Co-creation as a new form of citizen engagement: Comparing Danish and Dutch experiences at the local government level
Citation:
Work data:
ISSN: 1662-1387Alternate URL:
https://ipmr.net/index.php/ipmr/article/view/335/297
Type of work: Article (academic)
Categories:
Government and Public Administration | ParticipationTags:
co-creation, new public management, new public governanceAbstract:
Citizen engagement is a key component of modern liberal democracy, especially at the local level, it is an important tool for generating political input, securing political support, mobilizing societal resources and finding creative solutions to the problems and challenges that governments face. Currently, we are witnessing an interesting shift in citizen engagement towards viewing citizens as co-creators of local governance, thus recognizing that citizens have both knowledge and resources that may help tackling wicked and unruly problems. Local governments increasingly focus on the design of co-creation processes and search for ways to support and enhance this new form of citizen engagement. To explore how processes of co-creation unfold at the level of local government, this article analyzes and compares a Danish and Dutch case of co-creation with local citizens. The comparative case study identifies the different reasons for initiating co-creation. It analyses the processes and outcomes of co-creation and reflects on the role of institutional design and leadership. The conclusion is that co-creation can be a viable strategy in very different situations if supported by the right design and leadership.
Downloads:
Siebers, V. & Torfing, J. (2018). “Co-creation as a new form of citizen engagement: Comparing Danish and Dutch experiences at the local government level”. In International Public Management Review, 18 (1/2), 187-208. Phoenix: Arizona State University.
Notes:
Table 1. (p.189)
| Representative democracy (-1960) | Participatory democracy (1960- 1980)s | New Public Management (1980-2010) | Co-creation (2010-) | |
| The basic rationale | Citizens should be able to control government |
Intensely affected citizens should have an additional channel of influence |
The public sector should be more responsive to the preferences of the citizens |
Citizens can help to solve wicked and unruly problems |
| Role of the citizen | Citizens are voters with opinions that they express in free and open elections |
Citizens are affected stakeholders that have interests that they should be allowed to pursue |
Citizens are customers with individual needs and requirements that should influence service delivery |
Citizens are competent and resourceful actors with both a right and obligation to participate in public governance on the basis of an active citizenship |
| Institutional design | Regular elections based on one man, one vote |
Hearings organized either as city hall meetings or online consultations |
Free choice of public or private service provider within quasi-markets |
Creation of arenas for networked interaction based on sustained dialogue |
| Leadership | Political parties offer competing programs to attract voters |
Public officials organize participatory processes and listen to stakeholders before making final decisions |
Politicians and public managers define minimum service standards in quasi-markets and monitor results |
Network management aiming to bring actors together, facilitate interaction and stimulate innovative problem-solving |
Siebers, Torfing (2018). Co-Creation As a New Form of Citizen Engagement.pdf
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