Reconciling Conflicting Policy Objectives in Public Contracting: The Enabling Role of Capabilities
研究巴西一项扶持中小企业的政策干预，发现公共管理者的合同管理能力能降低成本、提升响应性，而供应商的执行能力能减轻对中小企业的制裁，从而调和政策冲突。
Abstract This paper analyses how capabilities can reconcile conflicting objectives in policy driven public contracting. Results obtained from a quasi‐experiment involving a policy intervention to favour small firms (SMEs) in Brazil show that public manager's contract‐management capabilities can promote cost savings, increased responsiveness (government‐level outcomes), and enhanced buyer‐supplier coordination when favoured firms are successful in public contracting. Execution capabilities of private suppliers positively influence firm‐level outcomes by attenuating the severity of sanctions against favoured firms due to deficient provision. The paper highlights the mechanisms for leveraging performance in public‐private interactions when conflicting goals are present despite inherent contract incompleteness and bureaucratic rigidity, thus adding to the current knowledge of strategic management in the context of public organizations.