This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers ... more This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers a more integrated, time-related understanding of how to address wicked problems successfully. The article highlights how an outcome-based approach to solving wicked policy problems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy making process – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformity to the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives may not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers ... more This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers a more integrated, time-related understanding of how to address wicked problems successfully. The article highlights how an outcome-based approach to solving wicked policy problems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy making process – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformity to the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives may not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
International Review of Administrative Sciences Vol. 82 No. 1, 2015
Previous research has suggested that citizen co-production of public services is more likely when... more Previous research has suggested that citizen co-production of public services is more likely when actions involved are easy and can be carried out individually rather than in groups. This paper explores whether this holds in local areas of England and Wales. It asks which people are most likely to engage in individual and collective co-production and how people can be influenced to extend their co-production efforts by participating in more collective activities. Data was collected in five areas, using citizen panels organised by local authorities. The findings demonstrate that individual and collective co-production have rather different characteristics and correlates and highlight the importance of distinguishing between them for policy purposes. In particular, collective co-production is likely to be high in relation to any given issue when citizens have a strong sense that people can make a difference (‘political self-efficacy’). ‘Nudges’ to encourage increased co-production had only a weak effect.
Points for practitioners
Much of the potential pay-off from co-production is likely to arise from group-based activities, so activating citizens to move from individual to collective co-production may be an important issue for policy. This paper shows that there is major scope for activating more collective co-production, since the level of collective co-production in which people engage is not strongly predicted by their background and can be influenced by public policy variables. ‘Nudges’ may help to encourage more collective co-production but they may need to be quite strong to succeed.
Key words
citizen activation; community co-production; co-production correlates; individual co-production; influence strategies; nudge
The Surrey County Council approach to commissioning
Services for Young People (SYP) has already ... more The Surrey County Council approach to commissioning
Services for Young People (SYP) has already achieved a national
profile. Its ambitious scope in completely decommissioning
and recommissioning relevant services and
its concentration on improved outcomes for young people
have made it a focus for attention not only for young
people’s services elsewhere but also for all public services
seeking to move to a more outcome-based approach to
commissioning services.
Governance International and INLOGOV were commissioned
by Surrey CC in February 2014 to undertake an
evaluation of the decommissioning and recommissioning
process in the period leading up to 2012, the experience of
the new services to date and the implications for the next
round of commissioning, which will start during 2014.
The evaluation is based on a meta-analysis of secondary
data supplied by the project team of SYP, supplemented
by primary data collection through interviews with key
stakeholders and collection of further documentation
from them. It has brought together evidence on how relationships
between young people, commissioners, service
providers, partners and local communities have changed
in the recommissioning process and what improvements
have been achieved to outcomes for young people and
service efficiency for Surrey County Council and its partners.
Looking overall, this evaluation has demonstrated that
the recommissioning of Services for Young People has
produced outstanding results to date. The major improvements
in outcomes include:
▪ a reduction of 60% in the number of young people who
are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) in
Surrey (so that it is now the lowest in England);
▪ a 90% successful progression to education, training or
employment from young people at risk of becoming
NEET who received support from the Year 11/12
Transition commission;
▪ a 90% reduction in first time entrants of young people
to the criminal justice system (the lowest rate of
first time entrants in England and the 7th lowest use
of custody out of all local authorities in England and
Wales);
▪ a 4% increase in young people aged 16–18 starting
apprenticeships since 2011 (in contrast to a decrease
of 14% in England during the same period) and the
fastest growing rate of apprenticeship opportunities in
England;
▪ 290 young people who presented as homeless have
been placed in safe accommodation since November
2012 and youth homelessness in Surrey is now at a
record low.
Moreover, these outcome improvements have been focused
on the priority groups of young people identified by
the council. For example, a high proportion of young people
engaged in youth centre activities are in higher need
groups – in 2012–13, 37% had SEND (Special Needs and Disabilities), 20% were NEET or re-engaging, 17% were identified at risk of NEET, 16% were Children in Need, and 200
were young people who had offended.
User and community co-production has always been important, but rarely noticed. However, there ha... more User and community co-production has always been important, but rarely noticed. However, there has recently been a movement towards seeing co-production as a key driver for improving publicly valued outcomes, e.g. through triggering behaviour change and preventing future problems. However, citizens are only willing to co-produce in a relatively narrow range of activities that are genuinely important to them and are keen that their co-production effort is not wasted by public agencies. Moreover, there are concerns that co-production may involve greater risks than professionalised service provision, although services may be quality assured more successfully through involving users and embedding them in the community. While offering potential significant improvements in outcomes, and cost savings, co-production is not resource-free. Co-production may be 'value for money', but it usually cannot produce value without money.
