Transcript Achieving Integration (Collaboration): Models, methods

ACHIEVING INTEGRATION
(COLLABORATION?): MODELS,
METHODS & MISHAPS
ROBYN KEAST
CHAIR: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH NETWORK POLICY & PLANNING FOR
REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY
PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & TOURISM, SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY
Early Childhood Intervention Australia – NSW Conference May 2015
BACKGROUND: MODELS, METHODS & MISHAPS
• Integration is the ‘holy grail’ of service delivery
• Integration occurs at several levels & takes many forms
• Complications – upsizing push & competition
• Lure of collaboration!
• But:
• Hard to achieve & even harder to sustain
• 50-70 % business collaborations fail
• Why?
• Mismatch of purpose to integration model
• Not really ready for collaboration & all it entails
• The key: Being strategic & deliberate!!!
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MODELS
VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL
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INTEGRATION – DEFINED & UNPACKED
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Integration Continuum
COOPERATIVE
COORDINATIVE
COLLABORATIVE
Net
Low trust — unstable relations
Medium trust — based on prior relations
High trust — stable relations
Infrequent communication flows
Structured communication flows
Thick communication flows
Known information sharing
‘Project’ related and directed
information sharing
Tactical information sharing
Adjusting actions
Joint projects, joint funding, joint policy
Systems change
Independent/autonomous goals
Semi-independent goals
Dense interdependent relations and
goals
Power remains with organisation
Power remains with organisations
Shared power
Resources — remain own
Shared resources around project
Pooled, collective resources
Commitment and accountability to own agency
Commitment and accountability to own
agency and project
Commitment and accountability to the
network first
Relational time frame requirement — short term
Relational time frame medium term —
often based on prior projects
Relational time frame requirement —
long term 3-5 years
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EXPANDED – 5 CS
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FIT-FOR-PURPOSE DESIGNS
• All relations have merit & application
• Approaches & relational strength must be requisite to purpose
• Independent, adjusting actions & information sharing:
cooperation
• Do same, but more efficiently through joint working, aligned
resources & action: coordination
• Systems change: collaboration
• Also – need to consider the vertical relations!
• Linking across layers, into resources, legitimacy & power/influence
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INTEGRATION TERMS: Same or different & does it really matter?
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Partnerships
Alliances
Networks
Networking
Joint Ventures
Coalitions
Consortia
Compacts
Councils
Collective Impact
Collaboration
WELL … YEAH … IT DOES!
Term
5Cs
Partnership
Type /Purpose
Inter-organisational Relationships
Formal, legal association for the
purpose of shared profit/loss
b. informal connecting mechanism
Characteristics
Relationships between entities
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Unincorporated
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Smaller number of partners
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Linked by written (formal) or verbal (informal) agreements
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Incomplete contracts
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Time limited by agreement
Amalgamation/me
rger
Formed to achieve efficiency
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Consortia
Loose association for the purpose of
engaging in a joint venture, work
together to achieve chosen objective
Coalition
Joint Venture
Alliance
Network
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Temporary alliance formed for the
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purpose of defence against attack,
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advocacy/gain access/support
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Legal association for the purpose of
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mutual profit
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Joining of resources/forces to meet a 
common purpose (protection, trade) 
Aggregate grouping (three or more)
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of entities around a common
function or task
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One subsumes other into existing body; other brings together to create new entity
Vertical coordination via hierarchical /formalised authority
Interagency agreements, such as MOUs
incomplete contractual agreements
members responsible to others in terms of agreed actions
Pooling of resources
Inter-agency agreements such as MOUs
Clear rules and operating principles
Temporary or time limited arrangement
Entity owned by two or more independent entities
Vary in terms of legal basis
Can be a product of alliance
Limited number of partners (exclusive)
Close relations by affinity, similar or shared interests (strong lock-in)
Based on flow of resources & affect & cohesion of effort
Open system of interpersonal relationship
Self-organising (loose lock-in)
Inclusive membership
EMERGING UPSIZING MODELS: SOME THOUGHTS
Advantages
Possible consequences
• Amalgamations & ‘Bigs’
• Loss of vibrancy & interaction & innovation
• Scale & scope expanded
• Risk of concentrating on $ contracts rather than
service
• Greater capacity & capability for
performance/competition
• Ongoing commitment … under strain
• Reduces number of smaller/ struggling bodies
• Shadow government
• Easier for inter-sectoral liaison/coordination
• Competing modes
Issues: Competing modes & pursuing fads!
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METHODS & MISHAPS
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COLLABORATION .... NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL !
• Collaboration – brings together disparate & often previously competing
agencies together to achieve what can’t be delivered by working alone.
