The Keys to successful co-creation: an explanation using causal process tracing

Abstract

Co-creation with citizens is a promising concept in order to explore new approaches for rather ‘wicked’ societal challenges in a context of financial austerity, ageing and decreasing trust in public institutions. So far, most research to public co-creation and co-production have been focused on the identification of influential factors to co-creation processes in which citizens are involved as co-implementer of public services. Our primary goal is to examine how these influential factors influence the establishment of successful co-creation arrangements, between citizens and (local) governments, when citizens are involved as initiator or co-designer of co-creation initiatives. The second goal is to test and classify known influential factors on their explanatory strength for the establishment of public co-creation. In order to analyze the relation between the success of co-creation and these factors, we conducted a qualitative case-study of two exemplary examples of public co-creation, in which we used the method of process tracing. In doing so we were able to systematically examine what the most influential factors are to public co-creation and whether possible alternative explanations may be important. We found that our current understanding of the underlying mechanisms to public co-creation does not always cover the empirical reality. Our analysis show that successful co-creation does not so much depends on the efforts of public officials and the extent in which public organizations are adapted to co-creation. Rather, it seems to depend on the willingness, social capital and the ability to create a smoothly running organization of citizens. Remarkable is that this willingness is primarily based on whether citizens are approached because of their competences and skills.