Doing it together: How co-production underpins the use of social innovation during service delivery

Maréve I.M Biljohn,Liezel Lues

doi:10.4102/apsdpr.v8i1.411

Abstract

Background: This article focused on the use of social innovation (SI) during local government (LG) service delivery, and how it could enable citizens to participate meaningfully through co-production. The two variables underpinning the conceptualisation of SI in the context of its dual purpose, and that are relevant in this article, are co-production and citizen participation.Aim: The aim of this article was to investigate how the use of SI could enable citizens to participate meaningfully during the local governance of service delivery through co-production.Setting: Through a comparative approach, the research presented in this article investigates the use of SI in LG service delivery in the cases of the City of Ghent (Belgium) and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (South Africa).Methods: The methodology of this study entailed using a qualitative research design that was combined with a case study approach.Results: It was evident that citizen participation during the co-production of services was influenced by the divergent circumstances and needs of citizens, infrastructure and the availability of resources.Conclusion: Significantly, this research found that meaningful citizen participation starts with the individual duty of every citizen to protect, preserve and sustainably use the collective goods and services provided by the state.

Highlights

The use of social innovation (SI) as a way of enhancing meaningful citizen participation in local government (LG) service delivery has recently become a survival strategy for LGs, as it offers municipalities new ways of engaging citizens to improve the quality and quantity of public services (Voorberg et al 2015)
The two research questions that are answered in this article are: (1) how do citizens participate in the use of SI during LG service delivery? and (2) how does co-production underpin the use of SI during LG service delivery? Through these research questions, this article addresses important debates about the role of citizens who co-produce services with LG and how SI plays a part
Findings from the case of the City of Ghent (COG) and the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) are reported according to the two research questions, namely: (1) How do citizens participate in the use of SI during LG service delivery? and (2) How does co-production underpin the use of SI during LG service delivery?

Summary

Introduction

The use of social innovation (SI) as a way of enhancing meaningful citizen participation in local government (LG) service delivery has recently become a survival strategy for LGs, as it offers municipalities new ways of engaging citizens to improve the quality and quantity of public services (Voorberg et al 2015). Ghent is a city and municipality (LG authority) in the East Flanders province of Belgium, with a population of 252 273 citizens who are spread across 25 wards (Stad Gent 2016). This article focused on the use of social innovation (SI) during local government (LG) service delivery, and how it could enable citizens to participate meaningfully through co-production. The two variables underpinning the conceptualisation of SI in the context of its dual purpose, and that are relevant in this article, are co-production and citizen participation

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion