Public Value Management, Governance and Reform in Britain

This book examines developments in governance reform in Britain, with a particular focus on the period since 2010. We argue that the experiences of the past decade mean that public value-based ideas are required to inform governance reform for the coming years. This needs to be prioritised due to the twin challenges of managing the aftermath of Brexit and navigating through the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The volume outlines key themes, issues and debates relevant to contemporary public sector reform including: modes of state governance, evidence-based policy-making debates, the challenges and possibilities of public sector innovation, accountability issues, and the implications of Brexit. The overall conclusion of the book is that the coming decade presents an opportunity for more paradigmatic changes to UK governance but, for this to happen, political leaders need to prioritise a ‘reinventing government’ agenda underpinned by public value-based thinking and approaches. This book will be of particular interest to students of politics and public administration and relevant for those with general research interests in British governance and public policy.

John Connolly is Professor of Public Policy at the University of the West of Scotland, UK. He writes on the topic of public sector reform, multi-level governance, evaluation and crisis management. His previous book is The Politics and Crisis Management of Animal Health Security (2015). He undertakes consultancy for major public sector bodies and has contributed to Research Council projects both nationally and internationally.

Arno van der Zwet is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Public Policy at the University of the West of Scotland, UK. His research interests include territorial governance, territorial identity and territorial development policies. He has led research projects for European Commission, European Parliament, World Bank and Research Councils.