The very essence of collaboration lies in the quest for common purpose among participating actors and organisations. Without such an understanding, this type of endeavour is doomed to failure. It is critical, therefore, for middle managers who are engaged in this form of working, to fully appreciate what is involved in ‘managing for common purpose’, what form it takes, and how it can be developed and sustained at different levels – personal, professional, organisational and sectoral.

Understanding what might constitute ‘common purpose’ derives from the diverse motivations underpinning the drive to collaboration. These can broadly be grouped under three forms – efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness. The efficiency discourse relates to the need to make the best use of limited resources – particularly financial – and is especially prominent in the austere times of countries such as the UK over recent years. Local councils in England, for instance, have had their budgets reduced by roughly 25 per cent between 2010 and 2017. Other public authorities such as the NHS have experienced equally challenging financial difficulties – exacerbated by the ever-rising demands upon its services. It would appear a ‘no-brainer’ to many, that such a situation would be a catalyst for agencies looking for ways in which they might pool/share/combine their resources to make the most efficient use of them – especially when they often serve the same clients and operate in matching geographical areas. Countless examples of this happening can be evidenced, but the downward financial pressure on some organisations is not always a fillip to collaboration. Paradoxically, the reverse can occur where managers and organisations consider that working in collaboration is too risky and time consuming with outcomes that are not guaranteed. So, rather than providing a stimulation to collaboration – ever increasing financial pressures can result in a withdrawal from existing initiatives and a reluctance to venture into new ones. This can be underpinned by a need for some authorities to seek to fulfil at all costs their statutory duties in relation to particular services. Failure to deliver on these can be a source of embarrassment and legal risk.