How context and tensions shape public values assessment: findings from a case study of a Dutch agency

How does context influence the practice of public values assessment (PVA)? This study examines how PVA is shaped in practice within a Dutch government organization. It constitutes a qualitative case study at the Dutch Central Government Real Estate Agency, based on interviews with policymakers and public managers, complemented by literature review and validation sessions within the agency. The study identifies four contextual tensions that shape how PVA is performed: (1) single-actor, single-level activity versus multi-actor, multi-level activity; (2) role clarity versus role ambiguity; (3) individual discretion versus organizational steering; and (4) emergent activity versus deliberate activity. The findings show that PVA is not a standalone analytical exercise, but a situated and ongoing practice shaped by organizational roles, governance arrangements, and interactions between actors. By grounding these tensions empirically, this study advances public value theory by showing how context conditions the practice of PVA in real-world settings.