Designing Local Public Organizations for the Introduction of an Institutional Logic of Co-creation

This paper provides new insights to introduce a conflicting institutional logic with an anticipatory approach. The aim is to identify the most suitable strategy and the organizational design in order to best prepare the introduction of a new institutional logic with as little conflicts as possible. To do so, we led an experiment research method hand in hand with public managers in order to identify potential sources of conflict, levers that can be used, and changes to conduct. We studied a specific organisational field marked by institutional complexity: a local public organization with a heavily bureaucratic functioning, and the introduction of an institutional logic of co-creation (ILCC) to build local public policies. Findings shed light on sources of conflict situated on multiple levels: the micro-level of individuals, the organization's position in the field, as well as the nature of the institutional logics themselves. Finally, the most suitable strategy is based on the design of a progressive, stratification-like introduction process for an ILCC to prevent conflicts with existing institutional logics.