ICT-based co-production of public services: Citizen action for societal resilience at times of war in Ukraine

Public administration literature typically studies co-production in the conditions of peace. Yet, growing body of literature suggests that Ukraine's remarkable resilience at least in part can be explained by co-production. This paradigm shift, caused by the war, involves citizens deploying their resources, expertise, and insights in concert with government entities to address public challenges effectively and fill the gap that is not covered by traditional government services. Therefore, we pose the following research questions. How does the use of ICT during the war affect the co-production of public services? Under what conditions does ICT use for the co-production of public services bolster societal resilience in war circumstances? To address them, this paper examines co-production under war conditions in Ukraine, unpacking the transformative potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), drawing on a case study from the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. The study is framed within the co-production theory, reimagining public service creation as a collaborative endeavor where citizens transcend the traditional roles of recipients and customers to become active, contributing partners. Our conceptual framework adapts the original approach Blanchet et al (2017) and Lebel et al (2006) that models the relations between attributes of co-production arrangements and the capacity to manage resilience. Methodologically, we pursue a mixed methods approach. It combines desk research for mapping the existing co-production initiatives in the region and in-depth expert interviews to identify the patterns of co-production and the factors contributing to societal resilience during the war. Utilizing Linders' (2012) typology, which outlines the variability in citizen co-production initiatives, we classify the 35 cases of ICT-facilitated C2C (Citizen-to-Citizen) services reflecting the three modes (co-design, co-delivery, and co-monitoring) in the Dnipropetrovsk region during 2022-2023. Such an approach identifies a more holistic and participatory role for citizens in the ideation, design, and realisation of public service solutions. It highlights a pivotal shift towards a governance model that is more inclusive and cooperative, where citizen engagement is not just beneficial but essential for the effective provision of services. This is especially critical in building the resilience of communities during crises, underlining the importance of collaborative efforts in navigating and overcoming challenges.