Knowledge management and knowledge transfer in public-private partnerships

Recent decades, public-private partnership procurement method has gained great attention from governments to satisfy the increasing demand for public infrastructure and services. Various countries have embraced PPP for different reasons such as fiscal constraints, inefficient public services, and the pressure of infrastructure demands. Governments also have adopted the PPP model, especially in developing countries like Turkey, with the purpose of using private capital to improve infrastructure services. PPP method was first introduced in Turkey, in 1984 and since then it has usually been used in the guise of the BOT model. Since then, 225 infrastructure projects have been realized in Turkey, with the collaboration of public and private sector to deliver roads, airports, hospitals, bridges, ports and so on (Ministry of Development, 2017) using four types of PPP as BOT, BO, BLT, and TOR. Public and private sectors collaborate during the different phases of the project that requires the expertise of both parties including lenders, construction contractors, governmental authority, facility management contractors and so forth. Knowledge management and knowledge transfer themes emerge due to this complex nature of the method. Because an average PPP lasts for 25 years and the consequences of any fault due to the lack of knowledge can be costly for both parties. Despite the realized high number of PPP projects in Turkey, it is a considerable problem to transfer the gained knowledge between projects. This study aims to determine (1) important issues requiring knowledge management and transfer in PPP projects, (2) the barriers and enablers of knowledge transfer processes in PPP projects, (3) current KT tools used in the industry and the efficiency of KT tools and (4) public and private organizations' competency for knowledge management and knowledge transfer in PPP projects This study consists of six chapters. In the first chapter, the study has been introduced. Then aim and the methodology have been explained. In the second chapter, public-private partnership model definitions have been given from the view of several institutions and academicians. After that, PPP types, the implementation of the model in the world and Turkey have been summarized. Subsequently, the legal framework of the model has been written, and some challenges of the model have been explained. In the third chapter, knowledge hierarchy and types of knowledge have been explained. Then, the types of knowledge, knowledge creation theory, knowledge mapping, knowledge management and tools, knowledge transfer have been defined. After that, KM and KT in PPP projects have been detailed. At the end of the chapter, attempts for KT in Turkey were given. In the fourth chapter, current practices of KM and KT in PPP in Turkey have been detailed with the results of a questionnaire survey. Then, the interviews with the experts of the sector have been shared. In the fifth chapter, the results of the survey have been evaluated, and the findings were presented. In the sixth chapter, conclusions and recommendations are presented.