International Public Management Journal, 16 (1): 85 – 112 , 2013
We employ data from an original survey of citizens in the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, and the C... more We employ data from an original survey of citizens in the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic to examine correlates of citizen co-production of public services in three key policy areas: public safety, the environment, and health. The correlates of co-production we consider include demographic factors (age, gender, education, and employment status), community characteristics (urban,
non-urban), performance perceptions (how good a job government is doing), government outreach (providing information and seeking consultation), and self-efficacy
(how much of a difference citizens believe they can make). We also report on results from a series of focus groups on the topic of co-production held in each country.
Our results suggest that women and elderly citizens generally engage more often in co-production and that self-efficacy—the belief that citizens can make a difference—is an especially important determinant across sectors. Interestingly, good outcome performance (in the sense of a safe neighborhood, a clean environment, and good health) seems to discourage co-production somewhat. Thus citizens’ co-production appears to
depend in part on awareness of a shortfall in public performance on outcomes. Our results also provide some evidence that co-production is enhanced when governments
provide information or engage citizens in consultation. The specific determinants vary, however, not only by sector but across national contexts.
Public Money and Management, 27 (4): 293: 300 , 2008
This article reports the results of an intensive study of the quality of local
governance in a t... more This article reports the results of an intensive study of the quality of local
governance in a town in the UK, demonstrating how the concept of local
governance can be operationalized, presenting key findings on the quality of local
governance in the case study and suggesting that more limited, service-oriented,
performance assessment systems may be misleading
International Journal of Public Administration, 26 (8 & 9): 1 – 24, 2003
This paper compares the methodology of the ‘‘comprehensive performance assessment’’, recently pro... more This paper compares the methodology of the ‘‘comprehensive performance assessment’’, recently proposed by the Audit Commission for all UK local authorities, with the ‘‘community score-card’’ approach which has been used in the United States of America for a number of years. It suggests that the Audit Commission approach should be altered to take on board some of the more imaginative aspects of the community score-card, particularly in relation to the inclusion of those quality of life measures, which local people regard as important, and measures of the quality of local governance.
This paper analyses how different types of trust affect local government responses to different t... more This paper analyses how different types of trust affect local government responses to different types of failure, as perceived by stakeholders. The distinction between affective, conative and cognitive trust provides a powerful conceptual framework for understanding the role of trust in local government decision making.
Collection of papers on concept of co-production and case studies of co-commissioning, co-design,... more Collection of papers on concept of co-production and case studies of co-commissioning, co-design, co-delivery and co-assessment in Scotland
Much of the current discussion of user and community co-production makes strong claims for its po... more Much of the current discussion of user and community co-production makes strong claims for its potential to improve outcomes. How much is actually known about the level, drivers, and potential effects of co-production? In this article, some of the key claims made for co-production are examined and an assessment is made of how they stack up against the empirical evidence. In particular, some areas are identified in which practice must be cautious about the potential contribution of co-production, and where further research is needed.
This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers ... more This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers a more integrated, time-related understanding of how to address wicked problems successfully. The article highlights how an outcome-based approach to solving wicked policy problems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy making process – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformity to the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives may not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers ... more This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policy makers a more integrated, time-related understanding of how to address wicked problems successfully. The article highlights how an outcome-based approach to solving wicked policy problems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy making process – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformity to the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives may not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
International Review of Administrative Sciences Vol. 82 No. 1, 2015
Previous research has suggested that citizen co-production of public services is more likely when... more Previous research has suggested that citizen co-production of public services is more likely when actions involved are easy and can be carried out individually rather than in groups. This paper explores whether this holds in local areas of England and Wales. It asks which people are most likely to engage in individual and collective co-production and how people can be influenced to extend their co-production efforts by participating in more collective activities. Data was collected in five areas, using citizen panels organised by local authorities. The findings demonstrate that individual and collective co-production have rather different characteristics and correlates and highlight the importance of distinguishing between them for policy purposes. In particular, collective co-production is likely to be high in relation to any given issue when citizens have a strong sense that people can make a difference (‘political self-efficacy’). ‘Nudges’ to encourage increased co-production had only a weak effect.
Points for practitioners
Much of the potential pay-off from co-production is likely to arise from group-based activities, so activating citizens to move from individual to collective co-production may be an important issue for policy. This paper shows that there is major scope for activating more collective co-production, since the level of collective co-production in which people engage is not strongly predicted by their background and can be influenced by public policy variables. ‘Nudges’ may help to encourage more collective co-production but they may need to be quite strong to succeed.
