How to Retrace Public Value Creation in the Era of Digital and Sustainable Transformation? Insights from a Recovery Plan

The focal pillars of digital transformation and sustainability have spurred the implementation of various strategies through policy interventions in production, distribution, and consumption processes. As societies grapple with the intricacies of this paradigm shift, comprehension of how public administration shapes the delivery of public services to meet sustainability imperatives assumes paramount importance, yielding public value in the process. In the current era, the delineation of public value arises from the nuanced interplay of socio-political dynamics, advancements in information and communication technology (ICT), and an unwavering commitment to the pillars of sustainable development within the public sector. Scholarly discourse accentuates the imperative for a multidisciplinary approach to effectively address these multifaceted challenges. The analysis was conducted using the case study method to trace public value creation through digital and sustainable transformation in NODES’ Research and Innovation program financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP or PNRR) that is part of the Next Generation EU (NGEU). NODES’ Research and Innovation program is articulated in specific programs for each Spoke, with the aim to promote and support applied research on topics consistent with the Intelligent Specialization Strategy, with regional operational plans and regional and national research and innovation priorities. Although NODES’ Spokes are concentrated on different themes, the article examines all the 7 Spokes. In particular, Spoke 2 entitled “Green Technologies and Sustainable Industry” carries out systemic solutions at local scale with a strong emphasis on the key elements of sustainable development: economic prosperity, environmental protection and social equity, balancing these three dimensions in order to benefit current and future generations. The nexus among sustainability, digital transformation, and the interrelation of social, economic, and environmental values constitutes the crux of this endeavour. These factors are the fundament of Spoke 3 titled “Tourism and Culture Industry” that aims at developing an open infrastructure for immersive virtual reality systems for research and educational purposes. The project is based on the architecture of a collaboration platform able to integrate advanced technologies and human expertise. By illuminating the interconnectedness between financial management, imperatives of sustainability, and societal well-being, the findings will be developed to obtain new jobs in the short/medium term, thanks to improved policy support from governing bodies and creating new business solutions. In doing so, they not only foster enduring public value but also fortify societal resilience in the face of evolving challenges.