Towards an empirical research agenda for public value theory

Jean Hartley*, John Alford, Eva Knies, Scott Douglas

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

There is considerable scholarly writing about the theory and application of public value concepts, but this article explores why there is, by contrast, so little empirical research on public value. The article then goes on to provide a framework and a research agenda for inspiring and guiding new empirical research, based on three different conceptualizations of public value, with researchers needing to be explicit about which approach they are using in order to avoid confusion. While case studies have been used as a research method, the authors suggest a much wider array of potential research methods (depending on the research question) covering both quantitative and qualitative approaches and with a wider variety of designs, including comparative analysis. It is suggested that empirical research is undertaken with a more diverse range of stakeholders of public value, breaking out of the public manager-centric approach. This is an exciting agenda for research, though the paper warns that public value may fade from view unless empirical research is undertaken to test, challenge and extend the scholarly contributions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)670-685
JournalPublic Management Review
Volume19
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Keywords

  • empirical research
  • methodology
  • public management
  • Public Value Management
  • research agenda

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