Resolving the unintended consequences of collective co-production through group co-production: a case study in Shanghai

Co-production is an important approach to enhance service resilience in disaster response. Based on evidence from self-organized groups for people with disabilities in Shanghai, this study distinguishes collective and group co-production and explores the tension between them. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, collective co-production in the form of compulsory epidemic prevention measures led to unintended consequences: government-organized NGOs and independent NGOs were forced to close offices, discontinuing formal social services for people with disabilities. In contrast, as a type of group co-production, self-organized groups played an indispensable role in restoring service resilience by providing material and consultation services through online and offline approaches. The study contributes to co-production literature by unveiling the tension and relationship between collective and group co-production and offers guidance for governments to promote self-organized groups to improve emergency management capacity.