The membership of partnerships is determined by the range of functions they wish to perform, the way in which they approach the realisation of their objectives, and the priorities and preferences of founding members. Partnership structures and resources Most RPs and SRPs are formalised networks of partners rather than companies. They tend to be 'lean and mean' organisations with limited executive capacities and responsibilities. Even the exceptions to this rule depend substantially on the financial and staff resources of partner organisations and their capacity to smooth access to external sources of funding. Partnerships' credibility with GORs is especially important to the latter.
Partnerships are more 'people dependent' than established statutory organisations.
A premium is therefore put on the personal qualities of partnership managers, including their analytical, motivational, project management, communication and presentational skills and their knowledge of the broader institutional and policy environment. Partnerships' modes of operation RPs and SRPs need to induce partner organisations to deliver the partnership's aims and objectives without having any formal powers to ensure compliance. In surmounting this obstacle, they have found certain modes of operation more effective than others. Quality control nonetheless continues to pose problems because partnerships find it difficult to discipline underperforming partners. The impacts of partnerships are conceptually and practically difficult to quantify.