Global Standards versus Local Realities: Institutional Pathways of Public-Private Partnerships in Ghana and Mali
https://doi.org/10.56225/ijassh.v4i3.453
Keywords:
Public-Private Partnerships, Institutional Theory, Policy Convergence, Implementation CapacityAbstract
This article explores the institutional foundations and policy trajectories of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Ghana and Mali to assess whether emerging economies in West Africa are converging toward global PPP standards or diverging due to domestic constraints. Drawing on comparative institutional analysis and grounded in Institutional Theory, New Public Management, and Transaction Cost Economics, the study contrasts Ghana’s consolidated PPP regime—underpinned by the 2020 PPP Act and centralized oversight—with Mali’s more fragmented, donor-driven approach embedded in a Civil Law tradition. Based on qualitative content analysis of policy documents, legal texts, and project-level data from 2010 to 2024, the findings reveal that while both countries have adopted internationally promoted PPP frameworks, effective implementation is highly dependent on local institutional capacity, governance dynamics, and enforcement mechanisms. The study confirms that the alignment of formal policies does not necessarily lead to analogous outcomes. Rather, successful implementation relies on factors such as adaptive governance, policy credibility, and genuine national ownership. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for enhancing public-private partnership efficiency via legal reforms, capacity building, transparency, and regional knowledge sharing to foster sustainable infrastructure development in the Global South.
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