• To be effective participating organisations must – realise their
interdependency, let go of autonomy, share resources & power and risk &
rewards – be willing to work for collective good
Not always an easy undertaking! And might not be the correct model
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SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER?
• Do we really need to do this?
• Are we ready for change?
• Do we have the capacity & capability to work collaboratively?
• Are we open to scrutiny?
• Are we able and willing to delegate decision-making & power?
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CORE COLLABORATIVE COMPETENCIES
Organisational
Systems & Processes
Personal Competencies
• Governance: fit-for-purpose
designs
Adjusted:
• Performance & measurement
evaluation
• Accountability Processes
• HR approaches
• Culture of working together
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• Management :
Across boundaries
Driving, molding maneuvering
Leadership:
Dispersed & process catalyst
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Nurturing
Group work skills
Negotiation skills (interest based)
Political savvy
Process analysis
Listening, learning, linking &
leveraging
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
• New skills & training
• Shared Leadership
• Shared skills development
• Shared roles & responsibilities
• Collegiality
• Shared frames of reference
• Common language
• Culture of working together
• Shared performance measures
• Knowledge
• Established decision making
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Joint budgets & clear agreed
goals ; decision making
processes; pooled funding
• Correct organisational
structures form
• Right integration mechanism
• alignment of top down
policies & bottom up issues
People &
culture
Structure,
&
governance
Processes &
systems
New ways
of working,
managing
and leading
Managing relations
• Bringing in people & organisations
• Mobilising resources
• Strategic relationship building
• Leveraging relationships
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TOOL
• http://etraining.communitydoor.org.au/course/view.php?id=15
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BEING STRATEGIC & DELIBERATE
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SECTOR ASSESSMENT
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DARK NETWORKS : CAN WE LEARN FROM THEM?
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SOCIAL SERVICES NETWORK: JOINT PLANNING
& PROGRAMMING
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COMPARISON
Bright
Dark
• Aim for ^ dense interactions
• Based on loose connections
• High reliance on interpersonal relationships as
& reciprocity
• One way flows -
• Take time to build & deliver results, high
transaction costs (constant attention to
relationship building)
• Vulnerable to changes in context, shifting of
actors, funding (+ & -); poor design
• Easily disrupted, takes time to rebuild
reputation etc.
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• Relationships less important – more the
exchange & reputation
• Very resilient (last many years), flexible & act
fast, low transaction costs
• ‘Ceramic’ – very strong - vulnerable to chinks
on the edge or major attacks to the core
• Hard to disrupt – but easy to rebuild (exchange
not trust based)
LINKING INTEGRATION LEVELS:
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THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTORS
• How well you are connected and who you are connected to – helps to define outcomes
• Personally – wealth, education, happiness, health & life
• Professionally – career paths, resources, power & influence
• Service integration – link efficiently & reflexively, cross layers & necessary
redundancy - connectors support, enhance & some times remove need for stronger
integration mechanisms
• Strength of weak ties theory
• Particular configurations & where you are located that enables or constrains outcomespatterns of the ties
• The value of connectors – hubs
• e.g. research career paths From cooperators to super-connectors
• From connectors to super-connectors!!!
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THE STRUCTURE / AGENCY RELATIONSHIP
• Structure is important
• Organisational & network
• Norms, procedures & culture as well as network topology (patterns of
connections)
• Agency – people can override & positively or negatively shape their own
structures - you’ve got the power!
• Motivations play a key role in enacting agency
• Level of identification with network & goal & people
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BEING STRATEGIC & DELIBERATE
• Crescendo of working together … whatever form
• Hyper connected 6-7 network /interagency meetings
• Mostly redundant information – not additional creating value
• Pick which meetings are most useful, understand, map & navigate & negotiate your
systems
• Relationships are a resource & should be strategically leveraged – not exploited!
• Over-investment & toxic partners -
• Make your networks work for you & your clients • Collaboration is not always the good guy & competition not always the enemy
• Not always about being balanced but rather about change & shifts
• When to be competitive & when to be collaborative (and picking your partners)
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
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Integration takes numerous forms – reflecting the many purposes
Collaboration holds strong appeal - done well it produces great ‘breakthrough outcomes’
But: – not everything needs to be a collaboration & most collaborations will face challenges
Task is to match the integration mode to the purpose sought – not be lured into fads &
funding regimes
• Ask the big questions:
• is this right for us/clients now, have we the resources, the commitment, the skills needed
for this mode?
• What are the potential benefits & challenges against business as usual
• Do your own diagnostics & assessments & choose the integration form that is best for you
• Be strategic & deliberate in your decision and actions - look to the future, be in charge of
shaping service models & business models
• Stay focused on children and families!
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AM I A GOOD PARTNER?
ARE YOU REALLY MY PARTNER?
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Keast, GP Network Roundtable September 2012