain having a special role in ensuring public values. Classifying which public values to pursue, at what moment, in which situation or by what type of service delivery is a core task of construction clients and gets reflected in governance and project mechanisms. In this paper we aim to systematically explore public value interests of public construction clients in their relation to the contractor. This paper presents preliminary results of a set of semi-structured interviews with different actors playing a part in commissioning of organisations with different degrees of publicness. Results show that procedural values related to the public character still get much attention. However, today's more collaborative process of delivering public services seems to have led to a shift in focus towards the product related values of innovation, sustainability and quality. Future research will examine governance mechanisms and frameworks to deal with identified experienced sector-specific conflicts.
...
In the construction industry public and semi-public clients increasingly depend on private parties to achieve project outcomes by subcontracting part of their activities using integrated contracts. Due to their social-political responsibilities, public bodies retain having a special role in ensuring public values. Classifying which public values to pursue, at what moment, in which situation or by what type of service delivery is a core task of construction clients and gets reflected in governance and project mechanisms. In this paper we aim to systematically explore public value interests of public construction clients in their relation to the contractor. This paper presents preliminary results of a set of semi-structured interviews with different actors playing a part in commissioning of organisations with different degrees of publicness. Results show that procedural values related to the public character still get much attention. However, today's more collaborative process of delivering public services seems to have led to a shift in focus towards the product related values of innovation, sustainability and quality. Future research will examine governance mechanisms and frameworks to deal with identified experienced sector-specific conflicts.
Public Service Delivery in Hybrid Organisations
Public management reform and horizontalisation as main challenges for public leaders
The public sector has been subject to some major movements the last 15 years. In public service delivery a trend called socialisation, leading to the displacement between public and private, is most crucial. A withdrawing government and privatization led to increased collaboration between public and private parties and made production, distribution and supply of services the responsibility of both public and private parties. Public administrators and managers are challenged to align their organisational with the changed practice. A renewed division of roles and tasks between government, society and market develops, and alignment of this new role with the organisation and embedding of the new tasks is needed. Especially in public service delivery, such as construction and IT, public organisations are increasingly depending on private parties to achieve their goals. In the context of public leadership this means that shaping the public role as well as shaping the public organisation is the current challenge. Yet, so far the field of research on public administration and public service delivery has failed to address these inter-organisational challenges of public clients in public service delivery. The paper presents the findings from a first explorative literature study into the meaning of public values in public administration looking from three perspectives; institutional logics, public organisation science and public value management. The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of the new role of public organisations in public service delivery, the embeddedness of this new position in the organisation itself, and the meaning of this role and organisational change for public leadership. The topics from the different perspectives can be combined into two overarching domains that were found to both link public administration and public service delivery on inter-organisational level and give us implications for public leadership in the current public arena: public management reform and the flattening of public organisations. As this exploration of literature is part of a bigger research, we will end discussing the future research steps.
...
The public sector has been subject to some major movements the last 15 years. In public service delivery a trend called socialisation, leading to the displacement between public and private, is most crucial. A withdrawing government and privatization led to increased collaboration between public and private parties and made production, distribution and supply of services the responsibility of both public and private parties. Public administrators and managers are challenged to align their organisational with the changed practice. A renewed division of roles and tasks between government, society and market develops, and alignment of this new role with the organisation and embedding of the new tasks is needed. Especially in public service delivery, such as construction and IT, public organisations are increasingly depending on private parties to achieve their goals. In the context of public leadership this means that shaping the public role as well as shaping the public organisation is the current challenge. Yet, so far the field of research on public administration and public service delivery has failed to address these inter-organisational challenges of public clients in public service delivery. The paper presents the findings from a first explorative literature study into the meaning of public values in public administration looking from three perspectives; institutional logics, public organisation science and public value management. The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of the new role of public organisations in public service delivery, the embeddedness of this new position in the organisation itself, and the meaning of this role and organisational change for public leadership. The topics from the different perspectives can be combined into two overarching domains that were found to both link public administration and public service delivery on inter-organisational level and give us implications for public leadership in the current public arena: public management reform and the flattening of public organisations. As this exploration of literature is part of a bigger research, we will end discussing the future research steps.
Safeguarding public values by project-based construction clients
Leads for future research
In an environment with large interdependencies like the construction industry, projectbased public construction organisations are challenged to seek for 'new' ways to safeguard public values and project outcomes. Public bodies increasingly depend on private parties to achieve public values. Hence, due to the character of their tasks, they remain socialpolitically responsible. In order to find leads for future research into safeguarding public values by construction clients, an explorative literature study was conducted. The fields of institutional logics, public organisation science and public value management were used to gain insights in relevant multi-level organisational concepts considering the meaning of public values in the daily practice of public clients. Hybridity was found as characteristic of public-private partnerships. Furthermore, the management of institutional complexity as a central task for public construction clients implies the importance of monitoring ambidexterity and accountability. Future research into the understanding of safeguarding public values at all levels of public construction clients must centralise these concepts in order to contribute to the professionalization of public construction clients.
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In an environment with large interdependencies like the construction industry, projectbased public construction organisations are challenged to seek for 'new' ways to safeguard public values and project outcomes. Public bodies increasingly depend on private parties to achieve public values. Hence, due to the character of their tasks, they remain socialpolitically responsible. In order to find leads for future research into safeguarding public values by construction clients, an explorative literature study was conducted. The fields of institutional logics, public organisation science and public value management were used to gain insights in relevant multi-level organisational concepts considering the meaning of public values in the daily practice of public clients. Hybridity was found as characteristic of public-private partnerships. Furthermore, the management of institutional complexity as a central task for public construction clients implies the importance of monitoring ambidexterity and accountability. Future research into the understanding of safeguarding public values at all levels of public construction clients must centralise these concepts in order to contribute to the professionalization of public construction clients.