Key factors driving the co-creation of collaborative improvement and innovation in rural development ecosystems

Purpose This study explores how co-creation supports collaborative improvement and innovation within rural development ecosystems. It investigates the conditions that enable co-creation, focusing on the interplay between structure, process, engagement and motivation. By analyzing two contrasting village cases in Sweden, the study contributes to understanding how co-creation develops over time in complex, resource-constrained, multi-actor settings. Design/methodology/approach A multisite qualitative case study investigated the start-up of two local development planning processes facilitated by the municipality and financed through the EU's LEADER program. Data included semi-structured interviews, participant observations and document analysis. Thematic analysis identified key enabling factors. Findings Two interrelated categories proved central to enabling co-creation: (1) structure and process (e.g. facilitation, time, credibility, frameworks, resources) and (2) engagement and motivation (e.g. trust, leadership, commitment, external threats, sense of impact). While formal structures provided legitimacy and direction, sustained collaboration depended on voluntary engagement driven by intrinsic motivation and reinforced by trust and early successes. A key insight is the need to move beyond project-based models toward embedding co-creation as an ongoing practice within ecosystems. Research limitations/implications Findings are context-specific but offer transferable insights. Future research should examine long-term co-creation mechanisms across diverse cultural and institutional settings. Originality/value This study contributes to service design, quality management and collaborative governance by showing how co-creation can be sustained in rural ecosystems. It highlights the relational nature of engagement and provides practical guidance for embedding co-creation as a continuous, adaptive practice.