Risk management in non-traditional public-private partnerships

Purpose Much of public-private partnership (PPP) research (traditionally infrastructure and construction-related) has focused on risk. PPPs exist in a variety of forms and with many definitions across the globe, and it is unclear how risk is considered in non-traditional PPPs (e.g. partnerships in the social service field). This study aims to explore how non-traditional PPPs address risk. Design/methodology/approach This explorative qualitative paper utilises the case study methodology and is based on six empirical case studies from three European countries. Findings The findings suggest that there are limited risk management practices in the studied non-traditional PPPs. With a lack of comparable empirical evidence, it is indicative that risk sharing is not a key driver of collaborative relationships in general, suggesting a clear distinction between the rationale of traditional and non-traditional PPPs. Originality/value This paper provides a rare glimpse into risk management practices in cross-sector partnerships (considered more broadly than traditional PPPs) involving the non-profit sector and not merely the public and private sectors. Providing this baseline empirical understanding opens an avenue into further research and hints at improvements needed in practice in a field that can contribute to increased non-profit resilience. Theoretically, this study contributes to partnership literature, highlighting that extant conceptualisations should be revisited around the inclusion of risk.