The Public and Its Problems in Government Institutions: From Customer Orientation to Co-Production of Services

The interaction between citizens ("the public") and government institutions evolves from the paternalistic model of "petitioner-official" to the paradigm of "customer-centricity" and further to the concept of "co-production" (co-production) of public services. Solving the public's problems today is a complex process requiring the restructuring of institutions, the introduction of technologies, and a change in management culture.

The Evolution of Perception of the Public: From Object to Partner

Passive beneficiary (traditional model). The citizen is an object of administrative influence, receiving a standardized service by order. His opinion and experience are not taken into account.

Customer (New Public Management, 1980s-2000s). Under the influence of market approaches, the citizen has become regarded as a consumer of public services. The focus has shifted to convenience, speed, and quality of service. Service standards have appeared, MFCs ("one window"), satisfaction ratings. However, the essence remained reactive: the institution responds to the request but does not involve the citizen in creating the service.

Partner in co-production (modern Public Governance paradigm). Citizens and communities are recognized as active agents possessing unique knowledge, experience, and resources for joint solution of public problems. The task of the institution is to create an environment for such partnership.

Key Public Problems and Institutional Responses

1. The problem of complexity and opacity ("where to run and what to sign?").

Answer: Digitization and the "One Window 2.0" principle.

Example — Estonia and X-Road: The citizen enters data once (the Once-Only principle), and the system itself distributes them between departments. A social allowance application can be automatically checked for compliance with criteria using data from registers of income, property, and family composition.

The Russian Federation's state services portal: Consolidation of hundreds of services in one point of access, which has drastically reduced transaction costs for citizens.

2. The problem of dehumanization and ignoring context ("they don't hear me").

Answer: Personalization and proactive services.

Example — Singapore, the "LifeSG" platform: Based on data about age, family, place of residence, the application itself offers the user relevant services and support (enrollment in a kindergarten, tax benefits, programs for the elderly). The institution anticipates the need.

Service Design: A methodology implemented in advanced government agencies (for example, in the UK — Government Digital Service). The institution studies the user's journey (user journey) from awareness of the problem to its resolution, identifying and eliminating "pain points." The design of the service is created with the participation of future users.

3. The problem of collective, "uncomfortable" issues (amenities, ecology, territorial development).

Answer: Participatory practices and co-production.

Example — the "Decidim" platform in Barcelona ("Decide"): Allows not only to vote for proposals but also to collectively develop, comment on, track the budget, and implementation stages. Citizens become co-authors of urban policies.

Participatory Budgeting: From practices in Porto Alegre (Brazil) to Russian cities. Part of the municipal budget is distributed according to the proposals and voting of residents. This turns the public from passive critics into responsible co-managers.

4. The problem of feedback and the feeling of uselessness of complaints.

Answer: Digital feedback tools with an obligatory feedback loop.

Moscow's "Our City" platform: Allows you to report problems in the city with geolocation and photos. The request receives a number, the status of its consideration is publicly tracked, and the result (filled pothole, removed waste) is fixed. The key is "closing the feedback loop": the citizen sees that his signal led to a change.

Analysis of the tone of appeals using NLP (Natural Language Processing): Allows you to identify systemic problems and moods in a mass of complaints, not just respond to each individually.

Challenges and Risks of New Approaches

Digital inequality: Deepening the gap between those who can effectively use digital channels and vulnerable groups (elderly, low-income, illiterate). The solution requires maintaining and modernizing offline channels.

Tokenism: The risk of turning participation into a formality when authorities simulate dialogue but do not consider its results. Transparency rules and the obligation to account for decisions made with the participation of the public are necessary for trust.

Data overload and responsibility: Over-involvement may lead to citizen fatigue and shifting responsibility from professional government agencies to non-professional activists.

Data ethics: Proactive and personalized services require processing large volumes of personal data, which creates risks for privacy and requires the highest standards of protection.

Fact: The "IKEA" Effect in Public Administration

The psychological phenomenon known as the "IKEA effect" (people value more what they have created themselves) works in the public sector as well. Studies show that citizens involved in co-production of services (such as in the discussion of park design) demonstrate a higher level of satisfaction with the result and trust in the authorities, even if the final decision does not fully coincide with their initial preferences. Value is created by the process of co-participation.

Conclusion: From Problem Solving to Creating Opportunities

The modern government institution oriented towards the public no longer just becomes a "problem solver" by request. It becomes a platform and a facilitator, creating conditions under which citizens and communities can effectively solve their problems with the support of the state.

Successful interaction is built on three principles:

Accessibility and simplicity: Elimination of bureaucratic barriers through digitalization and process redesign.

Dialogue and involvement: Creating institutional channels for meaningful participation where the voice of the public affects decisions.

Trust and transparency: Ensuring predictability, accountability, and respect for the data and time of the citizen.

The future of an effective state lies in the ability to combine the power of technology (for personalization and efficiency) with the wisdom of the crowd (for legitimacy and innovation of decisions). The public stops being an external element whose problems need to be "solved"; it becomes an integral part of the management system, and its activity becomes the main resource for the development of public goods. In this transition from the "state for the people" model to the "state with the people" model — the key to improving both the quality of services and public satisfaction.

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