Where to for Public Value? Taking Stock and Moving On

Public value has become an important, but contested, idea in public administration and management. It has developed considerably since its genesis in the 1980s and more formal articulation in the 1990s. Public value attracted plenty of attention through the 2000s, being adapted, extended, and debated by a range of scholars and practitioners. This article reflects on the development, debate, and future prospects for public value, arguing that whilst it has come a long way, considerable work remains for it to be embedded as a stable construct in the field.