Consumers as Coproducers of Public Services: Some Economic and Institutional Considerations

Abstract

The concept of coproduction of public services has captured increased attention as a potential means of increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of local government. In this article we explore the concept of coproduction in an effort to sharpen the definition of that concept and add rigor to our understanding of the effects of coproduction in local service delivery and the processes by which coproductive activity occurs.In recent years, attention to the productive activities of consumers has increased. This attention is most common for service production (Fuchs, 1968;and Garn, et al., 1976 The role of consumers in producing public services has received particular attention. Partly in response to fiscal pressures and partly due to evidence regarding the inefficacy of their own unaided efforts, some public producers are increasing consumer involvement in service production (e.g., community anticrime efforts such as Neighborhood Watch or solid waste collection agencies' replacement of backyard with curbside trash pickup). In other service areas, consumers are demanding an increased role (e.g., parents and students working with groups like PUSH FOR EXCELLENCE to improve education services or the Wellness movement among health service consumers). Most analysts of pub-*This paper results from regular discussion among the several authors that have extended over the past 2 years. Parks took responsibility for getting these ideas on paper at this time.

Co-production in business training in microfinance institutions: a conceptual approach

“…Here, two parties mean the consumer and the producer. Contrary to the passive role played by the consumer in production, in co-production the efforts of the consumers are central to the creation of the output (Etgar, 2007;Vargo and Lusch, 2004;Parks et al, 1981).…”

“…By following Parks et al's (1981) view on co-production (i.e. joint efforts) and the more recent work of Vargo and Lusch (2006) on co-production (i.e.…”

“…This concept created a great fervour among public administration scholars in the US in the 1970s and 1980s. According to Parks et al (1981) co-production involves the joint efforts of two parties who jointly determine the output of their collaboration. Here, two parties mean the consumer and the producer.…”

User co-production of public service delivery: Effects on trust

“…They defined co-production as follows: …the mix of activities that both public service agents and citizens contribute to the provision of public services. The former are involved as professionals, or 'regular producers', while 'citizen production' is based on voluntary efforts by individuals and groups to enhance the quality and/or quantity of the services they use (Parks et al, 1981).…”

“…Whereas the term received some scholarly attention in the beginning of the 1980s (e.g. Brudney and England, 1983;Parks et al, 1981;Whitaker, 1980), it has lately become a mainstream topic . The expectation is that when citizens are actively involved as co-producers of public service delivery, it results in better quality, but also in a better relations among citizens and between citizens and government (Bovaird, 2007;Brudney and England, 1983;Levine, 1984;Ostrom, 1996;Pestoff, 2009;Verschuere et al, 2012).…”