Co-production from a public service logic perspective

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).