Opportunities and Challenges in Engaging Citizens in the Co-Production of Infrastructure-Based Public Services in Australia

Research and practice have observed a shift towards service-oriented approaches that depend on input from citizens as co-producers of services. Yet in the delivery of public infrastructure the focus is still on managing assets rather than services. Using a Policy Delphi approach, we found that although experts advocate service-centric approaches guidelines and policies lack a service-centric perspective. Findings revealed a range of impediments to effective stakeholder involvement. The paper contributes to co-production and new public governance literature and offers directions for public infrastructure decision-makers to support and reconnect disengaged government–citizen relations, and determine ways of understanding optimal service outcomes.     

Operationalizing Co-Production in Public Services Delivery: The contribution of service blueprinting

Abstract

We have argued for public services to move away from product-dominant logic towards a service approach. By taking a services orientation, the experience, inter-organizational, and systemic nature of public services delivery can be considered along with the role of the service user as a co-producer. In this article, we unpack how co-production can be operationalized through the application of service blueprinting. This article presents an example within higher education where the creation of a blueprint brought together staff and students to focus on the design of student enrolment, resulting in improved student experience and supporting co-production.     

Collaboration,Co-Production,Networks: Convergence of theories

Abstract

This article suggests a framework to study service delivery networks that draws on the theories of collaboration, co-production, and networks combined. We introduce four dimensions of co-production under ‘coproduction-oriented collaborations’. This framework allows us to ‘zoom in and zoom out’ when we study networks. Using the case method approach, the framework is applied to analyse four networks in Singapore. Findings suggest that network process, network structure, and characteristics of actors are crucial to a network’s performance and coproduction’s effectiveness. This article also offers implications for practice that in certain contexts the usage of these concepts is for managerial effectiveness and not for enhancing democratic values.     

The Multiple Facets of Co-Production: Building on the work of Elinor Ostrom

Abstract

This article revisits Elinor Ostrom’s pioneering formulation more than three decades ago of the notion of co-production, which remains foundational, but closer scrutiny reveals further unexplored potential. This article focuses on the two parts of the term ‘co-production’, namely, its ‘production’, aspect with its sense of a process of turning inputs into products, and its ‘co’ aspect, with its sense of some kind of relationship. Both aspects have multiple facets, which are in some respects at odds and in others congruent with each other. The article canvasses ways of combining, trading off, and/or choosing between them.     

(Co)-Contamination as the Dark Side of Co-Production: Public value failures in co-production processes

Co-production is associated with the expanding role that citizens and other third-party actors assume in the development and delivery of public services. While there are benefits to co-production, there are also challenges. This study draws from the marketing literature on value co-destruction to describe the processes in co-production of public services that can negatively affect public values from regular producers and users. We refer to this public value failure as co-contamination. Two case studies are used to explore some of the ‘dark sides’ of co-production. Our analyses reveal the co-contaminating aspects of this process and offer implications for public managers.     

Collective Action and the Sustainability of Co-Production

Abstract

This article addresses the sustainability of citizen/user participation in the provision of public services, often referred to as co-production. Co-producing public services not only promises to limit cost, but it also requires a change in the relations and behaviour of public servants and citizens/users, in order for the latter to make a long-term commitment to co-production. The article notes that Olsen proposes two logics of collective action, not just one. Focusing on small group interaction can provide an important strategy for achieving sustainable co-production, particularly of enduring welfare services. However, Ostrom criticizes too simplistic approaches based on size alone for promoting social cooperation in collective action situations. She proposes seven structural variables of importance in resolving social dilemmas. Several of them can also be perceived as factors that facilitate sustainable citizen participation in co-production. Some additional factors are also considered important for sustainable co-production, like the nature of the service itself, organizational diversity, a dialogue between the staff and clients, and facilitating small group interactions in large organizations. This article concludes that governments should develop more flexible, service-specific and organization-specific approaches for promoting co-production, rather than looking for simple ‘one size fits all’ solutions to the challenges facing public service delivery, particularly of enduring welfare services. It also proposes a research agenda on sustainable co-production.     

公用事业规制改革路径：从新公共服务到新规制治理

通过梳理中国公用事业30年的改革历程,本文发现中国公用事业仍存在区域内垄断经营、生产成本高、服务意识淡漠、规制目标偏离等问题。结合新公共服务理论“重视公民权、强调公共利益、以人为本”的核心观念,中国公用事业规制应从新公共服务演进为新规制治理：引入第三方形成金字塔形规制框架,鼓励公用事业提升服务意识实现自我规制为主、合约规制为辅、命令控制规制为最后手段的规制治理新格局;通过公私合作的方式实行上级政府为PPP合约背书以提高公用事业合约履约规范性,保证作为履约方的地方政府履行合约;以市场多样化思维转变传统政府地位,政府不再负责提供服务,应转为提供高质量的平台以促进公用事业发展。     

洛阳市基层公共图书馆服务新农村建设调研

立足当地为广大读者服务,是基层公共图书馆的职责和义务。洛阳市各基层公共图书馆十分重视服务社会服务新农村建设,不断开拓创新,探索服务社会广大读者的方式方法,取得了较好的成绩。     

从公共服务的角度看社区卫生服务的发展

社区卫生服务是一种面向社区的整体化服务模式,以个人为中心,以家庭为单位,在我国,社区卫生服务是为了解决看病贵、看病难而出现的,是我国卫生改革发展的一项重要举措,本文从公共服务的角度对社区卫生服务的发展进行分析。     