Key words
citizen activation; community co-production; co-production correlates; individual co-production; influence strategies; nudge
The Surrey County Council approach to commissioning
Services for Young People (SYP) has already ... more The Surrey County Council approach to commissioning
Services for Young People (SYP) has already achieved a national
profile. Its ambitious scope in completely decommissioning
and recommissioning relevant services and
its concentration on improved outcomes for young people
have made it a focus for attention not only for young
people’s services elsewhere but also for all public services
seeking to move to a more outcome-based approach to
commissioning services.
Governance International and INLOGOV were commissioned
by Surrey CC in February 2014 to undertake an
evaluation of the decommissioning and recommissioning
process in the period leading up to 2012, the experience of
the new services to date and the implications for the next
round of commissioning, which will start during 2014.
The evaluation is based on a meta-analysis of secondary
data supplied by the project team of SYP, supplemented
by primary data collection through interviews with key
stakeholders and collection of further documentation
from them. It has brought together evidence on how relationships
between young people, commissioners, service
providers, partners and local communities have changed
in the recommissioning process and what improvements
have been achieved to outcomes for young people and
service efficiency for Surrey County Council and its partners.
Looking overall, this evaluation has demonstrated that
the recommissioning of Services for Young People has
produced outstanding results to date. The major improvements
in outcomes include:
▪ a reduction of 60% in the number of young people who
are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) in
Surrey (so that it is now the lowest in England);
▪ a 90% successful progression to education, training or
employment from young people at risk of becoming
NEET who received support from the Year 11/12
Transition commission;
▪ a 90% reduction in first time entrants of young people
to the criminal justice system (the lowest rate of
first time entrants in England and the 7th lowest use
of custody out of all local authorities in England and
Wales);
▪ a 4% increase in young people aged 16–18 starting
apprenticeships since 2011 (in contrast to a decrease
of 14% in England during the same period) and the
fastest growing rate of apprenticeship opportunities in
England;
▪ 290 young people who presented as homeless have
been placed in safe accommodation since November
2012 and youth homelessness in Surrey is now at a
record low.
Moreover, these outcome improvements have been focused
on the priority groups of young people identified by
the council. For example, a high proportion of young people
engaged in youth centre activities are in higher need
groups – in 2012–13, 37% had SEND (Special Needs and Disabilities), 20% were NEET or re-engaging, 17% were identified at risk of NEET, 16% were Children in Need, and 200
were young people who had offended.
User and community co-production has always been important, but rarely noticed. However, there ha... more User and community co-production has always been important, but rarely noticed. However, there has recently been a movement towards seeing co-production as a key driver for improving publicly valued outcomes, e.g. through triggering behaviour change and preventing future problems. However, citizens are only willing to co-produce in a relatively narrow range of activities that are genuinely important to them and are keen that their co-production effort is not wasted by public agencies. Moreover, there are concerns that co-production may involve greater risks than professionalised service provision, although services may be quality assured more successfully through involving users and embedding them in the community. While offering potential significant improvements in outcomes, and cost savings, co-production is not resource-free. Co-production may be 'value for money', but it usually cannot produce value without money.
International Public Management Journal, 16 (1): 85 – 112 , 2013
We employ data from an original survey of citizens in the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, and the C... more We employ data from an original survey of citizens in the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic to examine correlates of citizen co-production of public services in three key policy areas: public safety, the environment, and health. The correlates of co-production we consider include demographic factors (age, gender, education, and employment status), community characteristics (urban,
non-urban), performance perceptions (how good a job government is doing), government outreach (providing information and seeking consultation), and self-efficacy
(how much of a difference citizens believe they can make). We also report on results from a series of focus groups on the topic of co-production held in each country.
Our results suggest that women and elderly citizens generally engage more often in co-production and that self-efficacy—the belief that citizens can make a difference—is an especially important determinant across sectors. Interestingly, good outcome performance (in the sense of a safe neighborhood, a clean environment, and good health) seems to discourage co-production somewhat. Thus citizens’ co-production appears to
depend in part on awareness of a shortfall in public performance on outcomes. Our results also provide some evidence that co-production is enhanced when governments
provide information or engage citizens in consultation. The specific determinants vary, however, not only by sector but across national contexts.
