Strategies and transitions to public sector co-creation across Europe

Abstract

This article analyses 14 co-creation cases in six European countries from macro and meso theoretical perspectives on strategic public management. The comparative case study includes focus group sessions and interviews with 107 professionals and 26 managers. Findings show, first, that co-creation is not limited to countries with a strong affinity to new public governance, but also occur in more traditional public administration – or new public management contexts. Second, co-creation cases show a large variety in strategies at the meso level of organizations and networks, but strategic planning seems a precondition for process-based strategies to succeed. Third, despite many differences between the cases and countries, frontline actors often encounter similar barriers in co-creation, in particular in public leadership and vertical organizational structures. Our findings contribute to the literature on strategic public management and transitions in public administration.