Description
The study examines the intermediary role played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in co-production within the context of public service ecosystems. Recent literature, notably Haug (2023), has highlighted the significance of NPOs as co-production intermediaries. This research contributes particularly to the panel theme of “The role of society/the community in building welfare policies”, as well as “New approaches to evidence-based welfare policies”.Our interest lies in understanding the intermediary function of NPOs in co-production, wherein they promote welfare and leverage their reference group's experiential knowledge to enhance the value of public service ecosystems (Trischler et al., 2023). However, the recognition of the importance of NPOs is not consistently acknowledged by public service organizations (Tuurnas et al. 2022). Moreover, the performance of collaborative efforts may be more difficult to measure (Douglas & Schiffelers, 2021; Waardenburg et al., 2022), as effects may arise in forms that do not bend into numbers or figures.
In light of this, the central question emerges: how do NPOs contribute value to the public service ecosystem? A comprehensive understanding of this is imperative for fostering sustainable and well-resourced collaborations (Danbi & Bryson, 2022).
Empirical data for this study is drawn from the context of a Nordic welfare state, specifically Finland. The dataset comprises 16 expert interviews with representatives from NPOs operating in the social and health services sector. Employing frame analysis, we depict NPOs actions across various co-production settings and illuminate these actions in the context of value creation. Consequently, we identified 20 sub-frames of TSO work, from which three overarching frames emerged: NPOs’ value through connecting people to communities for empowerment, supporting the public service system through collaboration, and strengthening the ideals of civil society for democracy and inclusion.
| Period | 4 Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | EGPA 2024: Annual European Group of Public Administration Conference: Strengthening Democratic Governance for Better Public Policies and Services |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Athens, GreeceShow on map |