Synergy Potential: Unlocking the power of collaboration

April 2023

In times of declining financial means, it is important to take a closer look at potential synergies between policies. Many objectives cannot be achieved by a single policy but require various policies to play together – this is particular the case in an environment of increasing financial constraints. As stressed in earlier blog posts, e.g. cohesion cannot be achieved through cohesion policy alone. It needs also other policies to contribute. This requires the coordination of policies. In most cases policy coordination focuses on complementarities. Would it make sense to rather think of policy coordination as identifying synergy potential?

Complementarities vs. synergies

Complementarities and synergies are two concepts to describe the ways in which policies interact with each other.

Complementarities refer to the ways in which policies can enhance or support each other. When two or more policies are complementary, they work together to create a greater overall effect than they would if they were working separately. For example, they can complement each other in terms objectives, instruments use, areas covered or timing. Complementing policies can be imagined as different pieces of a puzzle.

Synergies, on the other hand, refer to the ways in which different policies can create new or additional value when they are combined. When two or more policies create a synergy, the overall effect is greater than the sum of its parts. Synergies refer to the ways in which different policies can create a new or additional value when they are combined.

To fully realise the benefits of synergy potential, ChatGPT says it is important to create a culture of collaboration, fostering an environment of trust, open communication, and mutual respect. Encouraging teamwork across policy domains, setting clear goals, and providing opportunities for individuals and teams to work together can also help to create a culture of collaboration. By doing so, they can tap into the power of synergy and unlock their full potential.

The synergy potential in policy coordination refers to the ability for multiple government agencies or organisations to work together effectively to achieve common policy objectives.

By working together, government agencies and organisations can leverage each other's strengths, share information and resources, and create synergies that can lead to better outcomes for citizens. For example, a coordinated effort between multiple auhtorities to address a specific policy issue, such as climate change, cohesion or healthcare, can result in a more comprehensive and effective solution than if each authority acted independently.

To fully realise the synergy potential in policy coordination, communication and a shared understanding of the policy objectives is essential. Collaboration should be encouraged and supported by senior leaders, and there should be an established routine to work together effectively.

Utilising synergy potential requires shared visioning and institutional change

The tricky question is how to identify synergy potential and motivate relevant policy and decision makers to make use of them. For identifying synergy potential issues such as a common ground and in best case also a shared vision of what policies shall achieve are essential. Furthermore, it helps to identify complementary skills and expertise of each policy and its stakeholders and opportunities to share resources. Last but not least open communicate is important to sharing ideas and feedback, and working together to find a mutually beneficial solution. This includes also resolving conflicts and finding a solution that works for everyone.

In many regards, this comes very close to what Paula Kivimaa describes in a recent paper (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) as shared visioning and institutional change. Drawing on sustainability transition research, she identifies key capabilities needed to support transitions and change socio-technical systems. Following the above understanding of policy synergies, this is basically what is needed to strengthen policy coordination and focus on synergy potential between policies.

A key capability is shared visioning and institutional change. In more detail this requires the ability for explicit and inclusive vision building processes, substantial and ambitious legislative and organisational changes, political ambition and long-term political commitment, and resources for multiple socio-technical pathways.

To achieve this intermediating and orchestrating at different levels is necessary. Learning from this, would suggest that also the creation of synergy potential would require various capacities to orchestrate and intermediate. Indeed, synergies rarely just emerge, they need to be carefully cultivated. Drawing on Paula Kivimaa’s lessons for transition, this includes different types of intermediaries. First of all, there are systemic intermediaries who operate on all levels and take the lead in aiming for change on the whole system level. There are also regime-based intermediaries, who are tied to the prevailing socio-technical regime and have a mandate to promote change. There are also niche and process intermediaries who facilitate change processes and experimentation often focusing in particular niches. If change in these niches is successful, it can later on be upscaled to other fields.

The focus on shared visioning and institutional change driven by a wide range of intermediaries highlights that synergy potential are closely tied to governance culture oriented to deep learning. As Paula Kivimaa underlines, governance culture needs to change by taking a more open approach to deep learning, unlearning, uncertainty and risks. This, for example, means allowing civil servants to experiment. Governance cultures are not easy to change and may need leadership and new intermediary actors within the public administrations. This echoes the need for transformation willingness and the capability to navigate under uncertainty we have underlined in an earlier blog post (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

EU level experience with approaches to better policy alignment and synergies show that it is not easy in practice. As Alison Hunter points out in her recent publication (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) striving for better policy synergies is extremely difficult in practice and risks to increase bureaucracy and complexity.

Drawing a more optimistic lesson, we should stimulate more policy experimentation to explore possibilities for policy synergies and unlock the power of collaboration.

by Kai Böhme