When Coproduction Meets Professionalism: Toward a Conceptual Framework for Understanding Challenges of Lay Input

Original

When Coproduction Meets Professionalism: Toward a Conceptual Framework for Understanding Challenges of Lay Input

Rikke Kolding

Abstract

ABSTRACT Coproduction is an established element in public service provision, linked to positive outcomes such as increased service quality and quantity. Realizing these outcomes requires skills and motivation from street‐level professionals and lay actors alike. Nevertheless, research has long questioned professionals' willingness to engage in coproduction because lay input challenges their professionalism. However, existing research often treats lay input as a uniform, challenging factor, overlooking the possibility that professionals may perceive it differently depending on the interaction. To respond to these challenges more effectively, the article develops a conceptual framework addressing the research question: When do street‐level professionals perceive lay input as a challenge to their professionalism? The article studies coproduction in the design phase, particularly the active input of clients in interactions with street‐level professionals. It identifies three key aspects of interactions that influence the extent to which lay input challenges professionalism: the type of, need for, and communication of lay input. Contrary to the existing literature, the findings highlight that different forms of input exist within interactions that vary in how much they challenge professionalism. These findings are based on an interpretive ethnographic study conducted in two Danish daycare centers, comprising 58 semi‐structured interviews with childcare professionals and parents and 42 days of participant observation. The case serves as an informative case due to the extensive coproduction related to core pedagogical matters. The article informs targeted professional training, managerial practices, and flexible policy frameworks that help professionals anticipate, interpret, and integrate lay input more effectively.