Moore's public value and the strategic triangle
Moore (1995) argued that just as private managers create shareholder value, public managers should create 'public value'. He proposed the 'strategic triangle', in which public managers must align three elements: a goal defining what is valuable to the public; legitimacy and support from politicians and citizens; and the operational capacity to deliver. From this perspective, managers are not mere implementers but actively explore public goals.
A post-NPM paradigm
Stoker (2006) saw public value management as a new narrative following traditional administration and New Public Management. While NPM treated citizens as customers and put efficiency first, public value management sees citizens as co-deliberators and emphasizes networked governance. O'Flynn (2007) outlined the implications of this shift for performance measurement and management. Bryson, Crosby and Bloomberg (2014) developed it into 'public value governance', linking it to collaborative governance such as multi-level governance.
Bozeman's public values and critiques
Unlike Moore, Bozeman (2007) defined public values as social consensus on citizens' rights and obligations and the principles government should uphold. He offered public values as a counterweight to economic individualism, and Jørgensen and Bozeman (2007) inventoried more than 70 public values in the literature. Rhodes and Wanna (2007), meanwhile, criticized Moore's theory for giving unelected managers too much discretion, potentially undermining democratic accountability. Others note that the concept is vague and hard to measure.
FAQ
- What is public value theory in simple terms?
- Government agencies should not just save money but create results citizens truly value.
- What is the strategic triangle?
- Moore's framework that public value goals, political legitimacy and support, and operational capacity must be aligned.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Moore, M. H. (1995). Creating public value: Strategic management in government. Harvard University Press. The founding book.
- Bozeman, B. (2007). Public values and public interest: Counterbalancing economic individualism. Georgetown University Press. Normative public values.
- Stoker, G. (2006). Public value management: A new narrative for networked governance? American Review of Public Administration, 36(1), 41–57. Post-NPM paradigm.
- Jørgensen, T. B., & Bozeman, B. (2007). Public values: An inventory. Administration & Society, 39(3), 354–381. Inventory of values.
- O'Flynn, J. (2007). From new public management to public value: Paradigmatic change and managerial implications. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 66(3), 353–366. From NPM to public value.
- Rhodes, R. A. W., & Wanna, J. (2007). The limits to public value, or rescuing responsible government from the platonic guardians. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 66(4), 406–421. Key critique.
- Bryson, J. M., Crosby, B. C., & Bloomberg, L. (2014). Public value governance: Moving beyond traditional public administration and the new public management. Public Administration Review, 74(4), 445–456. Public value governance.