Cross-sector collaboration for refugee employment: An anthropology of development perspective

Abstract

Employment plays a crucial role in the successful resettlement of migrants. However, there is a paucity of research on how to facilitate refugee employment outcomes and the role of cross-sector collaborations. Using a qualitative, multi-layered analysis of primary and secondary data from Australian settlement service providers (SSPs) and the businesses they work with, this study explores how public service organisations co-create value with stakeholders (i.e., public service logic) through cross-sector collaborations. By identifying differing notional and strategic logics of both SSPs and employing businesses in supporting refugee migrants, we reveal the dynamics of cross-sector value co-creation in refugee management settings. We also identify four main strategic logics that SSPs use to address barriers and connect refugee migrants to employment. Our study offers theoretical contributions and practical implications for public, private, not-for-profit and community organisations working together to support refugee employment.