Inter-organizational cooperation: A rehabilitation project based on cooperation between health care and three social service agencies

Abstract

Purpose: Cooperation between organizations is an often-suggested remedy for handling un solved borderland problems. However, actual projects aiming at cooperation are seldom very successful. The purpose here is to highlight obstacles related to cooperation between different or ganizations based on a case study of a rehabilitation project where health care and several social ser vice organizations (social insurance, social welfare, and the local employment agency) were involved. Data were gathered through participation and interviews. Findings: It seems that efficient cooperation requires an understanding of the participating organizations’ differences in work logic as well as work practices. Furthermore, only certain fairly standardized “normal” problems may be handled through organized cooperation while non-routine exceptional problem requires a more fully integrated work organization. Implications: Obstacles to coopera tion are highlighted and ways to improve the possibilities of cooperation between organiza tions are suggested although such possibilities are generally hampered by differences in work logic .