Neutralized, enhanced, tokenistic: The influence of formal employment of service‐users on processes of co‐production

Autor: Trishna Chauhan, Charlotte Croft, Dimitrios Spyridonidis
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
ISSN: 1467-9299
0033-3298
DOI: 10.1111/padm.12839
Popis: Can formally employing service-users in co-production roles redress the problematic power imbalances inhibiting co-production in the public sector? In this paper we analyze service-users formally employed in co-production roles. Through semi-structured interviews we illustrate how actors use their voice, experience and identity to respond to different power imbalances. First, through the process of ‘inverting professionalism’ structural limitations resulted in neutralized co-production. Second, through the process of ‘embedding expertise’ formally employed service-users challenged collective expectations of their role and meditated power imbalances, resulting in enhanced co-production. Finally, through the process of ‘perpetuating rejection’ a new exacerbated power imbalance emerged when their employment became a negative resource, resulting in tokenistic co-production. We extend understandings of how formally employing service-users has potential to redress power imbalances. However, we caution against policy taking this for granted, and argue that more consideration of the influence of different forms of power is needed.\ud \ud
Databáze: OpenAIRE