The hierarchical structure of public value: a citizen-centric pyramid model and its validation

Public value embodies citizens’ expectations and preferences for government, representing the optimal manifestation of people-centered governance. However, most research has primarily analyzed PV’s conceptualization and structure from a governmental perspective, paying insufficient attention to citizens’ perceived public value (PPV). To address this gap, this study constructs a citizen-centric ‘pyramid model’ of PPV. Drawing on existing domestic and international micro- and macro-level structural models of PV, the model is developed and rigorously validated using established psychological scale development techniques. All indicators meet model construction criteria, and the proposed three-tiered PPV model (comprising micro, meso, and macro levels) demonstrates excellent fit. This pyramid model provides a foundational framework for understanding PV structure from citizens’ perspectives, thereby advancing both PV theory and its practical application.