高校文化资源与新农村公共文化服务的关系及其发展路径

运用文献资料、逻辑分析等方法,对高校文化资源与新农村公共文化服务的关系及其发展路径进行分析,结果表明:高校具有服务新农村公共文化的功能与作用,新农村建设需要高校文化资源;新农村公共文化服务的发展要以地方高校为依托。因此应加强各个领域和学科的交流,建立长期的合作关系,并且通过多种路径,挖掘高校现有的文化资源,推动新农村公共文化服务的建设和发展。     

以用户为中心构建公共图书馆服务策略——基于宝鸡市图书馆读者结构调查的分析

公共图书馆定位于为本地读者服务,因而以用户为中心可以提高服务效益,增强读者满意度。通过对宝鸡市图书馆到馆读者的结构分析,提出增加读者群、扩大图书馆服务覆盖面及文献采访的服务策略。     

Identification and Trust in Public Organizations: A communicative approach

Abstract

Little empirical research has examined the link between organizational identification and organizational trust. Identification presupposes a level of consistency in its object, and this study proposes that trust can reduce uncertainty between organization and employee, enabling a bond between the two to form. Secondly, this research looks at how interaction with various organizational groups may affect organizational trust, thereby indirectly encouraging identification. It is thus proposed that organizational trust should be understood as an important mechanism mediating the relationship between interaction with employees at different levels of the organizational hierarchy and identification with the organization as a whole.     

Watching Sausage Being Made: Lessons learned from the co-production of governance in a behavioural health system

Abstract

We draw out lessons from a multi-level governance system implemented to create more consumer oversight and involvement in the governance of behavioural health services. Through two rounds of interviews, we identified key areas of design that were difficult to implement, resulting in the system continuing to operate as a top-down environment rather than a flatter arrangement. Although new governance structures can be implemented, the underlying culture of government has to shift to allow real buy-in. Until this happens, multi-level governance systems will remain single-layered and command and control systems. The patina of change will cause frustration and animosity among participants.     

影响公共参与强度的主体性因素分析

作为民主理念的现实体现,公共参与的强度、范围和真实性在宏观上受国家市场经济发展和公民社会成熟程度的直接影响,在个体层面则与公民的社会经济地位、受教育程度等因素密切相关,这一结论对于宏大社会历史发展的过程显示出强大的理论解释力。但不可否认的是,公共参与是一个时间性和空间性很强的理论课题,尤其在微观层面,在相同的历史时段与相同的经济背景下,影响公共参与强度的因素呈现出多角度、多层面的复杂性特征。管理者和公众对公共参与本质的不同理解,对公共参与功能的多种期待,对其自身掌控政策能力的预期,以及不同治理主体之间的复杂关系等,都会对治理过程中公共参与的强度和效果产生直接而深刻的影响。     

公共事务治理中的公民参与——以广东“无假药社区”建设为例

地方公共事务治理越来越离不开公民积极有效地参与。通过对广东省"无假药社区"建设的调查发现,公民参与公共事务治理的意识在不断增强,同时也面临着参与渠道狭窄、参与方式被动、参与内容单一和效能感不高等突出问题。因此,培养公民参与公共事务治理的意识和能力,完善公民参与公共事务治理的渠道与环境,创新公民参与公共事务治理的制度和机制,是提升地方公共事务治理绩效的重要课题和必然路径。     

社区治理模式改革探索——基于新公共管理理论

现有的治理理论无法为政府主导型的社区模式改革提供具体的实施途径,我国社区治理失灵的现象比比皆是。新公共管理中政府再造原则、战略与工具为我国社区管理改革提供了可以借鉴的模式,即获得授权的社区、居民驱使的社区、协作型社区、企业型社区与竞争型社区。     

广东城乡基本公共服务差异现状及原因分析

本文从广东省城乡基本公共设施、城乡基础教育、社会保障水平、城乡医疗卫生资源配置等方面,介绍城乡在主要公共服务领域上的差距;并从二元社会制度、财政体制、发展现代农业、农村公共服务供给制度以及乡镇财政体制方面进行了原因分析。     

The Visibility of Trust: Exploring the connection between trust and interaction in a Dutch collaborative governance boardroom

Abstract

In multi-stakeholder collaboration settings, trust plays a significant role. We explore the connection between trust and interaction over time in a collaborative governance board. To this end, we conducted a case study of the board of a collaborative governance arrangement in professional education. The results include an increase in trust within the board as well as three changes in the interaction pattern during board meetings: more openness, more responsiveness and more speed. It is argued that the increase in trust and the changes in interaction are related, implying that trust is visible in interaction content, interaction atmosphere and interaction process.     

公众对“时间银行”认知和参与的调查研究

"时间银行"作为志愿服务交换的平台,不仅能够充当起居民互帮互助的桥梁,而且有助于构建城市和谐融洽的邻里关系。本文通过对上海市浦东新区、卢湾区、长宁区部分居民区的调研,对"时间银行"公众的认知和参与情况进行了深入的分析,并就"时间银行"公众认知与参与存在的问题,提出了相应的对策建议。     

基于信任模型的物流服务模式选择研究

根据不同的划分标准,物流模式被分为不同的类型,文章以物流服务范围为标准划分了多种不同的物流服务模式,企业在选择物流服务模式时,往往会考虑各方面因素,从而确定适合发展的模式,从信任的角度考量不同模式的区别,从而帮助企业最终确定适合自身发展的模式。