Measuring public value: a conceptual and applied contribution to the debate

Abstract

Countries facing austerity measures need to create public value. Academics and practitioners have been discussing the ways in which public value can be created, managed and measured. This paper contributes to this conversation by proposing a public value measurement model. An Italian case study is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the model and the organizational implications when public value measures are available to public sector managers, politicians and the public.

Keywords:

• Cultural services
• municipalities
• performance measurement
• public value
• value pyramid

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the municipality of Ferrara for their collaboration in the project and Public Money & Management‘s two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. Although the paper is the result of an equal joint effort by the authors, their primary individual contributions are reflected in the following of sections of the paper. Luca Papi: ‘Understanding public value‘ and ‘Analysing the case of Ferrara‘; Michele Bigoni: ‘Towards a public value measurement model‘ and ‘Methodological issues’; Enrico Bracci: ‘Discussion and conclusion‘; Enrico Deidda Gagliardo: ‘Introduction‘.

IMPACT

This paper makes an important contribution to the practice of public value management. Although the focus is on how to measure the value created by an Italian local authority, the model the authors present has the potential for wide application. A good public value management system will support public managers and politicians in their decisionmaking.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Luca Papi

Luca Papi is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, Italy.

Michele Bigoni

Michele Bigoni is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting, Kent Business School, University of Kent, UK.

Enrico Bracci

Enrico Bracci is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, Italy.

Enrico Deidda Gagliardo

Enrico Deidda Gagliardo is Professor in the Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, Italy.