Public Money and Management, 27 (4): 293: 300 , 2008
This article reports the results of an intensive study of the quality of local
governance in a t... more This article reports the results of an intensive study of the quality of local
governance in a town in the UK, demonstrating how the concept of local
governance can be operationalized, presenting key findings on the quality of local
governance in the case study and suggesting that more limited, service-oriented,
performance assessment systems may be misleading
International Journal of Public Administration, 26 (8 & 9): 1 – 24, 2003
This paper compares the methodology of the ‘‘comprehensive performance assessment’’, recently pro... more This paper compares the methodology of the ‘‘comprehensive performance assessment’’, recently proposed by the Audit Commission for all UK local authorities, with the ‘‘community score-card’’ approach which has been used in the United States of America for a number of years. It suggests that the Audit Commission approach should be altered to take on board some of the more imaginative aspects of the community score-card, particularly in relation to the inclusion of those quality of life measures, which local people regard as important, and measures of the quality of local governance.
This paper analyses how different types of trust affect local government responses to different t... more This paper analyses how different types of trust affect local government responses to different types of failure, as perceived by stakeholders. The distinction between affective, conative and cognitive trust provides a powerful conceptual framework for understanding the role of trust in local government decision making.
Collection of papers on concept of co-production and case studies of co-commissioning, co-design,... more Collection of papers on concept of co-production and case studies of co-commissioning, co-design, co-delivery and co-assessment in Scotland
Much of the current discussion of user and community co-production makes strong claims for its po... more Much of the current discussion of user and community co-production makes strong claims for its potential to improve outcomes. How much is actually known about the level, drivers, and potential effects of co-production? In this article, some of the key claims made for co-production are examined and an assessment is made of how they stack up against the empirical evidence. In particular, some areas are identified in which practice must be cautious about the potential contribution of co-production, and where further research is needed.
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not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations
about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted
but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
problems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy making process – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformity to the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives may
not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young
people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations
about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted
but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
Points for practitioners
Much of the potential pay-off from co-production is likely to arise from group-based activities, so activating citizens to move from individual to collective co-production may be an important issue for policy. This paper shows that there is major scope for activating more collective co-production, since the level of collective co-production in which people engage is not strongly predicted by their background and can be influenced by public policy variables. ‘Nudges’ may help to encourage more collective co-production but they may need to be quite strong to succeed.
Key words
citizen activation; community co-production; co-production correlates; individual co-production; influence strategies; nudge
Services for Young People (SYP) has already achieved a national
profile. Its ambitious scope in completely decommissioning
and recommissioning relevant services and
its concentration on improved outcomes for young people
have made it a focus for attention not only for young
people’s services elsewhere but also for all public services
seeking to move to a more outcome-based approach to
commissioning services.
Governance International and INLOGOV were commissioned
by Surrey CC in February 2014 to undertake an
evaluation of the decommissioning and recommissioning
process in the period leading up to 2012, the experience of
the new services to date and the implications for the next
round of commissioning, which will start during 2014.
The evaluation is based on a meta-analysis of secondary
data supplied by the project team of SYP, supplemented
by primary data collection through interviews with key
stakeholders and collection of further documentation
from them. It has brought together evidence on how relationships
between young people, commissioners, service
providers, partners and local communities have changed
in the recommissioning process and what improvements
have been achieved to outcomes for young people and
service efficiency for Surrey County Council and its partners.
Looking overall, this evaluation has demonstrated that
the recommissioning of Services for Young People has
produced outstanding results to date. The major improvements
in outcomes include:
▪ a reduction of 60% in the number of young people who
are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) in
Surrey (so that it is now the lowest in England);
▪ a 90% successful progression to education, training or
employment from young people at risk of becoming
NEET who received support from the Year 11/12
Transition commission;
▪ a 90% reduction in first time entrants of young people
to the criminal justice system (the lowest rate of
first time entrants in England and the 7th lowest use
of custody out of all local authorities in England and
Wales);
▪ a 4% increase in young people aged 16–18 starting
apprenticeships since 2011 (in contrast to a decrease
of 14% in England during the same period) and the
fastest growing rate of apprenticeship opportunities in
England;
▪ 290 young people who presented as homeless have
been placed in safe accommodation since November
2012 and youth homelessness in Surrey is now at a
record low.
Moreover, these outcome improvements have been focused
on the priority groups of young people identified by
the council. For example, a high proportion of young people
engaged in youth centre activities are in higher need
groups – in 2012–13, 37% had SEND (Special Needs and Disabilities), 20% were NEET or re-engaging, 17% were identified at risk of NEET, 16% were Children in Need, and 200
were young people who had offended.
non-urban), performance perceptions (how good a job government is doing), government outreach (providing information and seeking consultation), and self-efficacy
(how much of a difference citizens believe they can make). We also report on results from a series of focus groups on the topic of co-production held in each country.
