The Public and Its Problems in Government Institutions: From Customer Orientation to Co-Production of Services The interaction between citizens ("the public") and government institutions evolves from the paternalistic model of "petitioner-official" to the paradigm of "customer-centricity" and further to the concept of "co-production" (co-production) of public services. Solving the public's problems today is a complex process requiring the restructuring of institutions, the introduction of technologies, and a change in management culture. The Evolution of Perception of the Public: From Object to Partner Passive beneficiary (traditional model). The citizen is an object of administrative influence, receiving a standardized service by order. His opinion and experience are not taken into account. Customer (New Public Management, 1980s-2000s). Under the influence of market approaches, the citizen has become regarded as a consumer of public services. The focus has shifted to convenience, speed, and quality of service. Service standards have appeared, MFCs ("one window"), satisfaction ratings. However, the essence remained reactive: the institution responds to the request but does not involve the citizen in creating the service. Partner in co-production (modern Public Governance paradigm). Citizens and communities are recognized as active agents possessing unique knowledge, experience, and resources for joint solution of public problems. The task of the institution is to create an environment for such partnership. Key Public Problems and Institutional Responses 1. The problem of complexity and opacity ("where to run and what to sign?"). Answer: Digitization and the "One Window 2.0" principle. Example — Estonia and X-Road: The citizen enters data once (the Once-Only principle), and the system itself distributes them between departments. A social allowance application can be automatically checked for compliance with criteria using data from registers of income, property, and ... Read more