Continuing the development of the public service logic: a study of value co-destruction in public services

Abstract

This paper reports on a study of value co-destruction in public services, i.e. diminishment of value by interaction between providers, users, and other actors. The goal is to contribute to the public service logic (PSL) that suggest a shift from linear co-production to dynamic value co-creation. However, PSL has devoted scant attention to value co-destruction. The paper contributes by identifying four dimensions representing causes of value co-destruction in public services. The paper also shows how value may be co-destroyed in the interaction between several types of actors, thus advancing a service ecosystems perspective for understanding value co-destruction.