Public sector marketing: a systematic literature review and research agenda

This article aims to characterize academic production in public sector marketing to propose a research agenda. We conducted a systematic literature review using a mixed approach. The first stage consisted of a quantitative descriptive analysis of the metadata of the selected articles. The second stage was a qualitative analysis of the objectives and theoretical and methodological aspects. The main findings of this research indicate that public marketing is an area of academic interest but lacks conceptual development. This is primarily because of the emergence of discussions on the new public service, which view citizens as co-creators of policies and value while interacting in public services. There are also multiple perspectives on how marketing can be applied in the public sector, contributing to the complexity of the subject. In addition, social marketing is emerging as a research trend with the possibility of being associated with the field of public policy. Based on the research findings, this study proposes, in an original way, a concept and taxonomy for public sector marketing. Additionally, it offers insights into public marketing, which could benefit future research in this field. Concerning the managerial implications, this article highlights the necessity for public service practitioners to consider the diverse array of marketing applications within public administration to generate value for citizens and society.