Lessons from a Black Swan: professionals in local co-production prior to and during Covid-19

• Date: 22 May 2024
• Pages: 692-711
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-06-2023-0198
• Published date: 22 May 2024
• Subject Matter: Public policy & environmental management,Politics,Public adminstration & management
• Author: Anna Uster

Lessons from a Black Swan:

professionals in local

co-production prior to and

during Covid-19

Anna Uster

The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Emek Yezreel, Israel

Abstract

Purpose –This study examines co-production during the Covid-19 crisis, characterized as a Black Swan

event, with a specific emphasis on local professionals’preparedness and response.

Design/methodology/approach –A qualitative approach combining deductive and inductive approaches

was employed to gather data from professional coordinators of co-production processes in Israeli local

governments. The study utilizes professionalism theory as a framework to examine such key elements as

professional knowledge, autonomy, status and legitimacy. Additionally, open coding is used to investigate

emerging themes.

Findings –The findings reveal that, despite preventive efforts by the central government, local professionals

were unprepared to address the crisis. Traditional top-down approaches failed during the crisis, emphasizing

the need for peer learning and collaboration among various stakeholders. Professionals’de facto autonomy,

driven by quick decision-making and creative problem-solving,elevated their legitimacy and status. Inter- and

intra-organizational collaboration was essential to maintain performance through co-producing public

services. Finally, multicultural awareness proved vital; neglecting this may have severe consequences in

routine times but especially during crises.

Research limitations/implications –Using qualitative research, this study emphasizes the importance of

understanding context in interpreting thoughts and actions. However, our approach has limitations.

We collected data at a single point in time, which may not capture changes over time. Additionally, we relied on

self-reporting from 19 public professionals in local municipalities, each managing the coproduction-based

center within the respective municipality. However, this setup, where a single coordinator represents the entire

co-production function of the municipality, has its limitations as only one voice is heard.

Practical implications –By shedding light on the multifaceted aspects of co-production, policymakers and

professionals could learn about such substantial factors as professionals’autonomy, inter-organizational

collaborations and sensitivity to cultural nuances, which should be established first and foremost in routine

times to prepare for crisis. In our case study, governmental preventive measures were inapplicable to crises,

and experience of prior crises did not necessarily bestow an ability to prepare accordingly. This is where the

role of the street-level professionals becomes significant: these are the actors who experience the crisis on the

ground and may provide a quick and effective response. Their ability to take the reins, to be innovative and to

generate knowledge while exerting their own professional consideration, proved extremely important.

Originality/value –This research contributes to our understanding of public service professionals’effective

leveraging of the contributions of co-producers in times of crisis. It shifts focus from top-down policy

preparedness and implementation to the development of appropriate organizational structures and active and

routine stakeholder engagement, thereby enhancing preparedness for crises.

Keywords Professionals, Co-production, Digital platforms, Covid-19, Black Swan perspective

Paper type Original article

IJPSM

37,5

692

The author would like to express his sincere gratitude to his colleague Prof. Trui Steen, from Public

Governance Institute, KU Leuven, for her invaluable assistance and contributions to this research paper.

Her insights and support have been instrumental in shaping this work.

Grant support information: This research was supported by the committee of research and scientific

activities of the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College.

Competing interests: The author declares that they have no conflict of interest.

Data will be made available on reasonable request.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/0951-3558.htm

Received 25 June 2023

Revised 11 October 2023

19 December 2023

19 February 2024

Accepted 9 April 2024

International Journal of Public

Sector Management

Vol. 37 No. 5, 2024

pp. 692-711

© Emerald Publishing Limited

0951-3558

DOI 10.1108/IJPSM-06-2023-0198

Introduction

The Covid-19 epidemic may be considered a so-called Black Swan event, defined as

something unpredictable to the observer, involving major consequences, and rationalized

after the fact as if it could have been expected (Taleb, 2010). The Covid-19 outbreak

destabilized normal government functioning and challenged the behavior of political

authorities, public agencies and the citizenry (Boin et al., 2020). One particularly significant

challenge lay in the immediate need to provide public services addressing the variety of

requirements among those demographic groups which fell into economic crisis, isolation and

distress. The crisis required prompt responses to prevent social or political breakdown

(Maher et al., 2020), especially at the local level. During the Covid-19 crisis, co-production of

social services evolved into an even more significant phenomenon (Steen and Brandsen, 2020)

as local government experienced severe damage to public organizations, including its ability

to continue offering a range of essential social services. Furthermore, the crisis contained an

element of turbulence characterized by a lack of relevant knowledge, information and

experience, potentially undermining the position of professionals within local government

(Alcadipani et al., 2020;Dunlop et al., 2020). This highlighted the challenge, especially among

government personnel in the context of co-production, of maintaining and strengthening

citizen involvement as co-producers.

Grandori (2020, p. 495), however, offered the proviso that “not all black swans are equally

black and effective responses are likely to vary accordingly”. Responses frequently depend

on the ability of agencies to prepare proactively, including inter alia coordinating the

existence of relevant knowledge together with material and organizational resources (Taleb,

2010) and arranging for the availability of specialized and competent staff prior to the crisis

(Grandori, 2020). Our research, therefore, investigates ways in which a Black Swan event like

the Covid-19 crisis influenced the perceptions of local professionals involved in co-production

process with respect to their preparedness. Accordingly, our research question asks: to what

extent did local professionals involved in co-production of local services perceive their

preparedness prior to Covid-19 and how did this impact their subsequent responses in the co-

production context?

To address this research question, we utilize the Professionalism Framework (cf. Evetts,

2011,2014). This framework addresses different methods of organizing work and workers,

the nature of their work in service delivery, together with the conflicts and interests

associated with professional occupations. Studying different elements of the framework,

such as the role of knowledge and professional autonomy, status and legitimacy, enables an

examination of the extent of professional preparedness and response to crisis in local

government. The Evetts Professionalism Framework (Evetts, 2011,2014) is utilized to

explore the intricacies of local coordinators’professional behaviors within various co-

production scenarios; it serves as a valuable lens through which to view the organization of

work, the nature of professional roles in service delivery, and the inherent conflicts and

interests within and above professional occupations.

Specific elements within this framework, such as knowledge, professional autonomy,

status and legitimacy, provide a comprehensive platform for assessing the preparedness and

responses of local government professionals engaged in co-production processes during

crises, particularly the challenging landscape of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our primary

objective is to comprehend their operational mechanisms within the realm of co-production.

It’s important to note that our research does not aim to scrutinize their roles in relation to co-

producers, nor does it focus on their attitudes toward citizens and third-sector organizations

involved in co-production endeavors. We acknowledge the continued importance of specific

knowledge, expertise and a degree of autonomy for individuals actively involved in providing

essential public services. In line with Steen and Tuurnas’s perspective (2018), our research

delves into the professional dimension of co-production, extending beyond conventional roles

International

Journal of Public

Sector

Management

693