Lessons learned for field practitioners in the implementation of international cross-sector development partnerships

The study highlights a cross-sector development partnership (CSDP) from which learnings can be drawn, specifically for practitioners in the field of international development. A case study approach was used, focusing on the ‘Building Young People’s Human Capital for Economic Growth’ project, a tri-partite partnership between Plan International, IAMGOLD and the Government of Canada. The theoretical framework used Austin and Seitanidi’s (2012a) Collaborative Value Creation spectrum to understand stages and types of value created. The study also draws on Esteves and Barclay’s (2011) work in understanding partnership outcomes at the individual, organization and society levels. Case study findings showed that partnership formation included complementarity of resources and distinctive assets and that the partnership was transformative. A lesson learned is that outcomes would not have been realized had the partners worked in isolation. A missed opportunity was lack of full organization buy-in and a challenge was around communication. Findings highlight that best practice is to ensure there is dedicated engagement between partners and detailed planning. The conclusion being that the CSDP modality has the opportunity to improve development outcomes.