Our results suggest that women and elderly citizens generally engage more often in co-production and that self-efficacy—the belief that citizens can make a difference—is an especially important determinant across sectors. Interestingly, good outcome performance (in the sense of a safe neighborhood, a clean environment, and good health) seems to discourage co-production somewhat. Thus citizens’ co-production appears to
depend in part on awareness of a shortfall in public performance on outcomes. Our results also provide some evidence that co-production is enhanced when governments
provide information or engage citizens in consultation. The specific determinants vary, however, not only by sector but across national contexts.
governance in a town in the UK, demonstrating how the concept of local
governance can be operationalized, presenting key findings on the quality of local
governance in the case study and suggesting that more limited, service-oriented,
performance assessment systems may be misleading
not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations
about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted
but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
problems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy making process – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformity to the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives may
not be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing act between them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach are illustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help young
people with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policy development needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms, rather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectations
about the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality of life outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, because behaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for granted
but must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model and recalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcoming barriers to achieving outcomes in the system.
Points for practitioners
Much of the potential pay-off from co-production is likely to arise from group-based activities, so activating citizens to move from individual to collective co-production may be an important issue for policy. This paper shows that there is major scope for activating more collective co-production, since the level of collective co-production in which people engage is not strongly predicted by their background and can be influenced by public policy variables. ‘Nudges’ may help to encourage more collective co-production but they may need to be quite strong to succeed.
Key words
citizen activation; community co-production; co-production correlates; individual co-production; influence strategies; nudge
Services for Young People (SYP) has already achieved a national
profile. Its ambitious scope in completely decommissioning
and recommissioning relevant services and
its concentration on improved outcomes for young people
have made it a focus for attention not only for young
people’s services elsewhere but also for all public services
seeking to move to a more outcome-based approach to
commissioning services.
Governance International and INLOGOV were commissioned
by Surrey CC in February 2014 to undertake an
evaluation of the decommissioning and recommissioning
process in the period leading up to 2012, the experience of
the new services to date and the implications for the next
round of commissioning, which will start during 2014.
The evaluation is based on a meta-analysis of secondary
data supplied by the project team of SYP, supplemented
by primary data collection through interviews with key
stakeholders and collection of further documentation
from them. It has brought together evidence on how relationships
between young people, commissioners, service
providers, partners and local communities have changed
in the recommissioning process and what improvements
have been achieved to outcomes for young people and
service efficiency for Surrey County Council and its partners.
Looking overall, this evaluation has demonstrated that
the recommissioning of Services for Young People has
produced outstanding results to date. The major improvements
in outcomes include:
▪ a reduction of 60% in the number of young people who
are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) in
Surrey (so that it is now the lowest in England);
▪ a 90% successful progression to education, training or
employment from young people at risk of becoming
NEET who received support from the Year 11/12
Transition commission;
▪ a 90% reduction in first time entrants of young people
to the criminal justice system (the lowest rate of
first time entrants in England and the 7th lowest use
of custody out of all local authorities in England and
Wales);
▪ a 4% increase in young people aged 16–18 starting
apprenticeships since 2011 (in contrast to a decrease
of 14% in England during the same period) and the
fastest growing rate of apprenticeship opportunities in
England;
▪ 290 young people who presented as homeless have
been placed in safe accommodation since November
2012 and youth homelessness in Surrey is now at a
record low.
Moreover, these outcome improvements have been focused
on the priority groups of young people identified by
the council. For example, a high proportion of young people
engaged in youth centre activities are in higher need
groups – in 2012–13, 37% had SEND (Special Needs and Disabilities), 20% were NEET or re-engaging, 17% were identified at risk of NEET, 16% were Children in Need, and 200
were young people who had offended.
non-urban), performance perceptions (how good a job government is doing), government outreach (providing information and seeking consultation), and self-efficacy
(how much of a difference citizens believe they can make). We also report on results from a series of focus groups on the topic of co-production held in each country.
Our results suggest that women and elderly citizens generally engage more often in co-production and that self-efficacy—the belief that citizens can make a difference—is an especially important determinant across sectors. Interestingly, good outcome performance (in the sense of a safe neighborhood, a clean environment, and good health) seems to discourage co-production somewhat. Thus citizens’ co-production appears to
depend in part on awareness of a shortfall in public performance on outcomes. Our results also provide some evidence that co-production is enhanced when governments
provide information or engage citizens in consultation. The specific determinants vary, however, not only by sector but across national contexts.
governance in a town in the UK, demonstrating how the concept of local
governance can be operationalized, presenting key findings on the quality of local
governance in the case study and suggesting that more limited, service-oriented,
performance assessment systems may be misleading