This dissertation presents four empirical studies on inter-municipal cooperation (IMC). IMC gained prominence lately as alternative to local government reform. As local decision makers grow weary of the political costs of amalgamations and discouraging empirical evidence on the effectiveness of such reforms, IMC promises a more flexible approach to the provision of public goods and services. What are the factors that drive the emergence of IMC? This question is answered by way of survival analysis, using data of ...