Abstract
The aim of the research project KAIROS is to contribute to knowledge about and approaches to fair and socially sustainable cities. During the two years that the project has lasted, the link between the way that public administration is governed and the possibilities to work for fair and sustainable cities has become clear. The increase in wicked issues in combination with the challenge of defining what is socially sustainable, and the difficulty of accountability in network societies have created a need for alternative ways to govern the public sector. The aim of this literature review is to describe some alternative models for governance that has developed to suit network societies undergoing rapid change. The aim is also to highlight some of the aspects in these models that are particularly interesting for KAIROS in our efforts to contribute to knowledge about and approaches to fair and socially sustainable cities.
The first chapter in this study is an introductory summary. The next chapter describes traditional public administration, New Public Management and New Political Governance. In the following chapters the theory of public value and the three alternative models of governance: Public Value Management, New Public Service and New Public Governance are described. The final chapter summarizes the conclusions to be drawn by KAIROS regarding the possibility of creating fair and socially sustainable cities.