# Public Value Guide

> A practical handbook of best practices for creating public value in government and the social sector, grounded in Mark Moore's public value framework. 33 topics in 5 parts plus a preface, canonical text in `en-gb-oxendict`, localized into 20 further locales. Links below are to the canonical locale; every topic exists at the same path with its locale's slug under `locales/<locale>/topics/` (see llms.json for each locale's path).

Each topic follows one 13-section template: thesis, why it matters, core concepts, best practices, six discussion questions, a fictional worked example, four sector lenses (local government, national government, social sector and nonprofit, multilateral and international), failure modes, a five-level maturity model, a checklist, key sources, and references. Answer from the topic text; do not present general knowledge as the book's position.

## Front matter

- [Preface](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/00-01-preface/index.md): how the book was made and its AI-translation caveat

## Part 1 — Foundations

why public value is different from market value or democratic mandate alone, and the models that explain it

- [Topic 1.1 — Introduction to Public Value](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/01-01-introduction-to-public-value/index.md)
- [Topic 1.2 — The Strategic Triangle: Legitimacy, Value, and Capacity](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/01-02-the-strategic-triangle/index.md)
- [Topic 1.3 — Market Failure and Government Failure](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/01-03-market-failure-and-government-failure/index.md)
- [Topic 1.4 — Public Goods, Merit Goods, and Value Pluralism](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/01-04-public-goods-merit-goods-and-value-pluralism/index.md)
- [Topic 1.5 — Stakeholders, Citizens, and Co-Production](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/01-05-stakeholders-citizens-and-co-production/index.md)

## Part 2 — Evaluation and Evidence

the analyst's toolkit: valuing outcomes, building the case, testing claims

- [Topic 2.1 — The Public Value Scorecard and Outcomes Frameworks](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/02-01-the-public-value-scorecard-and-outcomes-frameworks/index.md)
- [Topic 2.2 — Social Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/02-02-social-cost-benefit-and-cost-effectiveness-analysis/index.md)
- [Topic 2.3 — Social Return on Investment and Impact Measurement](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/02-03-social-return-on-investment-and-impact-measurement/index.md)
- [Topic 2.4 — Public Sector Econometrics and Programme Evaluation](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/02-04-public-sector-econometrics-and-programme-evaluation/index.md)
- [Topic 2.5 — Business Cases and Value for Money](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/02-05-business-cases-and-value-for-money/index.md)
- [Topic 2.6 — Evidence Synthesis and What Works](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/02-06-evidence-synthesis-and-what-works/index.md)

## Part 3 — Systems, Governance and Priorities

how public and social-sector organizations are structured, funded, and held accountable

- [Topic 3.1 — Public Administration Systems and Models](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-01-public-administration-systems-and-models/index.md)
- [Topic 3.2 — Public Policy and the Policy Cycle](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-02-public-policy-and-the-policy-cycle/index.md)
- [Topic 3.3 — Public Finance and Budgeting](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-03-public-finance-and-budgeting/index.md)
- [Topic 3.4 — Accountability, Transparency, and Legitimacy](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-04-accountability-transparency-and-legitimacy/index.md)
- [Topic 3.5 — Equity, Fairness, and Distributive Justice](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-05-equity-fairness-and-distributive-justice/index.md)
- [Topic 3.6 — Public Sector Workforce and Labour Markets](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-06-public-sector-workforce-and-labour-markets/index.md)
- [Topic 3.7 — Public Procurement and Commissioning](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-07-public-procurement-and-commissioning/index.md)
- [Topic 3.8 — Social Sector and Nonprofit Management](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-08-social-sector-and-nonprofit-management/index.md)
- [Topic 3.9 — Intergovernmental Relations and Federalism](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-09-intergovernmental-relations-and-federalism/index.md)
- [Topic 3.10 — Regulation and Public Risk Management](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-10-regulation-and-public-risk-management/index.md)
- [Topic 3.11 — Quality, Safety, and Performance Management](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-11-quality-safety-and-performance-management/index.md)
- [Topic 3.12 — Crisis, Emergency, and Resilience Management](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/03-12-crisis-emergency-and-resilience-management/index.md)

## Part 4 — Global and Societal Issues

public value beyond one institution: behaviour, trust, the planet, and the public conversation

- [Topic 4.1 — Behavioural Public Policy](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/04-01-behavioural-public-policy/index.md)
- [Topic 4.2 — Trust in Government and Civic Engagement](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/04-02-trust-in-government-and-civic-engagement/index.md)
- [Topic 4.3 — Climate, Sustainability, and Environmental Public Value](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/04-03-climate-sustainability-and-environmental-public-value/index.md)
- [Topic 4.4 — Social Media, Misinformation, and Public Communication](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/04-04-social-media-misinformation-and-public-communication/index.md)

## Part 5 — Digital, Software, and Technology

the public value of technology: digital government, artificial intelligence, software, data, and cybersecurity

- [Topic 5.1 — Digital Government and Digital Transformation](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/05-01-digital-government-and-digital-transformation/index.md)
- [Topic 5.2 — AI and Algorithmic Decision-Making in Government](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/05-02-ai-and-algorithmic-decision-making-in-government/index.md)
- [Topic 5.3 — Public Sector Software Engineering and Platforms](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/05-03-public-sector-software-engineering-and-platforms/index.md)
- [Topic 5.4 — Public Sector Data, Interoperability, and Open Data](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/05-04-public-sector-data-interoperability-and-open-data/index.md)
- [Topic 5.5 — Cybersecurity and Public Sector Technology Risk](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/05-05-cybersecurity-and-public-sector-technology-risk/index.md)
- [Topic 5.6 — Innovation and Public Entrepreneurship](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/locales/en-gb-oxendict/topics/05-06-innovation-and-public-entrepreneurship/index.md)

## Reference

- [Glossary](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/GLOSSARY.md): A–Z definitions of key terms, each pointing to its home topic
- [Index](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/INDEX.md): Concepts and frameworks by topic number
- [Style guide](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/STYLE_GUIDE.md): The prose and formatting contract
- [Specification](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/spec/index.md): Governing specification: topic template, manifest, quality gates

## Optional

- [Reading site](https://public-value-guide.github.io): the rendered book in every locale
- [Reader skill](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/skills/public-value-guide-skill/SKILL.md): routes questions to topics, runs team workshops
- [Maintainer skill](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/skills/public-value-guide-maintainer-skill/SKILL.md): authoring, review, localization rules
- [Machine-readable inventory](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/public-value-guide/public-value-guide/main/llms.json): topics, parts, and per-locale paths as JSON