How Were Governance Pathways Formed for Public Service Co‐Production? A Contingency Perspective

ABSTRACT This study addresses the under‐theorized formation of specific co‐production arrangements by exploring governance pathway formation. Using 76 community regeneration projects in Shanghai, we identify a parsimonious two‐level typology: State‐led co‐production (comprising sub‐type A: state as operator and sub‐type B: non‐state as operator ) and Citizen‐led co‐production (comprising sub‐type C: volunteers as operator and sub‐type D: users as operator ). Findings reveal pathway emergence is contingent upon configurations of providers' capabilities, citizen empowerment, political leadership, and public service characteristics, reflecting logics associated with Neo‐Weberian State, New Public Management, and New Public Governance paradigms. The study shifts focus from static lists to dynamic governance pathways by proposing a configurational contingency framework that explains how governance logics are activated by specific contextual conditions.