Achieving partnership synergy: resource inputs, shared mission and interdependencies in Danish health promotion partnerships.

This article examines how intersectoral health promotion partnerships can optimize synergy by establishing balanced dependency structures shaped by the interaction of partner resources and a shared mission. Drawing on qualitative data from 10 Danish partnerships, the study identifies seven types of partner resources—including expertise, reputation, access to target groups, and operational capacity—that influence power dynamics within collaborations. It highlights three critical functions of a well-developed partnership mission: foregrounding a common purpose, aligning individual partners' self-interests, and enabling coordinated action. The findings emphasize that early and ongoing co-development of the partnership mission through inclusive dialogue is essential for mutual recognition of contributions, balanced power relations, and sustained synergistic collaboration. The study suggests that without such dynamic mission development, partnerships risk power imbalances, conflict, and reduced effectiveness.