A Public Management Road Less Travelled: Clients as Co-producers of Public Services

Since the end of the 1970s, alternatives to internal government production of public services have assumed increasing prominence. The most important of these has been contracting out, but a less travelled road has been co-production: the involvement of citizens, volunteers and clients in producing public services as well as consuming them. This article focuses on client co-production. It argues that by ignoring this option, governments have closed off one important option in the repertoire of management approaches. It demonstrates the necessity of client co-production to service-delivery and legal compliance, and considers examples of government agencies which have sought to harness it in positive ways.