Why Collaboration Alone is Not Enough: Quadruple Helix, Innovation Ecosystems and Digital Governance in Philippine Cities

Research by: Catherine Roween Almaden

Executive Summary

This study investigates how coordination among government, industry, academia, and civil society, known as the Quadruple Helix (QH) model, affects digital transformation in Philippine local governments. Using data from 143 Philippine cities from the 2023 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, the research examines whether the effectiveness of collaborative governance depends on two critical conditions: internal absorptive capacity and the strength of external innovation ecosystems.

Grounded in innovation systems theory and Open Innovation frameworks, the study applies moderated regression analysis to assess how QH collaboration interacts with Internal Open Innovation (IOI) capacity and External Open Innovation (EOI) ecosystem strength in influencing digital government performance. The findings reveal that collaboration alone does not automatically lead to improved digital public services. Instead, the impact of QH collaboration is highly conditional.

The results show that QH collaboration is positively associated with digital government performance only when cities possess adequate internal administrative and organizational capabilities and are embedded within strong external innovation ecosystems. In cities with weak internal capacity or limited innovation networks, collaborative arrangements produce little to no significant improvement in digital governance outcomes. As IOI and EOI levels increase, however, the positive effects of collaboration become substantially stronger.

Among the two moderating factors, External Open Innovation demonstrates the stronger influence. This highlights the importance of ecosystem-level resources, networks, and partnerships, including sustained engagement with private firms, universities, and civil society organizations, in amplifying the benefits of collaborative governance, particularly in resource-constrained developing-country contexts such as the Philippines.

The study contributes to the literature on collaborative governance, digital transformation, and smart cities by showing that collaboration is not inherently beneficial in all settings. Rather, its effectiveness depends on complementary institutional and ecosystem conditions. The research provides rare large-scale quantitative evidence on subnational innovation systems in a developing-country context and challenges assumptions that multi-sector collaboration alone is sufficient to drive digital transformation.

The findings also carry important policy implications. Investments in collaborative platforms or participatory governance mechanisms are unlikely to generate meaningful digital governance gains without simultaneous investments in organizational capability-building and innovation ecosystem development. Policymakers should therefore prioritize strategically sequenced interventions that strengthen internal administrative competencies while fostering stronger partnerships with universities, private sector actors, and community organizations.

Socially, the study underscores the importance of inclusive and ecosystem-based approaches to digital governance. Strengthening innovation ecosystems can improve access to digital public services, especially in cities facing institutional and resource limitations, thereby supporting more equitable and effective digital development.

Overall, the study demonstrates that successful digital transformation in local governments requires more than collaboration alone; it requires the alignment of collaborative governance with strong institutional capacity and vibrant innovation ecosystems.

To cite this article:

Almaden, C. R. (2026). Why collaboration alone is not enough: Quadruple helix, innovation ecosystems and digital governance in Philippine cities. Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPRG-12-2025-0467

To access the article: https://doi.org/10.1108/DPRG-12-2025-0467

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