Julia Steets

Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships

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Description

Contents

Reviews

"Public-private partnerships have become an important tool for delivering essential public goods, but critics fear that they erode public accountability. Making partnerships more accountable requires a clear understanding of what accountability means for partnerships and which mechanisms can be used to strengthen it.Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships develops a new model of accountability based on principal-agent theory. This model provides a firm normative foundation for accountability demands. At the same time, it shows which accountability standards apply to which kinds of partnerships. Norm-setting partnerships, for example, require strong mechanisms for participation, whereas implementation partnerships must focus on performance evaluation, competitive bidding and beneficiary feedback processes. The accountability model and standards developed in this book provide a guide for partnership practitioners who are developing the governance structures of their partnerships; they serve as benchmarks for evaluating partnerships; and they provide new inputs for the ongoing accountability debates in the public, the corporate and the civil society sectors. "

Language

English

ISBN

Unknown

Cover

Contents

List of Figures and Tables

Preface

List of Acronyms

1 Introduction

1.1 Accountability – a fuzzy concept and its importance for partnerships

1.2 Purpose and structure

2 The Concepts of Partnerships and Accountability

2.1 Partnerships

2.1.1 Definition

2.1.2 Partnerships between networks and corporatism

2.2 Accountability

2.2.1 Defining the 'core' of accountability

2.2.2 Who is accountable, to whom, for what and how?

2.2.3 The accountability dilemma

2.3 Partnership accountability

2.3.1 Political salience

2.3.2 Importance of trade-offs

2.3.3 Complexity

3 Why Organisations Ought to be Accountable

3.1 Major justifications for accountability

3.1.1 Consequentialist justifications

3.1.2 Power and stakeholder theory

3.1.3 Power and the democratic deficit

3.2 The alternative: Justifying accountability through delegation

3.2.1 Delegation and the duty to act in the best interest of the principal

3.2.2 Delegation and the need for appropriate accountability mechanisms

3.2.3 Ex-post and hypothetical delegation

3.3 The advantages of justifying accountability through delegation

3.4 Form should follow function

4 Partnerships in Practice

4.1 Partnership types …

4.1.1 Advocacy and awareness-raising partnerships

4.1.2 Rule setting and regulation partnerships

4.1.3 Policy implementation partnerships

4.1.4 Information-generating partnerships

4.2 … and their accountability arrangements

4.2.1 Legal and fiscal accountability arrangements

4.2.2 Financial accountability

4.2.3 Elements of process accountability

4.2.4 Accountability for outcomes

4.2.5 Accountability through independence and professionalism

4.2.6 Overview over partnerships and their main accountability arrangements

5 Concrete Partnership Accountability Standards

5.1 Advocacy and awareness-raising partnerships: Basic standards for all partnerships

5.1.1 Accountability for complying with relevant rules and regulations

5.1.2 Financial accountability

5.1.3 Accountability for working towards the partnership's mission

5.1.4 Summary of standards

5.2 Standards for rule setting and regulation partnerships

5.2.1 Applying democratic accountability standards to rule-setting partnerships

5.2.2 Accountability through participation

5.2.3 Accountability to avoid the abuse of authority

5.2.4 Summary of standards

5.3 Standards for implementation partnerships

5.3.1 Applying corporate accountability standards to partnerships

5.3.2 Outcome accountability through performance evaluation

5.3.3 Outcome accountability through the introduction of market elements

5.3.4 Summary of standards

5.4 Standards for information-generating partnerships

5.4.1 Transferable accountability practices in universities and the judiciary and guidance from relevant international standards

5.4.2 Accountability for impartiality through independence

5.4.3 Accountability for accuracy and quality through professionalism

5.4.4 Summary of standards

6 Conclusion

6.1 Summary of findings

6.2 Lessons and applications

Notes

Bibliography

Index

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