Getting Agencies to Work Together : The Practice and Theory of Managerial Craftsmanship

The author of this text argues that today's opinion climate favouring more results-oriented government makes collaboration a lot more natural. He examines the difficulties, explains how they are sometimes overcome, and offers ideas for public managers, advocates, and other interested parties. Collaboration between government agencies, an old joke goes, is an unnatural act committed by nonconsenting adults. Eugene Bardach argues that today's opinion climate favoring more results-oriented government makes collaboration a lot more natural--though it is still far from easy. In this book, Bardach diagnoses the difficulties, explains how they are sometimes overcome, and offers practical ideas for public managers, advocates, and others interested in developing interagency collaborative networks.Bardach provides examples from diverse policy areas, including children, youth, and family services; welfare-to-work; antipollution enforcement; fire prevention; and ecosystem management. The Author Makes A Convincing Case That, In Government, Successful Collaboration Is An Innovation That Both Builds Capacity And Contributes To The Public Good. Creating Value Through Collaboration -- Craftsmanship Theory -- Methods And Cases -- The Operating System -- How An Interagency Collaborative Acquires Resources -- How An Interagency Collaborative Steers A Course -- The Culture Of Joint Problem Solving -- Developmental Dynamics -- Craftsmanship Theory Applied And Appreciated. Eugene Bardach. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 325-338) And Index.