Cultural Heritage Digitalisation Policy as a Co-creation of Public Value. Evaluation of the Participatory Digital Public Service of Uffizi Galleries in Italy During the COVID-19

Abstract

The paper evaluates the public value created through the cultural heritage digitalisation policy adopted by the Uffizi Galleries by opening a Facebook page during the Covid-19 pandemic. Using quality-quantity techniques based on text mining, Uffizi’s policy outcomes will be assessed by identifying citizens’ digital behaviors and underlying generative causes. Evidence shows that citizens-users do not act as mere passive beneficiaries but as implementers of the digital public service through continuous interactions allowed by social networks. Consequently, they contribute to the co-production of shared value and a transformation of the relationship between the museum and its citizens-users in managing cultural heritage. Finally, the paper defines generative causes for citizen users’ digital behavior. Thus, it allows a theory for the possible future successful transfer of cultural heritage digitalisation programs.