The Relationship of Key Factors in the Process of Collaboration

The relationship of organizational factors thought to influence collaboration in school-to-work coalitions is investigated. Independent variables were identified from previous empirical research on interorganizational collaboration. Quantitative data were collected through structured telephone interviews with key informants from 150 school-to-work partnerships in 16 states. Correlation and regression analyses revealed the extent to which stakeholder diversity, interdependence, written agreements, communication, resource sharing, planning, and coordination were related to the activities and organizational climates of the partnerships. Analyses of the data revealed that planning and coordination were significantly related to stakeholder diversity, resource sharing, written agreements, communication, and interdependence. Stakeholder diversity and resource sharing also were related significantly to activities, and written agreements and communication accounted for significant variance in climate. Interdependence explained variance in both activities and climate. The results provide quantitative support for the importance of a set of key factors in the collaborative processes of coalitions and serve as a starting point for understanding the relationships between these key factors. Implications for collaboration in coalitions and future research are discussed.