Management of Public Space: An Ex-durante Exploration of a Paradigm Shift

This research shows that the Dutch management of public space is in the early stages of a paradigm shift. The societal challenges confronting public space require a broader approach than traditional, asset-oriented management, in which technical quality, efficiency, and maintenance are central. The research shows that the underlying rationale of public space managers is changing rapidly. Alongside asset-oriented values, values such as sustainability, well-being, and inclusiveness are gaining a more prominent position. However, this change in rationale is still only translated to a limited extent into institutional arrangements and everyday management practice. Organisational structures, budgets, procedures, and decision-making processes are still largely based on the existing asset-oriented regime. As a result, when faced with uncertainty and value conflicts, managers regularly fall back on familiar standards and routines. It is precisely the tension between a changing rationale and lagging practices that provides an important indication that the management of public space is undergoing a paradigm shift.