Public-Private Partnerships

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Public-private partnerships are an increasingly common strategy to address important public problems, both domestically and internationally. This course is a comprehensive overview and examination of these partnerships and their implications for public policy and nonprofit and public management. In particular, the course will examine the diverse array of partnerships in the US and abroad and analyze the management challenges and opportunities involved in the development and implementation of different partnership strategies. In addition, the course will identify and discuss the key characteristics of successful partnership strategies. Specific cases of partnerships in the US and in other countries will be used to illustrate key concepts and issues in the class. These cases include multi-sectoral partnerships and government partnerships with nonprofit and for-profit organizations in a wide variety of policy areas including: social services, health care, infrastructure, parks, international development, and community regeneration. The cases will also be used as a basis for class discussion. Assignments include memos on the assigned cases and a semester long project on a public-private partnership. Professor Smith.