Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: The paper investigates English National Health Service (NHS) organisations partnering with private companies, a form commonly known as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Successive governments have promoted PPPs as a way of improving the delivery of health care, making the best of the different skills/experience which both sectors bring. However, the task of making these relationships work on the ground often falls to individual leaders/practitioners (\"boundary spanners\") whose role has been under-researched in this type of partnership.
METHODS: The paper opted for a comparative three case study approach, including 13 semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with employees representing middle and senior management involved in managing the partnerships. The data were complemented by documentary analysis, including minutes, descriptions of internal processes and press releases.
RESULTS: The paper provides conceptual and empirical insights by creating a framework called the \"boundary wall\" that indicates the ways in which different elements of the boundaries between organisations influence the role and activities of boundary spanners (managers of the partnership).
CONCLUSIONS: This is an initial framework in an under-researched area, so will need further testing and application to other case study sites in future research.
CONCLUSIONS: The paper includes implications for both practice and policy.
CONCLUSIONS: While we know an increasing amount about the role of boundary spanners in public partnerships, the paper makes a unique contribution by exploring these concepts in the context of relationships between the public and private sectors.
METHODS: The paper opted for a comparative three case study approach, including 13 semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with employees representing middle and senior management involved in managing the partnerships. The data were complemented by documentary analysis, including minutes, descriptions of internal processes and press releases.
RESULTS: The paper provides conceptual and empirical insights by creating a framework called the \"boundary wall\" that indicates the ways in which different elements of the boundaries between organisations influence the role and activities of boundary spanners (managers of the partnership).
CONCLUSIONS: This is an initial framework in an under-researched area, so will need further testing and application to other case study sites in future research.
CONCLUSIONS: The paper includes implications for both practice and policy.
CONCLUSIONS: While we know an increasing amount about the role of boundary spanners in public partnerships, the paper makes a unique contribution by exploring these concepts in the context of relationships between the public and private sectors.
摘要：
目的：本文调查了与私营公司合作的英国国家卫生服务（NHS）组织，一种通常被称为公私伙伴关系(PPP)的形式。历届政府都将购买力平价作为改善医疗保健提供的一种方式，充分利用这两个部门带来的不同技能/经验。然而,使这些关系在地面上工作的任务通常落在个人领导者/从业者（“边界扳手”），他们的角色在这种类型的伙伴关系中被研究不足。
方法：本文选择了比较三个案例研究方法，包括对代表参与管理合伙企业的中高级管理人员的员工进行的13次半结构化访谈和问卷调查。这些数据得到了文献分析的补充，包括分钟,内部流程和新闻稿的描述。
结果：本文通过创建一个称为“边界墙”的框架来提供概念和经验见解，该框架表明组织之间边界的不同元素如何影响角色和活动。边界跨越者（伙伴关系的管理者）。
结论：这是一个研究不足的领域的初步框架，因此，在未来的研究中，需要进一步测试和应用到其他案例研究网站。
结论：该文件包括对实践和政策的影响。
结论：虽然我们对边界扳手在公共伙伴关系中的作用越来越了解，本文通过在公共部门和私营部门之间的关系的背景下探索这些概念，做出了独特的贡献。
方法：本文选择了比较三个案例研究方法，包括对代表参与管理合伙企业的中高级管理人员的员工进行的13次半结构化访谈和问卷调查。这些数据得到了文献分析的补充，包括分钟,内部流程和新闻稿的描述。
结果：本文通过创建一个称为“边界墙”的框架来提供概念和经验见解，该框架表明组织之间边界的不同元素如何影响角色和活动。边界跨越者（伙伴关系的管理者）。
结论：这是一个研究不足的领域的初步框架，因此，在未来的研究中，需要进一步测试和应用到其他案例研究网站。
结论：该文件包括对实践和政策的影响。
结论：虽然我们对边界扳手在公共伙伴关系中的作用越来越了解，本文通过在公共部门和私营部门之间的关系的背景下探索这些概念，做出了独特的贡献。
