Co-production as a driver of client satisfaction with public service organizations: an analysis of German day-care centres

This paper investigates the effects of co-production on satisfaction with public service organizations (PSOs) in a day-care setting. Based on a survey of parents from Germany, this paper validates the effects of economic, political, and social participation on satisfaction and considers the level of information, person-organization fit, and structural quality as mediating variables. Mediation analysis shows significant and positive indirect effects of political and social co-production on satisfaction. In contrast, economic co-production has no effect on client satisfaction. Based on the findings and the study's limitations, this paper delineates practical implications and avenues for future research.