Co-experience, co-production and co-governance: an ecosystem approach to the analysis of value creation

Abstract

This conceptual article explores the interplay between the participation of service users and third sector organisations and the related implications for value creation. It draws on public service logic, which uses value as a lens through which to view public service delivery and presents an ecosystem perspective to understand the interconnectivity and complexity of value creation. To illustrate the conceptual discussion, a contextual case study of the Scottish Social Security Agency and its services is presented. The analysis demonstrates that value creation is enabled and constrained by the congruence of goals among actors, the strategic direction and a participatory approach that combines ‘lived experience’ with expertise. The article adds to theory by understanding value creation from a systemic perspective, emphasising the interplay of participative processes and the wider societal context. For policy and practice, it suggests a change in how value is articulated, promised, created and measured.