Investigating Effects of Co-creation on Outcomes of Public Service Innovation – A Comparative Analysis at the National and Local Government Level in Norway

Abstract

Co-creation in public service innovation is a prominent research field, but few have empirically investigated its effect on the outcomes of innovation. This paper contributes with empirical-based knowledge on the effect of participatory user involvement and other user-oriented methods on public innovation outcomes in different contexts. By employing qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) based on a survey of innovation activities of Norwegian public administration agencies, this article identifies several configurations for local and national authorities that lead to successful service innovations. The main finding suggests a positive relationship between user input and positive effects on service outcomes. However, local and national government levels differ regarding the use of input factors and methods of user involvement. The study contributes to our understanding of the effect of co-creation in different contexts and provides insights into when and how co-creation with users is a useful tool in public service innovation.