What is it about?

This chapter explores co-production behaviours and attitudes, and how they correlate with citizen characteristics, using data from a unique, large-sample survey in five countries (the UK, France, Germany, Denmark and the Czech Republic).

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Why is it important?

User and community co-production of public services has become an important topic in public administration, especially in light of the fiscal pressures facing many governments. Theoretical discussion (Ostrom 1996; Alford 2002, 2009; Bovaird and Loeffler 2012; Pestoff 2012) and case studies (Whelan and Dupont 1986; Ostrom 1996; Alford 1998, 2009; Bovaird 2007) have highlighted the potential of co-production but there has been little empirical research on citizen co-production behaviours for large samples at national populations or local government level. The research reported here has addressed this gap.

Perspectives

This is a reader-friendly version of the major European study undertaken in 2008 for the Presidency of the EU into the level of co-production activities in five EU countries, focusing on preventative activities in local environment, community safety and health. The results show that citizens are undertaking far more activities that contribute valuably to public outcomes than public sector officials realise - and that they would be willing to do even more, if it the opportunities were presented in an appropriate way.

Professor Tony Bovaird
University of Birmingham

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This page is a summary of: User and Community Coproduction of Public Services, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1057/9781137437495.0015.
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