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Public management for a sustainable future: Insights from a systematic literature review
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DOI：10.1080/09540962.2026.2631591.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Public managers have a critical role in advancing sustainable development. Managing sustainability in public administration requires fostering shared visions, building coalitions, and adapting strategies to evolving challenges. Public managers balance global and local objectives to ensure that localized actions reinforce broader sustainability goals. This literature review underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder governance networks that enable co-design, trust-building, and dialogue across sectors. Also, institutional frameworks and ethical safeguards are important to harness sustainability data responsibly, ensuring inclusivity, transparency, and alignment with democratic values. Furthermore, integrated sustainability accounting and reporting systems should extend beyond financial metrics to ecological and social indicators, embedding accountability mechanisms that uphold ecological and social priorities. Collectively, these insights call for adaptive, collaborative, and data-informed approaches that strengthen legitimacy, trust, and impact in sustainability governance. By reinforcing co-operation, openness, and continuous learning, sustainability can become an integral part of everyday management and decision-making in the public sector. Julkisjohtajilla on keskeinen rooli kest & auml;v & auml;n kehityksen edist & auml;misess & auml;. Kest & auml;vyyden johtaminen julkishallinnossa edellytt & auml;& auml; yhteisi & auml; visioita, yhteisty & ouml;verkostoja ja muuttuviin kest & auml;vyyshaasteisiin mukautuvia strategioita. Julkisjohtajat tasapainottavat globaaleja ja paikallisia tavoitteita varmistaakseen, ett & auml; paikallinen toiminta tukee laajempia kest & auml;vyystavoitteita. Kest & auml;vyyden johtamisessa tarvitaan monitoimijaisia hallintaverkostoja, jotka mahdollistavat yhteissuunnittelun, luottamuksen rakentamisen ja vuoropuhelun eri sektoreiden toimijoiden v & auml;lill & auml;. Lis & auml;ksi tarvitaan institutionaalisia puitteita ja eettisi & auml; varmentamismekanismeja, jotta kest & auml;vyysdataa hy & ouml;dynnet & auml;& auml;n vastuullisesti, osallistavasti, l & auml;pin & auml;kyv & auml;sti ja demokraattisten arvojen mukaisesti. Integroitujen kest & auml;vyyden laskenta- ja raportointij & auml;rjestelmien tulisi kattaa taloudellisten mittareiden ohella ekologiset ja sosiaaliset indikaattorit sek & auml; sis & auml;lt & auml;& auml; tilivelvollisuusmekanismeja, jotka tukevat ekologisia ja sosiaalisia tavoitteita. Kest & auml;vyyden johtaminen edellytt & auml;& auml; mukautuvia, yhteisty & ouml;h & ouml;n perustuvia ja tietoon pohjautuvia l & auml;hestymistapoja, jotka vahvistavat legitimiteetti & auml;, luottamusta ja vaikuttavuutta. Vahvistamalla yhteisty & ouml;t & auml;, avoimuutta ja jatkuvaa oppimista kest & auml;vyydest & auml; voi tulla olennainen osa julkisen sektorin jokap & auml;iv & auml;ist & auml; johtamista ja p & auml;& auml;t & ouml;ksentekoa. This study systematically reviews how sustainability is integrated into six core areas of public management: strategic management, financial management, operational management, public procurement and contract management, human resource and capacity management, and performance management and public sector accounting. Addressing the fragmented nature of existing research, this review offers a novel contribution by identifying five interrelated development trajectories: localization, datafication, strategization, hybridization, and accountingization-that reflect institutional responses to growing sustainability challenges and the limitations of siloed governance structures. These trajectories illustrate how public management practices are evolving to accommodate complexity and interdependence. This study concludes by examining how these developments are reshaping public management and suggests critical directions for future research.
Keywords:
Accountingization
financial management
hybridization
performance management
public management
strategic management
sustainability
systematic literature review
Journal
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IF:
2.1
Papers:
90
Citations:
0
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