Governing collaborations: the case of a pioneering settlement services partnership in Australia

Inter-organizational partnerships are known to encounter various tensions, including efficiency versus inclusiveness, internal versus external legitimacy, flexibility versus stability, and accountability versus autonomy. This study examines how a pioneering settlement services partnership in Australia, made up of 23 not-for-profit organizations, addresses these tensions. Using a case study method, it was found that the partnership adopted a hybrid governance model that combines the lead organization governance model (as mandated) and the shared governance model (as enabled by governance practices by the lead organization), which not only addressed the tensions but also established a strong sense of lateral accountability among partners.