After the Initial Start of Co-Production: A Narrative Review of the Development of Co-Production and Changes in Orientation

Hessel Bos (), Pieter Zwaan and Taco Brandsen
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Hessel Bos: Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Pieter Zwaan: Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Taco Brandsen: Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: Co-production is viewed as a solution to deal with societal issues. For instance, citizens are encouraged to propose solutions and work together with the government to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. We have a solid understanding of the initial phase of co-production and the factors that influence this phase, such as motivation, resources, social capital, and a supportive culture. There is consensus in the literature that co-production initially exists between the state and the community. However, we still know relatively little about the connection between these factors and the development and the orientation of co-production. This narrative review examines the current understanding of shifts in co-production orientation. This study employs an analysis and synthesis of data derived from 76 peer-reviewed articles sourced from academic databases. The objective is to present a comprehensive conceptual model. We argue that these factors shape how co-production develops after the initial phase, potentially shifting its position between the domains of state, community, and market. Factors tend to push the orientation of co-production in the direction of the community, but not exclusively so. To better understand these dynamics, qualitative longitudinal research should be conducted to trace the interactions between and within the factors that influence co-production orientation.

Keywords: citizen initiative; participation; climate transition; co-production; public service delivery; social innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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