Defining the nature of the relationship between contractual and relational governance is critical for understanding how to maintain commitment and coordination between private and public organizations in long-term partnerships. In this study, a theoretical model explains Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project performance as the result of a mediation process. Contractual and relational governance elements operate sequentially with relational elements (relational norms and trust), playing a mediating role between contractual elements, project actors' behaviour and final performance. Based on the analysis of a survey of PPP practitioners in The Netherlands, and using Consistent Partial Least Squares Modeling, the study provides empirical support for these mediating effects. The findings are aligned with the idea that both economic incentives and hierarchical relationships formalized in contract agreements require being internalized in working practices by means of informal and socially based mechanisms. The enabling and compensating mechanisms underlying the mediation role of relational governance elements are discussed. Managers can particularly find in relational norms a leverage point for designing collaborative day-today practices aimed at reinforcing trust and long-term contractual obligations.

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Up to the 1980s the corporate competitive advantage was primarily focused on adapting the corporation to the (changing) environment. In the last decades corporations have become more aware of their resources and capabilities, and of the benefits of managerial attention towards managing the corporate assets. The transition from a passive, reactive attitude towards a proactive service oriented organisation proves to be a difficult task. This paper analyses the transition and describes an effort to identify products and services contributing to the added value of corporate real estate management to the bottom line of the corporation.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore the spatial implications of new learning theories and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in higher education.Design/methodology/approach -Based on a review of literature, a theoretical framework has been developed that visualizes the spatial implications of developments in higher education. In order to further explore spatial configurations that support changes in education, a comparative floor plan analysis was carried out at four Dutch institutes of higher education.

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into how a project alliance contract is conducive to the development of cooperative relationships between client and contractor organizations involved in a complex project. Design/methodology/approach -A longitudinal case study of a complex construction project was conducted in which the contract was changed at the end of the negotiation period from a design-build into a project alliance form. Findings -Data show that opportunistic behaviour is reduced when there is an incentive structure, as is to be found in project alliances, for client and contractor organizations to cooperatively realize the project. However, it is not sufficient for project partners to agree upon an appropriate incentive structure. For cooperative relationships to develop, they also have to put substantial efforts into reducing their remaining inclinations to make use of opportunities that arise to deviate from the alliance contract. Practical implications -It is shown that both principals and contractors not only need to carefully select staff for such projects; they also have to work with the people employed such that appropriate attitudes are reinforced and rewarded. Developing cooperative relationships in project alliances needs the surrounding working methods to offer support. Originality/value -The longitudinal character of the case study offers exceptional opportunities for studying the dynamics in preventing and overcoming the deteriorating patterns of opportunistic behaviour that organizations regularly face in many traditional and design-build projects.

Higher education learning and teaching methods have changed while most educational buildings are still rather traditional. Yet, there is an increasing interest in whether we can educate today's higher education students in yesterday's buildings. This paper aims to contribute to this debate by studying the learning space choices of higher education students in relation to their learning activities, personal characteristics and other considerations that may play a role in choosing particular learning spaces. A diary research method was adopted, in which 52 business management students of a Dutch University of Applied Sciences participated. They reported which learning activities they worked on during a week, where, and why there. The diary format builds on literature from various disciplines and was used in combination with a questionnaire and interviews. The findings show significant correlations between the students' learning space choices and their learning activities, their personal characteristics and their individual preferences. Because of the shift from a teacherled approach to a student-led approach, higher education institutions need to provide more informal learning spaces in open areas and quiet learning spaces for individuals and small groups.