Existing research indicates positive effects of citizen coproduction, i.e. citizen contribution of input to public service production, on service performance and citizenship (Ostrom 1996; Bovaird 2007; Brudney 1984). Many public organizations share this understanding of the citizen input as important and increasingly try to invite and motivate citizens to contribute with input. However, if and when such motivation cues are effective, we do not know. This paper presents the theoretical background and the research design of an upcoming field experiment that aims to test the effect of such motivation cues placed in written service information distributed to service users. The experiment is conducted in cooperation with the local municipality in Aarhus, Denmark. The motivation cues are placed in performance information that is distributed to parents and teachers of school children on a bi-annual basis. Hence, the information is provided to the users by the local government as it normally would be. Through a random assignment procedure, the parents are placed in either a treatment group that receives the motivation cues in addition to the performance information or a control group that just receives the performance information. The effect of the treatment on parents’ motivation to contribute with input is evaluated by a follow-up survey.
References:
Bovaird, Tony. 2007. Beyond engagement and participation: User and community coproduction of public services. Public Administration Review: 846-860.
Brudney, Jeffrey L. 1984. Local Coproduction of Services and the Analysis of Municipal Productivity. Urban Affairs Review 19: 465-484.
Ostrom, Elinor. 1996. Crossing the great divide: Coproduction, synergy, and development. World Development 24: 1073-1087.
