Promise of sustainability collaboration - potential fulfilled?

One of the developments of today, especially in the area of environmental sustainability, is the call for multi-stakeholder, regional collaboration. Strong political and ideological support often implies that collaboration is the magic stick through which our complex problems or questions can be solved, even when and where expertise is not yet available. This paper explores the most frequent promises of collaboration. It reveals that results of collaboration frequently fall far short of expectations. The ability to deliver satisfactory results depends on multiple factors that are not frequently considered by collaborating partners. Finally, the paper questions the prominent principles of collaboration and shows the effects of these principles on collaborative undertakings. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.