Bridging the Gap: How Intermediary Clusters Empower Sustainable Development in Diverse Local Contexts

In the face of pressing global challenges like poverty, climate change, and economic inequality, achieving sustainable development requires not just top-down initiatives but collaborative, locally adapted strategies. A recent study published in “Organization Studies” by Giulia Cappellaro and Valentina Mele of Bocconi’s Department of Social and Political Sciences, and Shaz Ansari of Cambridge University offers a fresh perspective on how the United Nations can align its global development mandates with the diverse realities of developing countries. Through their examination of the UN’s "Delivering as One" (DaO) initiative, the researchers illuminate the unique role that clusters of organizations—called intermediary clusters—can play in bridging this gap.

For years, sustainable development initiatives have centered on individual intermediary organizations working with local markets to enact change. However, this study emphasizes the overlooked potential of collaborative clusters, in which multiple UN agencies work in tandem to strengthen local institutions and build capacity. By analyzing the DaO initiative (coordinating different aid agencies to exploit their competitive advantages) across eight pilot countries—Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay, and Vietnam—the study uncovers key strategies that make these clusters more effective at navigating the complexities of local environments.

Mechanisms for success

Intermediary clusters can create a “contextual bridge” between the UN’s global goals and the nuanced needs of each local environment. Through in-depth interviews and data analysis, the authors identify four mechanisms that enable these clusters to work effectively and sustainably within diverse host countries:

1. Functional amalgamation of operations: One of the foundational mechanisms observed in the more effective clusters was the consolidation of operational processes among participating UN agencies. This approach allowed the clusters to streamline their interactions with local stakeholders, reducing redundancies and creating a unified strategy. As one respondent noted, “Agencies don’t submit their own plans; they come together, discuss, and submit a joint plan. And then they come together… to submit a joint report.”

2. A cohesive collective voice: Beyond internal cooperation, the clusters found strength in presenting a unified message to the host government and the public. This “collective voice” helped the UN gain credibility and foster trust with local governments, reinforcing the clusters' commitment to shared goals rather than individual agency agendas.

3. Sharing authority with local stakeholders: The clusters that succeeded most in achieving sustainable outcomes were those that integrated local stakeholders into their decision-making processes. By “sharing authority” with local governments, these clusters ensured that development initiatives were more relevant and better aligned with local priorities. In Tanzania, for example, high-level government representatives participated directly in budget allocation meetings with the UN cluster, allowing them to prioritize projects that would have the highest local impact.

4. Local calibration of interorganizational collaboration: The study also highlights how successful clusters tailored their strategies to fit the specific political, social, and economic conditions of each host country. This “local calibration” required absorbing higher transaction costs, as teams spent more time coordinating activities to align with local structures.

Implications for sustainable development

Cappellaro, Mele, and Ansari’s study demonstrates that intermediary clusters offer a promising model for the future of transnational governance. Unlike approaches that prioritize uniformity and efficiency, this model emphasizes the value of local adaptation and shared ownership. By tailoring their methods to the unique needs and structures of each country, the UN clusters were able to move beyond “one-size-fits-all” solutions and foster more meaningful, sustainable change. As the authors note, “Rather than assuming that cooperative relationships are automatic, our findings underscore the importance of carefully aligning the interests and strategies of international organizations with those of host governments.”