Control in a public-private partnership with multiple inter-organizational relationships - A case study in the Swedish healthcare sector

Abstract: This thesis investigates the ongoing use of controls in a public-private partnership (PPP) within specialized healthcare in Sweden, resulting in three inter-organizational relationships. Through an in-depth qualitative case study using Hopwood's (1974) framework of controls the use of controls in the ongoing operations is examined. In a second step, Dekker's (2004) control problems of appropriation concerns and coordination requirements are applied to explain the use of inter-organizational controls. It is concluded that administrative-, social- and self controls played a role in all three inter-organizational relationships, although the balance between the controls and their respective importance varied. Similarly, both appropriation concerns and coordination requirements contribute to explaining the inter-organizational controls in all three relationships. In particular, social- and self controls significantly mitigated appropriation concerns and coordination requirements. The varying balance of controls in the three inter-organizational relationships within the same PPP further underlines the value of going beyond the traditionally dyadic approach to PPP research, especially in the complex PPPs often found within the healthcare sector.