Multiple Accountabilities in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) - Chapter 18 - How to Unravel the Accountability Paradox

Oct 15, 2026

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Chapter 18 examines the accountability paradox surrounding public-private partnerships (PPPs), which are often linked to democratic deficits due to limited traditional accountability arrangements. It argues that accountability instruments multiply as public and private responsibilities are shared, yet perceptions of accountability do not necessarily improve. Using a case study of school infrastructure in Flanders, it shows how accountability becomes complex and ambiguous in practice and sets out a framework to assess multiple accountabilities in a nuanced way.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Conceptual framework on accountability

PPPs as examples of hybrid governance

Main problems and questions

Methodology

Main empirical findings

Lessons from Flemish PPP projects

This article was downloaded by: University of Cambridge On: 20 Mar 2019 Access details: subscription number 10511 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG, UK The Routledge Handbook to Accountability and Welfare State Reforms in Europe Tom Christensen, Per Lægreid Multiple Accountabilities in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPS) Publication details [https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315612713.ch18](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315612713.ch18) Tom Willems, Wouter Van Dooren Published online on: 24 Nov 2016 How to cite :-Tom Willems, Wouter Van Dooren. 24 Nov 2016, Multiple Accountabilities in PublicPrivate Partnerships (PPPS) from: The Routledge Handbook to Accountability and Welfare State Reforms in Europe Routledge Accessed on: 20 Mar 2019 [https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315612713.ch18](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315612713.ch18) PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR DOCUMENT Full terms and conditions of use: [https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/legal-notices/terms](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/legal-notices/terms) This Document PDF may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproductions, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Downloaded By: University of Cambridge At: 05:23 20 Mar 20 19; For: 9781315612713, chapter18, 10.4324/97813156127 18 MULTIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (PPPS) How to unravel the accountability paradox? Tom Willems and Wouter Van Dooren Introduction Both in the academic literature and popular press, more horizontal and hybrid forms of governance such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) are mostly associated with democratic deﬁcits due to a shortfall of traditional accountability arrangements (Flinders 2010; Skelcher 2010; Reeves 2013) . This association is not self-evident. The spectrum of accountability instruments increases when public responsibilities and tasks are shared between public and private actors. When private accountability to shareholders and investors supplements public accountability to ofﬁce holders and parliaments, one would expect more accountability. Flyvbjerg et al.(2003), for instance, propose to involve private equity into large infrastructure projects in order to strengthen accountability and to avoid cost overruns. Yet, in spite of a large and increasing spectrum of accountability instruments, there is still the feeling that there is something wrong with the democratic accountability of PPPs. The objective of this chapter is to unravel this accountability paradox (Willems and Van Dooren 2011) . Why does the accountability abundance not lead to higher perceptions of accountability? We use the case study of school infrastructure in Flanders to illustrate the often complex and ‘messy’reality of how accountability works in practice, and how difﬁcult it is to assess multiple accountabilities in a nuanced manner. The overall impact of hybrid governance on accountability seems more puzzling and ambiguous than often presumed in the literature (see also Christensen and Lægreid 2011) . In the ﬁrst section, the conceptual framework on accountability is explained. The second section deals with the notion of PPPs as examples of hybrid governance. The third section ties both concepts together and addresses the main problems and question

FAQs

What is the accountability paradox discussed in this chapter?

The chapter addresses why an abundance of accountability instruments in PPPs does not translate into higher perceptions of accountability, even though accountability mechanisms expand.

How does the chapter explain accountability conceptually?

It defines accountability as a social relationship requiring obligation to explain and justify actions, structured into three phases: information, debate, and sanctions.

What case does the chapter use to illustrate multiple accountabilities?

It uses a case study of school infrastructure in Flanders to show how accountability works in practice and why assessing multiple accountabilities is difficult.

Oct 15, 2026

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