Trust is an essential part of a legitimate political system. Based on data collected among Norwegian citizens, this article investigates the effects on trust in local politicians by influence on versus satisfaction with local services. The theoretical base for the article is the two differing theories which argue that citizens either regard themselves as consumers or citizens of (local) government. The article argues that people, when evaluating trust towards local politics, tend to apply consumer-oriented factors to a greater extent than citizen-oriented factors. However, we do not find support for a claim that customer-oriented factors have replaced citizen-oriented factors as such. Thus we argue that the two considerations appear to be complimentary rather than mutually exclusive.
This article explores whether co-creation offers a viable path for the public sector. After an initial account of the transformation of the public sector from a legal authority and a service provider to an arena of co-creation, it defines co-creation and provides some empirical examples. This is followed by a discussion of the risks and benefits of co-creation as well as the drivers and barriers that may stimulate or hamper its expansion. The article also reflects on how institutional design, public leadership, and systemic change can advance co-creation. The conclusion summarizes the findings by setting out some researchable propositions.
ABSTRACTPartnerships between public and private actors have a long history in Europe and USA. More recently, however, we have been witnessing an extensive use of these instruments, an increasing number of the purposes for which they are used, and a growing ambition to create more stable interactions, e.g. by institutionalizing partnerships as mixed companies. From a democratic perspective this development potentially creates problems in terms of steering and accountability. Questions can be raised about the extent to which partnerships will promote the public interest and defend collective interests. The particular difficulties of mixed companies arise, we argue, from their combining two features. One is the shift in values and the increased acceptance of private‐sector values following from the New Public Management reform wave. The second is the way these structures become institutionalized, locking in the value set and making reaction to any changes in social need. The core argument of this article is that the combined effect of these two features represents a significant weakening of public value in mixed companies.
Compte tenu de l'accent de plus en plus grand mis sur l'exécution et les résultats en tant que sources de légitimité pour le gouvernement local, que pensent les politiciens et les agents de l'État des canaux classiques, basés sur les contributions, qui permettent aux citoyens d'influencer le gouvernement par rapport aux possibilités d'influencer la fonction publique basées sur la performance et les résultats ? Dans le présent article, nous comparons les opinions des politiciens et des fonctionnaires locaux dans les autorités locales norvégiennes et suédoises à propos de ces questions. Notre analyse s'appuie sur un ensemble de données recueillies auprès des responsables politiques et administratifs au sein des autorités locales norvégiennes et suédoises. Nous comparons également un secteur de services dans lequel la réforme de la gestion publique a été importante (services aux aînés) avec un autre secteur de services où la réglementation et le maintien de l'ordre l'emportent (aménagement du territoire et construction). Notre analyse indique qu'il existe pas mal de points communs entre les opinions des politiciens et celles des bureaucrates, même si les premiers accordent plus d'importance que les bureaucrates aux canaux d'influence basés sur les contributions et au flux de production. Remarques à l'intention des praticiens La réforme de la gestion publique offre aux clients de nouveaux moyens d'influencer le service public en s'adressant directement aux fournisseurs de ces services plutôt qu'en passant par les canaux politiques classiques. Dans le présent article, nous étudions ce que pensent les politiciens et les fonctionnaires des municipalités norvégiennes et suédoises des moyens (classiques et nouveaux) dont disposent les clients pour influencer la prestation de service. Nous comparons également les secteurs des services où ce choix est vaste avec ceux où le choix est nettement plus limité. D'une manière générale, nous constatons que les politiciens ont tendance à privilégier les canaux politiques conventionnels pour l'influence des clients, alors que les agents de l'État portent un regard plus positif sur les clients qui s'adressent à l'échelon exécutif de l'autorité locale.
Given the increasing emphasis on delivery and output as a source of legitimacy for local government, how do politicians and civil servants perceive conventional, input-based channels for citizens' influence on government in relationship to performance and output-oriented opportunities to influence public service? This article compares the attitudes of senior local politicians and civil servants in Norwegian and Swedish local authorities on these issues. The analysis draws on a data set collected among political and administrative leaders in Norwegian and Swedish local authorities. We also compare a service sector where public management reform has been extensive (care of the elderly) with a service sector where regulation and law enforcement dominates (planning and construction). The analysis suggests that there is a significant similarity between politicians' and bureaucrats' attitudes, although politicians accord greater importance to input-based channels of influence and to throughput than do bureaucrats.Points for practitionersPublic management reform provides a new channel for clients to influence public service directly through the providers of those services and not through conventional political channels. This article studies how politicians and public servants in Norwegian and Swedish municipalities evaluate conventional and new channels for clients to influence service delivery. We also compare service sectors where such choice is extensive with areas where choice is much more constrained. Overall, we find that politicians tend to favor conventional political channels for clients' influence whereas public servants take a more positive view of clients approaching the executive side of the local authority.
