Using public value thinking for government IT planning and decision making: A case study

Abstract

While there has been substantial interest in the idea of public value from an academic and theoretical perspective, governments often struggle with how to systematically incorporate public value thinking into their decision making practices. In this paper, we review the concept of public value and its use as an information technology (IT) management strategy by public managers. We then describe the steps in a public value analysis, and present a case study focusing on a substantial IT investment in which the approach was applied. We conclude that a public value analysis can add insight in planning and carrying out enterprise projects by generating a deeper understanding of stakeholder perspectives. Collectively identifying internal and external stakeholder values informs an agency's change management and communication strategies, both critical to the success of any enterprise investment.