Creating public value in the care at home sector: a mixed-method study about expectations of primary stakeholders using a social exchange perspective

Abstract

PurposeThis mixed-method study aims to contribute to the scholarly debate by outlining an individual-level theoretical framework for public value creation and evaluation that builds upon a social exchange perspective. It provides insights into the normative frames of primary stakeholders in the Dutch care at home sector, that is professionals, managers, clients and informal care providers.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-method design comprising a customized survey among 349 stakeholders, preceded by 31 in-depth interviews was used.FindingsThis empirical work shows differences and similarities in the stakeholders' normative frames revealed via three dimensions of expectations regarding the process of care delivery: personal contact, impact of rules and procedures and communication.Social implicationsThese differences in interpretation have implications for the measurement and evaluation of public value creation.Originality/valueBy statistically and methodologically exploring the different expectations' scales that are developed, we intend to work toward a measure for public value creation, which can be used in future empirical work.