Probing the strategic intricacies of public-private partnership: The patent as a comparative reference

This article pursues a detailed understanding of strategic considerations i n large-scale partnership negotiations that have implications for public se rvice over the long term. Specifically, this study focuses upon the strateg ic context of negotiation between governmental entities and private firms a s fundamental to partnership viability. Metaphorical comparison between U.S . patent policy (especially as it pertains to cutting-edge biotechnical and digital information issues) and public-private partnership is used to coax out new insight about the latter. The first section sketches an outline of U.S. patent policy as a means of generating analogous questions that can s tructure discussion of strategy in public-private partnerships. The second section explores the intricacies of public partnership by responding to fou r questions derived from the patent metaphor. In probing the implications o f strategic partnership issues for public managers, the final section defin es new capacity-building roles that are consistent with governance as an em erging form of public administration.