Styrning och samhällsvärde : en studie med exempel från museivärlden

Sammanfattning: In light of growing criticism towards New Public Management and its effects, interest has been directed at alternative management control concepts in the public sector. Whether Public Value Management is an alternative, possibly even a new paradigm, is being discussed on the research front. New Public Management and Public Value Management have evolved in parallel during the past decades. However, New Public Management has had greater impact, not least in governments’ control of state agencies.The aim of the thesis is to gain an understanding of how ideas about the creation of public value diverge between New Public Management and Public Value Management. Beyond the research question of whether management control meets the demands of efficiency and customer-orientation as addressed in previous studies on reforms influenced by New Public Management, this thesis deals with the issue of creating value for the benefit of society. In a qualitative approach, the research is based on interpretations of documents, observations and interviews with examples from state agencies in the museum sector.The result of the study shows that differences between New Public Management and Public Value Management are expressed in notions of accountability, results and proficiency. The time perspective differs, as do the means of financing and involvement of stakeholders. Reforms in line with Public Value Management call for the involvement or consideration of a larger circle of stakeholders, including future generations.The findings of the thesis suggest that the diverging perceptions of value creation does not rule out that elements from both concepts can be combined and complement each other. The main issue is to take into account the contribution made to public value, considering whether the mandate is a long-term government assignment in line with Public Value Management or if it involves activities well suited to New Public Management with prerequisites for market orientation. The dissertation contributes to research in the field of management control in the public sector and the issue of public value.