ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in this book. Exploration of public service values shows that they can help in understanding the actions of public professionals and provide a useful framework for decision making. The five values themes used are to focus attention on key issues in the practice of public service. The discussion in Public Service Values is about roles and behaviors defined by the constitutional, legal, and organizational boundaries of legitimate action. Public Service Values is written in the American cultural context, that it may be useful to people in other places who want to explore the interactions between values and actions in public service. Empathy supports the use of values and imagination in decision making by encouraging us to think about the circumstances other people are experiencing. The public interest can be used as a tool for imagining possible changes in policies and practices that would produce beneficial results for the people.
