Patterns of co-production in public services

Abstract

Research on the roles of the third sector in the delivery of public services has so far been scattered. However, there is much to learn from drawing the different manifestations of third-sector involvement together, as each represents an element of the third sector within the public services, expressed in different ways. An interesting question for research and practice is how different combinations of such elements are and should be embedded, given the variations in national structures of service provision. The studies presented in this collection have offered a stepping-stone in progressing towards an answer. Here we offer some suggestions for a future research agenda. These concern, respectively, the relationships between different roles of the third sector, links with the analysis of welfare state reform and the function of co-production.

Key words:

• Co-production
• nonprofit
• partnerships
• public services
• third sector
• welfare state