From Perceived Value Creation to Public Value Co-Creation

Public value co-creation emphasizes the collaborative contributions of multiple stakeholders (Osborne et al., 2021). However, the measurement of public value co-creation remains conceptually and methodologically underdeveloped. Our study addresses this gap by proposing a conceptual framework as a foundation for studying public value co-creation through the lens of perceived values across diverse stakeholders. We adopt the perspective that value is inherently subjective and dynamic (Schneider and Sachs, 2017). Drawing on interactionist social psychological theory, we propose that stakeholder perceptions of value are shaped by their identities (Hogg, 2016) and diverse identities lead to varying perceptions and pursuits of value within a service ecosystem. Importantly, satisfying perceived values is a foundational step toward advancing shared interests and achieving societal and public values (Schwartz and Bilsky, 1987). Building on these theoretical foundations, we develop a conceptual framework that quantifies stakeholder “salience” (Mitchell, Agle, and Wood, 1997) through iterative data analysis. To illustrate the practical application of this framework, we examine the public eHealth sector as an empirical study. We use a mixed-method approach that combined computational techniques, focus group observations and semi-structured interviews. During the analytical phase, we develop and refine the conceptual framework by integrating data-driven insights with theoretical constructs. This process involves a two-tier coding strategy: first-order codes to identify and quantify key themes, followed by second-order codes that groupes these themes into theoretical dimensions based on stakeholder salience. We identify XX stakeholders, focusing on the three most prominent: e-patients, healthcare professionals, and third-party platforms. Their prioritized perceived values are service quality, self-worth, and accountability. This study demonstrates how varying levels of stakeholder salience influence the prioritization of specific values, offering insights into the dynamics of public value co-creation in complex public service ecosystems.