The lifecycle of public value creation: eroding public values in the Dutch Marker Wadden project

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the durability of public value coalitions in the Dutch Marker Wadden project: an internationally acclaimed water project. The paper compares public value creation by coalitions before and after project appraisal. Activities before project appraisal mainly worked towards the integration of values and interests, while activities after project appraisal facilitated disintegration. The findings underscore the difficulty of delivering a broad conception of public value, potentially leading to a hollowed-out result compared to the original interpretation.

IMPACT

Parties involved in public–private partnerships (PPPs) should be aware of the lifecycle of public value creation. The broad conception of public value as defined in the early stages, which is needed to ensure co-financing, often disappears during the implementation, as projects become bound to tight frameworks. Coalition building focuses more on securing project approval than on ensuring a full representation of values in the implementation stage. This dynamic can result in unsatisfied partners. Parties should therefore build in more checks and balances to prevent opportunistic behaviour.

KEYWORDS:

• Building with nature
• coalition building
• frames
• project management
• public–private partnerships (PPPs)
• public value
• water management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).