Costs and outcomes of collaborative relationships: interlocal collaboration effects on green job creation in Florida Metropolitan Areas

This study investigates how the costs of different network structures influence the effectiveness of collaborations in achieving their desired outcomes. Building from the ICA framework, an explanation is advanced for how the performance of collaborative arrangements is influenced by costs imposed on participating actors that result from the structure of the network and the actors positions within the network. Fixed-effects panel regression analysis is applied to collaborations on green economic development in Florida metropolitan areas over an eleven-year period. The findings demonstrate greater collaboration not only produces better outcomes, but that the effect of collaboration is influenced by threshold effects of collaboration costs on participants. Over-time high-cost mechanisms can reduce commitment to collaboration or lead to partially connected collaboration. We conclude that achieving better performance through collaborative networks may require governments to seek optimal patterns and positions with predictable and acceptable collaboration costs, rather than simply scaling up collective efforts.