The Relationship of the Public Sector and Citizens – Co-production in Polish Local Government Units. Empirical Study on Forty-One Units Forming Metropolis GZM

Abstract

The concept of co-production offers a solution to some of the challenges facing modern societies. It provides an original model for relationship building and a platform for initiating and managing the practicalities between the state and citizenry. When scaled down to the local level, co-production takes on a special role, i.e., public administration liaises directly with citizens through public services. Subsequently, there is value to be gained in observing how co-production develops in this domain. The main purpose of this article is to present the findings regarding the potential co-production has in the implementation of three types of local civic initiatives (Participatory Budget, Local Initiative, Village Fund), all of which may be optionally undertaken in Polish local governments. The empirical basis for this study is the author’s research, conducted in forty-one cities and towns forming one of Polish metropolis GZM.