Co-producing national defense? Strategic considerations for spontaneous volunteer involvement

Purpose This study aims to explore the concept of co-production within the context of national defense, with a specific focus on spontaneous, informal volunteering, a phenomenon highlighted by experiences from the ongoing war in Ukraine. More specifically, the study sought to deepen understanding of the strategic approaches identified in previous research that can be employed to co-produce national defense with spontaneous volunteers, as well as the tensions associated with these approaches. Design/methodology/approach This study, conducted in Finland, is based on interviews with 17 key informants, including public authorities, military officials, NGO representatives, and spontaneous volunteers who mobilized in response to the war in Ukraine. Findings The study identifies four strategic options for co-producing national defense with spontaneous volunteers: integrate, restrict, channel, and enable. Preparedness planning for spontaneous volunteers also emerged as an overarching and essential strategic approach. The findings emphasize that the selection of a specific option is inherently context-dependent, influenced by factors such as whether the volunteering involves armed or non-armed activities and the readiness and capacity of the official system to defend the nation during a conflict. The study highlights the inclusion/exclusion paradox, the critical yet fragile nature of trust, and fundamental challenges in co-production, including inequalities in access to and sharing of information – challenges that are further intensified in the context of warfare. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited body of research that integrates co-production, spontaneous volunteering, and national defense within an administrative sciences context.