Cross-sector partnerships in disaster risk management: A case study in Ghana

Abstract: Cross-sector partnerships are increasingly relied upon to solve societal problems. This development can also be observed in the field of disaster risk management (DRM), where the role of the private sector has grown substantially in the past years. As the business world is also undergoing constant changes the interface between traditional DRM actors and the private sector is still to be fully explored. Focusing on the emergence of inclusive business models and the increasing importance of knowledge-based services in today’s economy, this research adopted a case study approach to explore the underlying dynamics of a partnership between traditional DRM actors and the private sector. To achieve the research objective a multi-method approach was chosen, combining qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews and quantitative data collected via an online survey. The results revealed that challenges identified in existing literature on cross-sector partnerships apply, but that there is an overall alignment of organisational goals and values between the field of DRM, knowledge-based services and the inclusive business model. At the same time, new challenges arise due to the intrinsic nature of these types of partnerships. Having identified the dominant aspects underlying said partnerships, a conceptual framework was developed to help facilitate their success in the future.