Application of ICT in the co production of social services

Abstract

Aim/purpose – The purpose of this article was to identify the information and commu- nication technology (ICT) tools fostering the co-production of social services, acknowl- edging that the technological environment is an important contextual condition enhanc- ing the development of co-production. Design/methodology/approach – The method used was systematic literature review (SLR). Findings – As a result of the review, the catalog of solutions and tools offered by infor- mation and communication technologies was presented. The results of the research car- ried out indicate that the co-production of social services is favored by the use of such ICT tools as mobile applications, crowdsourcing, open data, big data, real-time data collection and analysis, gamification, and social media. Research implications/limitations – The main implication of the research is the com- prehensive catalog of ICT tools that can be used to facilitate social service co-production. ICT tools also favor the emergence of new forms of co-production; there-fore, the acquaintance of these tools can accelerate this process. The study is constrained by sev- eral limitations. The study is constrained by several limitations. First, applied methodol- ogy, which is qualitative, analyzes secondary data. Second, the co-production in the social services area includes many and various services, and ICT application and impact can differ by specific type of service. Originality/value/contribution – This paper contributes to research on the co-production of social services, particularly in terms of the use of new technologies in this process, in two ways. First, the development of the catalog of ICT tools favoring social service co-production. Their application fosters the involvement of contextual actors, increasing the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of social services. In this way, the social service co-production contributes to better addressing the citizens’ needs, increasing their quality of life and well-being, and unleashing their potential. Second, by taking the PSL perspective and situating factors favoring co-production within a service ecosystem framework, this paper draws attention to public value emerging from new relations, extensive dialogue, delibera- tion, common arrangements, and collaborative activity in virtual communities. Keywords: co-production, public services, social services, public management, ICT. JEL Classification: H41, H83, O33, O35, Z18.