Welfare state governance is about tackling social issues, empowering citizens, and adding societal value. It is also about improving public health and quality of life, alleviating inequality, and reducing social polarization. Bringing together researchers from around the world, this volume examines how politics, policies and services contribute to the strengthening of societal value. It assesses the societal impact of policies and professional actions, the ways in which social inequalities and dependencies are traced, and how policies and professional services respond to new societal challenges. It also considers what arrangements enable policies and services to generate more value, and the ways in which politicians, policymakers, public executives, public managers, professionals and employees prepare for this. Comparative and interdisciplinary in nature, this volume will appeal to all those interested in public administration, political science and sociology.

Tanja Klenk is Professor of Public Administration and Public Policy at Helmut-Schmidt University, Germany.

Mirko Noordegraaf is Professor of Public Management at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

Elisabetta Notarnicola is Associate Professor of Practice in Government, Health and Not-for-Profit at SDA Bocconi School of Management, Italy.

Karsten Vrangbæk is Professor at the Political Science and Public Health Department, and Director of the Center for Health Economics and Policy (CHEP), University of Copenhagen, Denmark.