Realizing public values in the co-production of public services: the effect of efficacy and trust on coping with public values conflicts

Co-production aims to better realize public values such as participation and service quality. However, scholars have recently reported undesired effects of co-production for realizing public values. This article argues that co-producers' coping strategies followed when experiencing public values conflicts codetermine value realization or obstruction. Survey data taken from temporary co-producers in Flanders are examined to test the effects of self-efficacy, perceived impact and trust on individual coping using a multinomial regression analysis. The analysis finds perceived impact to affect respondents' choice of coping strategies. Furthermore, the article offers a model for future studies of individual coping with value conflicts.