What Works in Joined-Up Government? An Evidence Synthesis

While coordination across departments has long been a goal of government, since the late 1990s joining-up (in various forms) is now viewed as essential to the core business of government and public administration. However, research is still catching up on the expansion of joined-up working, and there continues to be no specific body of evidence upon which judgments about its success, or which can be drawn on in the planning and implementation of new initiatives. This article draws together peer-reviewed, empirical investigations of joined-up government, synthesizing available exploratory evidence on the process of creating joined-up government.