TITLE:
The Public Interest (or “General Interest” in French): Issues and Challenges in Performing the Concept from a Public Management Perspective
AUTHORS:
Léon Bertrand Ngouo
KEYWORDS:
Public Interest, Legitimization of Public Action, Performativity of Public Interest, Living Together, Building a Society Together
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Service Science and Management,
Vol.19 No.3,
June
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: Described as “indefinable”, but “indispensable” in its role as the ultimate goal of public action, the concept of “public interest” (“general interest” in French) has been the subject of fierce criticism in the literature. This article aims to shed light on the various gray areas surrounding its use so that it can be applied more effectively in pursuit of the performance objectives set by public organizations. Considering the diversity of interpretation and facets that characterize its use, and drawing on the two models—utilitarian (Anglo-Saxon) and voluntarist (French)—the article explores and deepens the contributions of these different dimensions and proposes an approach to the concept oriented toward satisfying the “felicity conditions” necessary for it to perform in reality.