Complexities in Individual Capacity in Interagency Collaboration: The Case of Law Enforcement in Marine Environment Protection in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Individual capacity is a critical component of interagency collaboration and it encompass many variables and elements common to any collaborative effort, as well as purpose-specific individual capacity unique to a particular context, which need to be explored in-depth to capture embedded complexities. The existence of several public agencies, needing myriad of qualified personnel for law enforcement in marine environment protection in Sri Lanka provides a unique context for an empirical investigation. The paper focuses on capturing complexities embedded in purpose-specific individual capacity of interagency collaboration in the context of law enforcement in marine environment protection. The case study method in qualitative approach was used in the research. The representatives from six mandated public agencies in marine environment in Sri Lanka were selected through purposive sampling and primary data were collected from March to September 2014, through in-depth interviews. The themes were identified through coding and content analysis was used to examine and capture the complexities embedded in individual capacity, and to ascertain how and why such complexities are formed. The trustworthiness of the research was established through reliability procedures, and data and theory triangulation. Results of the research revealed inequalities in individual capacities of members in mandated public agencies in both maritime and marine environment protection perspectives. The findings shows the complexities embedded in purpose-specific individual capacity and extensiveness of such complexities are distinguishable in six facets of individual capacity; legitimacy, operational, technical, logistic, training, and development. The paper finally enlightens how and why such complexities had been formed, and what options are available to overcome those complexities.