Table 3 Typology of (interorganisational) collaboration based on the model of D’Amour and colleagues [12]
Theme | Subtheme | Short description |
|---|---|---|
Shared goals and vision | Client-centred goals | Identifying and sharing common goals is essential for a collaborative. |
Negotiation of interest | Complex structures of different interests are a risk to loss of focus on client-centred collaboration. | |
Internalisation | Mutual acquaintanceship | Knowing each other personally means knowing each other’s values, level of competence and becoming acquainted with the professionalism of each agency. |
Trust | Collaboration is possible having trust in each other’s competencies and ability to assume responsibilities. | |
Governance | Centrality | Centrality refers to the existence of clear and explicit direction that is meant to guide the collaboration. |
Leadership | Local leadership is necessary for the development of interorganisational collaboration. If leadership is related to a position, power should not be concentrated in the hands of a single agency; all agencies must be able to have their opinions heard and to participate in decision-making. | |
Support for innovation | New activities and responsibilities between the organisations must be developed and implemented. This is a learning process. | |
Connectivity | Connectivity refers to the fact that the organisations are interconnected, that there are places for discussion and for constructing bonds between them. It solves coordination problems and enables adjustments. | |
Formalisation | Tools | Tangible products that serve as facilitators in interorganisational collaboration, such as agreements, protocols and information systems. Collaboration is less influenced by the degree of formalisation than by the consensus that emerges around formalisation mechanisms and the specific rules that are implemented. |
Information exchange | The exchange of information refers to the existence and appropriate use of an information infrastructure to allow for rapid and complete exchanges of information between professionals and organisations. Feedback is an important aspect of establishing relationships of trust. |