Defining Characteristics of Partnership Identity in Faculty-Community Partnerships

In this chapter, five faculty-community partnerships are explored through an organizational identity framework to understand whether service-learning partners developed a Partnership Identity-- a shared understanding of "who we are" as a partnership entity. Findings suggest that some partnerships may develop a Partnership Identity, while others may not, as defined by four characteristics: unified missions, feelings of membership in a distinctive entity, organizational structures, and expectations to endure changes in resources and membership. The development of nurturing norms and the implications for Partnership Identity on partnership effectiveness are also discussed. (author)