When Norway met co-creation: the import, diffusion, and onboarding of a magic concept in public administration

Abstract

Transformations of public governance, organization, and leadership are often propelled by the import, diffusion, and onboarding of new magic concepts promising to cure existing problems and to pave the way for a golden future. This article shows how the magic concept of “co-creation” entered the public sector in Norway, was spread across public organizations at different levels, and finally was given concrete meaning in local public service organizations. Based on a tailor-made theoretical framework and a mixed-methods, multi-level study, it presents empirical findings that shed light on how a national public sector is swept by new governance ideas. The discussion reflects on the impact of the swift introduction of co-creation in a Norwegian context. It ponders the risk that the new ideas and practices might clash with existing modes of governance and insists on the need to cope with emerging dilemmas and paradoxes. The conclusion summarizes the argument and calls for further research investigating the role of magic concepts as drivers of change in public administration.