Making sense of public value in public administration and beyond: a systematic literature review

The field of public value is characterized by an evident lack of empirical research. As highlighted by Hartley et al (2016) “the number of publications which are based in empirical research (on public value) is minuscule... [ view full abstract ]

The field of public value is characterized by an evident lack of empirical research. As highlighted by Hartley et al (2016) “the number of publications which are based in empirical research (on public value) is minuscule compared with those which are theoretical, conceptual, scholarly or descriptive”. One explanation may lie in the fact that the concept of public value has been object of multiple interpretations that have contributed to make it elusive, nebulous and ambiguous (Williams and Shearer, 2011).
Thus, researching public value requires as first step a deep analysis and systematization of the existing literature to unpack the main concepts and to see their relations and operationalization. In this paper we will particularly focus on conceptualizations of public value, on the relationship between the concepts of public value and public sphere, on processes of public value governance and management and on how public value has been assessed in previous studies.
This paper aims at reviewing the existing literature on public value. Specifically, we will perform a systematic review, which has been argued to provide the most efficient and high-quality method for identifying and evaluating relevant literatures (Moleow, 1994; Tranfield et al 2003). Because of the limited number of quantitative analysis informed by the public value concept, we have opted for a meta-narrative synthesis (Greenhalgh et al, 2005). This approach is flexible and allows inclusion of broader range of types of evidence (Mays et al, 2005). After collecting the paper to be included in the analysis, we will rely on thematic analysis to identify and bring together the main, recurrent or most important issues or themes that arise from the body of literature on public value. The meta-narrative element will compare and contrast the different understandings of public value.

Our paper has implications for both scholarship and practice. For scholarship, our work lays the foundation for a theory-driven and consistent accumulation of knowledge on public value, informing further qualitative and quantitative research on public value. For practice, our typology and framework provide policy makers and public managers with tools and insights that enhance the creation and maintenance of public value.