Purpose -Defective stakeholder management has frequently resulted in conflicts and partial failures. Integrated project delivery (IPD) and team integration provides opportunities for organizations to achieve more than they could on their own. The purpose of this study is to analyze the level and challenges of team integration. In addition, study tries to recognize the cornerstones for creating integrated teams in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach -This paper discusses the characteristics and level of team integration in a construction project, but the main purpose is to derive the cornerstones for creating integrated teams. Results are derived from the analysis of current literature and an empirical case study. Findings -This paper describes the 12 characteristics of an integrated project team. In addition, the cornerstones for creating integrated teams were recognized as the early involvement and assessment of stakeholders, continuous communication and interaction, cultural change, and making the IPD process well known. Practical implications -The construction industry is aware of the need to improve control over its delivery processes. In addition, the customers are aware of waste and have started to demand more value. Because IPD and team integration supports the controlling over delivery processes and enables the more efficient value creation, these are extensive issues in developing construction industry. Originality/value -Team integration is an important part of value creation. Limited research attention has been directed at what the level of integration is compared with the characteristics of integration. This paper also advances team integration research by identifying the cornerstones for integration.

Purpose -The ownership of waterworks is topical in many countries and especially developed countries seem to speak for public ownership instead of private ownership. This paper attempts to provide a new view of the debate between public and private ownership by presenting three public governance models and comparing them in the light of waterworks performance. Design/methodology/approach -The research is qualitative in nature and presents SWOT analyses of three different public governance models used in the Finnish water sector. Empirical evidence was collected mainly through interviewing Finnish waterworks managers. Findings -The results indicate that there are clear differences between the autonomy and transparency of the most common public governance models. Reforming waterworks organised as municipal units into municipal-owned enterprises and municipal-owned companies is considered a good option compared to, for example, privatisation or outsourcing. Practical implications -According to this study, restructuring appears to increase business orientation, improve accuracy in bookkeeping and, in some cases, increase transparency. The selection of the right governance model also provides opportunities for institutional investors. Originality/value -While previous research has concentrated on comparing public and private ownership, this paper presents and discusses three public governance models and what kind of opportunities they present to public service provision.

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