Understanding Drivers and Challenges of Multi-actor Collaborations at the Local Level

In a world increasingly characterized by complexity and ambiguity, problem solving is often achieved through collaboration among multiple actors in multi-level settings, involving national, state, and local agencies. Yet, our knowledge is limited in terms of the drivers and challenges of collaborations that require both inter-organizational collaboration and collaboration with citizens. Using a case study of the development of a mobile app for emergency preparedness and response, this study explores key drivers and challenges of multi-actor collaboration at the local level. Our results show that local leadership and direct communication are key drivers for both inter-organizational collaboration and collaboration with citizens and that political dynamics are a challenge regarding inter-organizational collaboration. The two types of collaboration become distinct and independent processes while they complement each other to achieve the purpose and goals shared among different actors

Does Co-Creation Affect the Adoption of IT-Enabled Solutions? The Case of a Mobile Application for Emergency Preparedness

Co-creation has been increasingly advocated by both scholars and practitioners in the public sector to enable the development of information technologies driven by citizens’ needs. Despite other potential advantages, it is not clear whether co-creation actually influences the adoption of IT-enabled solutions. The current knowledge about the effects of co-creation processes in the public sector is especially limited in non-urban environments. Based on a case study of the development of a mobile app for emergency preparedness and response in a rural town, the results of this study show that citizens play an important role in co-creation by identifying unique challenges for using the app. Local leadership plays a key role in the recruiting of participants, while professionals’ facilitation and openness are key during the co-designing of the app. Overall, the co-creation process increased citizens’ perceived ease of use and facilitated their adoption of the app