Organizing for co-production: the role of leadership cultures

As scholars and practitioners increasingly focus on co-production, they raise questions about its sustainability. Consequently, research has turned towards understanding what enables and hinders co-production within organizations, including a focus on leaders. Building on this work, we argue for a broader focus on how wider leadership can impact co-production. We examine this through six case sites and identify the importance of leadership cultures to embedding co-production within public service organizations. Specifically, our findings highlight the need for a ‘Goldilocks’ leadership culture that balances hierarchy and emergence.