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In India, the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for project implementation has been gaining prominence as municipalities attempt to meet a growing demand for infrastructure services. However, weak competencies within urban local bodies (ULBs) present one of the primary bottlenecks to implementing PPPs in the delivery of urban services. In this paper we attempt to understand the kinds of competencies that are prevalent within ULBs in India, competencies that are often absent, strategies that are currently used to bridge these competency gaps, and approaches that ULBs should follow in order to create a more robust environment for PPPs. In order to do so, we first describe a competency framework for implementing urban PPP projects. We then adopt a case-based research approach to analyze five urban PPP projects. The case study analysis indicates that project development competencies are supplemented through the engagement of PPP coordination agencies. However, there are larger competency gaps in the area of project governance. The outcomes of this research study contribute to a growing body of knowledge on the performance of PPPs in developing countries and suggest areas for improvement in the existing institutional frameworks for urban PPP projects.

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) coordination agencies are often used to assist government agencies in structuring PPP arrangements. Very few studies have compared the performance of various coordination agencies to understand the characteristics that define an effective coordination agency. The authors study three coordination agencies that were involved in projects in the water and sanitation sector in India and observe their performance across five parameters: project structuring, commercial risk management, relational risk management, project handover, and extent of institutional strengthening. The authors find that agencies with administrative expertise in handling project structuring and bid process, coupled with PPP-specific expertise and an understanding of PPP risks, are a necessary but insufficient condition for project success. In conjunction, high involvement of the coordination agency through the lifecycle of the project or measures that enhance the capacity of government departments to understand and monitor PPPs are required to ensure that real benefits are delivered to stakeholders.

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This article synthesizes the evidence on the effectiveness of top‐down and bottom‐up approaches in providing basic services in slums in developing countries. The findings indicate that: (1) government‐led top‐down approaches focus predominantly on connectivity, but approaches led by community‐based organizations (CBOs) and non‐government organizations (NGOs) improve many additional dimensions of access; (2) legal recognition of slums improves access to services in both approaches; and (3) NGO and CBO involvement results in the right balance between the technical, social and financial resources required for effective service delivery.

Benefits derived from the conduct of Big Room are well established. At present, the lean practitioners have been focusing on tapping the potential of this technique by systematizing the processes associated with implementation of Big Room. But there has been no quantifiable metrics to measure the same. In this context, this paper reports a study undertaken to develop and implement Big Room Effectiveness Index (BREI) that assesses effectiveness of Big Room. This research study adopted action research approach in the context of an Indian real estate developer. A core group within this developer was formed to steer the initiative of BREI. Based on literature review and interactions within core group, 10 measures for assessing effectiveness of Big Room were identified, which are grouped under four categories: collaboration, look-ahead planning, knowledge building and tools used, and continuous improvement. The framework was codified with some flexibility to provide inputs like parameter weightages and rating of these parameters. The developed BREI was implemented in an ongoing real estate project. The BREI was plotted on a monthly basis and it provided valuable input to participants involved in the Big Room meetings and suggested areas of improvements.

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