Public Value and Limits to Collaboration

This article explores the validity of the view that collaboration contributes to public value. The analysis is conceptual and uses graphs to develop a formal statement of public value, collaboration, and government dynamics. The concept of the reason-able person is introduced. The ideal state, the ideal partnership, and conditions for collaboration to contribute to public value are derived. Benefit, support, and acceptability are shown to be necessary conditions for public value to be generated by collaboration. These conditions are shown to link to concepts of management, politics, and public administration.