New development: Understanding the relationship between public sector consulting and public value destruction—An epistemic learning perspective

IMPACT

Attempts to professionalize public service delivery have resulted in the proliferation of private consultants in the public sector with the aim of increasing public value. With the majority of research focusing on the determinants of public sector consultants’ performance outcomes, few have analysed the relationship between public sector consulting and public value—especially public value destruction. The authors address this gap by theoretically positioning public sector consulting as an epistemic learning process. A new framework is developed that distinguishes between non-deliberate failures (value destruction by omission), and deliberate deontological failures (value destruction by commission) across different approaches to public value. Several strategies are outlined for practitioners—policy-makers and civil servants—to better administer public sector consulting as a learning process.

ABSTRACT

With the majority of studies focusing on the determinants of public sector consultants’ performance outcomes, we still lack a coherent epistemological lens to help analyse the relationship between public sector consulting and public value, especially concerning public value destruction. The authors address this gap by theoretically positioning public sector consulting as an epistemic learning process. Then, they illustrate how failures within this process can lead to public value destruction at the organizational and societal levels. In doing so, a novel framework is developed drawing distinctions between non-deliberate failures (value destruction by omission), and deliberate deontological failures (value destruction by commission) across different approaches to public value.

KEYWORDS:

• Consultocracy
• epistemic learning
• policy learning
• public sector consulting
• public value
• public value destruction

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the theme issue guest editors Ringa Raudla, Matti Ylönen, and Hanna Kuusela for their very constructive comments. We would also like to thank Public Money & Management’s managing editor, Michaela Lavender for the outstanding editorial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bishoy L. Zaki

Bishoy L. Zaki is a Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Administration at the Department of Public Governance and Management at Ghent University, Belgium. His research focuses on policy learning, public sector strategy, governance, and public sector consulting.

Ben Suykens

Ben Suykens is Assistant Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management in the Department of Public Governance and Management at Ghent University, Belgium. His research focuses on organizational hybridity, behaviour and performance of nonprofit organizations, and public sector consulting.

Inez Catala

Inez Catala is a doctoral student at the Department of Public Governance and Management, Ghent University, Belgium. Her research focuses on public sector consulting.