Epistemic tensions in public managers' strategic work to create public value

Purpose Strategizing in public organisations is complex, as managers must translate politically defined strategies and ambiguous policy goals into practices that create public value. This study examines public strategic management as a knowledge-intensive practice by exploring epistemic tensions encountered by top and middle managers in defining legitimate approaches to public value creation in their strategic work. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on interviews with top (n = 21) and middle (n = 22) managers in a newly established public organisation providing health and social services in Finland. Using qualitative content analysis, we analysed how epistemic tensions emerge in public managers' strategic work aimed at creating public value. Findings Focusing on strategizing public value, the findings reveal five interrelated epistemic tensions that shape managers' efforts to define public value in practice: (1) knowledge formation challenges, (2) integration difficulties across institutional siloes and professions, (3) short- and long-term objective dilemmas, (4) value conflicts and (5) limited actor involvement in strategizing. Strategic ambiguity often created tension due to a lack of shared understanding of public value. These tensions influenced collective knowledge formation, coordination and strategic decision-making. Originality/value The study offers a conceptual framework explaining why tensions emerge in public sector strategic management. It identifies epistemic tensions as a persistent challenge in public managers' strategic work. By emphasising shared knowledge formation in strategizing public value, the study contributes to a practice-oriented understanding of the conditions of strategic work in public management.