Managing the Implementation of Public–Private Partnerships

This article examines ‘boundary-spanning’ behaviour within the context of the implementation stage of seven different public—private partnerships (PPPs) in the UK and Australia. It analyses the role of boundary spanners who use informal and flexible personal-level agreements to progress PPPs. The process (‘maintaining synergetic momentum’) is a response to the unusual managerial environment that characterizes the implementation stage of a PPP. The authors offer important lessons for boundary spanners and their managers and suggest further areas for research.