Co-production in the public sector
What, who, when and how?
7 April 2011
John Alford
Who does the work?
The case of the fire brigade
Internal (producers)
 Fire-fighters
 Despatchers
 Truck maintainers
 Operational planners
 Trainers
 Admin staff
© John Alford 2011
External (co-producers)
 Emergency phone line
operators
 Equipment suppliers
 Water authorities
 Road authorities
 Police
The fire brigade’s purpose
 Framed in output terms:
To put out fires quickly and efficiently.
 Framed in outcome terms:
To minimise the damage to life, limb and property arising
from fires.
© John Alford 2011
Who does the work?
The case of the fire brigade
Internal (producers)
 Fire-fighters
 Despatchers
 Truck maintainers
 Operational planners
 Trainers
 Admin staff
 Community education
staff.
© John Alford 2011
External (co-producers)
 Emergency phone line
operators
 Equipment suppliers
 Water authorities
 Road authorities
 Police
 Property owners/occupiers
 Citizens
Defining co-production (1)
Performed by
Type of
involvement
Government organisation
alone
Deciding what
to do
Govt decision
Joint decision
Private decision
Production by govt
organisation
Co-production
Self-service
Doing it
(producing)
© John Alford 2011
Govt organisation and
external party jointly
External party alone
Defining co-production (2)
Performed by
Type of
involvement
Government organisation
alone
Deciding what
to do
Planning/
design
Govt organisation and
external party jointly
External party alone
Govt decision
Joint decision
Private decision
Govt planning or design
Joint planning/design
Private planning or design
Production by govt
organisation
Co-production
Doing it
(producing)
© John Alford 2011
Self-service
Defining co-production (3)
Performed by
Type of
involvement
Government organisation
alone
Deciding what
to do
Planning/
design
Govt organisation and
external party jointly
External party alone
Govt decision
Joint decision
Private decision
Govt planning or design
Joint planning/design
Private planning or design
Production by govt
organisation
Co-production
Doing it
(producing)
© John Alford 2011
‘Nudged’
self-service
Independent
self-service
Potential (external) co-producers
Types of co-producer
Examples
Businesses
Outsourced garbage collection
Nonprofit/voluntary/community organisations
Primary Care Partnerships
Individual volunteers
Meals on Wheels, Country Fire Service.
Clients
Employment programs, public housing
Regulatees (individuals and organisations)
OHS, environmental regulation
Other government organisations: within national,
state or local govt
Joined-up government
Other divisions/branches within your organisation
Education and early childhood
Acquaintances/associates/friends/ neighbours/
relatives etc of any of the above
Child protection (teachers, doctors, nurses,
neighbours, family members etc)
© John Alford 2011
Circumstances for co-production
 Substitutability: ability, relative cost of coproducer.
 Inter-dependence: outcome not achievable
without contribution by co-producer.
© John Alford 2011
Means of eliciting co-production
 Monetary incentives.
 Legal authority/public power (regulation,
enforcement, etc).
 Convenience (simplicity, information, advice).
 Persuasion (publicity, education, etc).
 Identification with organisational purposes.
© John Alford 2011