Participatory Budgeting as a Contemporary Tool of Organisational Listening to the Needs of Residents

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the article is to analyse participatory budgeting as a tool of organisational listening to the needs of residents in Polish cities with county rights. The study focuses on how this mechanism enables local government institutions to obtain feedback from citizens and use it in decision-making processes. The article formulates three research questions aimed at understanding the impact of civic budget on social dialogue, city
development, as well as its role and prospective growing influence in urban policies.

Research Design & Methods: The study involved an analysis of the functioning of participatory budgeting as an organisational listening tool in Polish voivodeship (provincial capital) cities that hold the status of cities with county rights. This analysis was supplemented by an evaluation of the contents of communications published by city offices in digital media, as well as a review of available data on resident participation. The research
was comparative in nature, which allowed the identification of variations in participatory practices as well as of the degree of the institutionalisation of the citizen listening process in individual local government units.

Findings: The analysis indicates significant differences in the level of institutionalisation of civic (participatory) budgets and the effectiveness of their use as organisational listening tools. In all the local government units
examined, the civic budget is a formally implemented instrument of public consultation; however, the role of this mechanism in communication with residents and the actual degree of citizens’ influence on public decisions
vary greatly. In cities characterised by a limited openness to social dialogue, civic budget is treated as a formal obligation, which results in lower levels of residential engagement. The results suggest that the effectiveness
of participatory budgeting as an organisational listening tool depends not only on its formal existence, but above all on the quality of institutional communication, the transparency of processes, and the availability of genuine co-decision channels. The analysis also shows that projects implemented under the civic budgets of voivodeship cities are more focused on local initiatives rather than on broad city development processes.

Implications / Recommendations: Participatory budgeting, as a tool for involving citizens in decision-making processes, can effectively serve an organisational listening function provided it is appropriately embedded
in the structures of local government administration. To increase the mechanism’s effectiveness, it is recommended to intensify actions supporting social dialogue, including the implementation of deliberative tools, the development of civic education programmes, and the provision of diverse communication channels with residents. Another important condition for success is ensuring the transparency of procedures and a real influence of citizens on decisions regarding the allocation of public funds.

Contribution / Value Added: This article makes a significant contribution to the literature on civic participation by analysing participatory budgeting as an organisational listening tool in the context of public management.
The presented empirical research allows the identification of various models of implementing civic budgets as well as an analysis of the advancement level of participatory processes in Poland’s voivodeship cities. The added value of the work lies in its interdisciplinary approach, which combines aspects of organisational communication with local government practices. As a result, the article deepens the understanding of mechanisms for involving residents in local decision-making processes. Furthermore, the research findings provide practical guidance for local government units, supporting the development of effective and transparent forms of social dialogue.

Article classification: research paper

JEL classification: H11; H72; D70