Evaluating Interorganizational Collaborations: Lessons Learned from Five California Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs

Abstract:Background: Five Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs (GWEPs) in California, funded for 4 years, worked collaboratively across different organizations to provide education on aging issues and/or training to enhance services for older adults.Objectives: To investigate characteristics of the collaborations that were associated with perceptions and experiences of success for participating organizations.Methods: A survey distributed to 37 organizations participating in 5 GWEPs measured the correlation of resources and dimensions of collaboration with perceived sense of success of the collaborations. Interviews with 30 representatives of the participating organizations collected information about perceived barriers, impact, and satisfaction with the collaborations.Results: Overall perceptions of interorganizational collaboration success were associated with provision of physical resources and four key measures of collaboration (governance, administration, mutuality, and norms/trust). Barriers to success were described in terms of organization functioning and resources. Strong communication appeared as a facilitator of success, and reciprocity was described as a key experience of satisfaction.Conclusions: This study highlights the positive effects of shared goals, the experience of reciprocity, and communication during interorganizational collaborations. It also notes the negative effects of having inadequate resources and organizational dysfunction.