Global Public Policy Institute
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31 August 2010
GPPi publishes book chapter on partnership accountability
GPPi Associate Director Julia Steets and Intern Laura Blattner contributed the chapter Partnership accountability need not be democratic accountability to the book Democracy and Public-Private Partnerships in Global Governance, edited by Magdalena Bexell and Ulrika Mörth and just published by Palgrave.
In the chapter, Steets and Blattner discuss the widespread critique that public-private partnerships reduce the accountability of their participating organizations without offering sufficient alternative accountability mechanisms in their place. While most commentators demand more democratic accountability, the authors argue that new accountability mechanisms need not necessarily be democratic: Using an accountability concept based on delegation, the authors derive different accountability standards for functionally different types of partnerships.
Thus, all partnerships need to have basic accountability mechanisms in place to ensure they comply with relevant rules and regulations, they have their finances in order and they work towards their missions. Beyond that, policy implementation partnerships should focus on creating accountability for outcomes, whereas information gathering partnerships need to emphasize accountability for impartiality as well as for accuracy and quality. Rule setting and regulation partnerships are the only type that require democratic accountability mechanisms, such as participation, judicial review and appropriate authorization.
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For more information, please contact Julia Steets