What criteria determine the value of a government business platform in Public Employment Services?

Abstract

Government business platforms, aka digital platforms, are an emerging model in public service delivery, driven by digital transformation and evolving citizen expectations. While digital platforms are well-researched in the private sector, their public sector counterparts, e.g. within Public Employment Services (PES), remain underexplored and lack theoretical clarity on how they deliver public value, even though this is a core expectation of digital government initiatives. To address this gap, an exploratory qualitative single case study was conducted at VDAB, the Flemish PES agency. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with internal experts and validated through focus groups, enabling triangulation and collaborative reflection on public value criteria. Findings reveal that public value is created not only through improved service efficiency but also by aligning stakeholder expectations, operational capacity and legitimacy, dimensions structured around Moore’s Strategic Triangle. These value drivers foster a collaborative ecosystem that benefits stakeholders: governments optimize employment services, citizens gain seamless access to opportunities and partners enhance workforce efficiency. This research contributes to public sector literature by offering validated public value criteria and a governance process for implementing platform value in PES. It provides practical guidance for PES agencies considering platform models to deliver more inclusive and impactful citizen services.

Date of Award	28 Apr 2025
Original language	English
Supervisor	Yves Vanderbeken (Examiner) & Tim Huygh (Co-assessor)