Tarporganizacinis bendradarbiavimas vietos savivaldoje: partnerystės šalių atstovų susitikimų bruožai

Abstract

This article presents research results on the fea-tures of partnerships events. Twenty-four municipalities were invited to participate in the research and 13 munici-palities took part in it. The participants of the research were selected by random sample. The respondents their expressed opinion on 27 inter-organizational partnership programs and projects implemented in 35 municipalities and 6 counties. The questionnaire on meetings consisted of four parts: management, recording, participants and group size, and decision-making. The research revealed that leadership problems dominated in partner meetings because they were con-ducted by the person having the highest decision making power, and not by the meeting facilitator. These meeting management problems were identified: meeting leaders generally influenced decision-making processes, they could not avoid involvement into general discussions on the topic, did not manage meeting schedule. However, there are also positive features: 1. All meeting partici-pants actively participated in a meeting. Persons of higher status or decision-making power usually did not domi-nate; 2. Meetings were commonly optimal by group size, pending question number and duration; 3. Participants while discussing alternatives of proposals had enough information about problem situation; and, before making a decision, meeting participants sought for variants ac-ceptable for all interest groups. Summarizing the research, it may be stated that es-sentially partnership events are productive and help to pursue project goals.