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Co-production from a Public Service Logic Perspective

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The Palgrave Handbook of Co-Production of Public Services and Outcomes

Abstract

This chapter discusses the evolution of co-production within four narratives of reform: New Public Management, Public Value, New Public Service and New Public Governance. It explores how co-production has been understood within each and the factors enabling and constraining its transformative potential. The discussion suggests that the operationalisation of co-production has been impeded by enduring power asymmetries and the normative positioning of the concept. The final sections of the chapter introduce Public Service Logic (PSL) as offering a more holistic understanding of the role of service users during value creation. PSL emphasises the importance of intrinsic modes of participation during delivery (co-experience) and the contextualisation of services (co-construction), but recognises that value can also be created/destroyed for service users through extrinsic processes (co-production and co-design).

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Acknowledgements

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 770356. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Strokosch, K., Osborne, S.P. (2021). Co-production from a Public Service Logic Perspective. In: Loeffler, E., Bovaird, T. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Co-Production of Public Services and Outcomes. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53705-0_6

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