Travelling along the public service co-production road: a bibliometric analysis and interpretive review

ABSTRACT

A bibliometric analysis and an interpretive review have been undertaken to advance the debate on public service co-production and public value co-creation, conceiving them as the cornerstones of public service logic. The systematization of 114 articles, which were sorted in 4 clusters through bibliographic coupling, revealed a ‘new normality’ of public service delivery relying on citizens’ involvement as value co-creators. Citizens and regular producers should be empowered to act as partners in co-designing and co-delivering public services. However, the interaction between citizens and regular producers generates value tensions, which should be addressed to avoid backlash on public value generation.

KEYWORDS:

• Co-creation
• co-production
• empowerment
• public service
• public value

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rocco Palumbo

Rocco Palumbo, Ph.D., is a Senior Researcher of Organizational Behavior and Theory at University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. His research interests include Human Resource Management, Team Performance Management, and Workplace Discrimination. He has published in international journals such as Administrative Sciences, Current Issues in Tourism, Futures, Food Policy, Health Services Management Research, International Journal of Educational Management, International Journal of Healthcare Management, International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, International Journal of Public Sector Management, International Journal of Tourism Research, Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Health Management, Journal of Health Organization and Management, Policy and Society, Public Management Review, Studies in Higher Education, Sustainability, and The TQM Journal. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Mohammad Fakhar Manesh

Mohammad Fakhar Manesh is a Lecturer of Business Organization at University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. His research interests include Digitization, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. He has published in international journals such as International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Journal of Cleaner Production, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal and Thunderbird International Business Review. He can be contacted at [email protected]