Collaborative Innovation for Vulnerable Communities: Unpacking the Mediating Pathways of Accessibility and Social Participation in Public Service Innovation

Abstract

This study examines how accessibility and social participation mediate the relationship between Collaborative Public Service Innovation (CPSI) and the quality of life of vulnerable communities. Previous studies have largely assumed a direct link between public service innovation and community wellbeing, providing limited evidence on the mechanisms through which innovation produces meaningful outcomes. Addressing this gap, the study adopts the CPSI framework to explain how collaborative innovation translates into improved quality of life through accessible and participatory public services. Survey data were collected from 271 respondents across five sub-districts in Malang, Indonesia. Twelve indicators were measured using a structured questionnaire. Ordinal data were transformed into interval scores using the Method of Successive Interval (MSI) before multiple regression analysis in SPSS. The results show that CPSI improves quality of life only indirectly through accessibility and social participation. Accessibility is the stronger mediator, highlighting the importance of inclusive infrastructure, communication, and service delivery, while social participation provides a complementary contribution by strengthening community engagement. CPSI has no significant direct effect on quality of life, indicating that collaborative innovation alone is insufficient without effective implementation mechanisms. The study advances an accessibility-centered administration perspective by demonstrating that accessibility and participation are essential pathways linking collaborative innovation to community wellbeing. These findings provide practical guidance for designing more inclusive public service policies for vulnerable populations.