Policy instruments, Administrative Burden and Residents' Willingness in Co-production

Residents’ willingness to engage in co-production is closely tied to policy interventions, yet the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain insufficiently explored. Taking household waste sorting as the observation subject, This study investigates the relationships among policy instruments, administrative burden, and residents' willingness to engage in co-production, with a specific focus on analyzing the mediating role of administrative burden. Using a survey experiment method, this study yields three key findings. First, residents' willingness to participate in different types of co-production varies, exhibiting a gradual decline from passive compliance and active compliance to co-design, co-assessment, and co-delivery. Second, the effects of policy instruments on residents' co-production willingness differ significantly: information publicity tools are the most effective; incentive tools only positively influence active compliance; while prohibitive and directive tools show no significant impact. Third, administrative burden plays a mediating role in the impact of policy instruments on residents' willingness to co-produce. Both information publicity and incentive policy instruments can enhance residents' willingness to engage in co-production by reducing their administrative burden. Governments and communities should fully account for the influence of administrative burden, rationally adjust policy instruments, lower residents’ compliance costs, and mobilize residents in a targeted manner to engage in the co-production of public services.