Public Service Delivery on Mobile Apps: Factors of Diversification and Coproduction

Abstract

ABSTRACT Public mobile apps provide a new platform to facilitate communication between the government and citizens. Especially, citizens’ engagement in the delivery of public service expands the discussion of mobile apps to coproduction. However, it remains unclear what public services are provided on apps and coproduced, and what factors affect governments to enable coproduction. This paper examines how local governments diversify public services provided on the mobile apps, and tests factors that affect the diversification of public services and coproduction of public services on local governments’ mobile apps. The results suggest that a government’s institutional form and fiscal capacity affect mobile app adoption and usage of the app as a coproduction platform. Also, racial diversity and income of the community broaden the scope of public services provided on the app paving increased opportunities for citizens to perform coproduction activities of service requests and evaluation.