Understanding Value Destruction from an Ecosystem Lens: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis of AI-Driven Transformation in Public Services

Lunch Seminar in presence
Building BL26 – Room 1.25 (first floor)
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering
Via R. Lambruschini, 4/B

Tie Cui
University of Edinburgh Business School, UK
This seminar introduces a recent research project on AI-driven transformations in public services. In this project, Dr Cui develops the concept of value destruction, which refers to situations in which poorly organised public services diminish, rather than enhance, individual well-being.

Despite growing research interest, the concept of value destruction remains subject to conceptual ambiguity. There is a lack of agreement regarding its different manifestations, as well as the underlying reasons that lead to it. This makes it difficult to distinguish value destruction from adjacent concepts and leaves its implications for public service improvement unclear.

This project aims to advance our understanding of value destruction. It draws on a qualitative meta-analysis of publications on AI-driven transformations in public services. The study develops a typology of value destruction, identifying the different ways in which AI in public services can lead to harmful or unintended outcomes. More importantly, it theorises the underlying causes of AI-related value destruction from a systemic perspective, drawing on the public service ecosystem framework. In this way, this research contributes theoretically by deepening our understanding of both the ramifications and underlying causes of value destruction, while also enriching empirical insights into the darker side of AI in public services.

Tie Cui is a Lecturer in Service Management (Assistant Professor, tenured) at the University of Edinburgh Business School. He received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in 2021, fully funded by the university.

His research focuses on the management, transformation, and innovation of public services. In particular, he examines value creation and value destruction at the individual level, as well as inter-sector coordination and service ecosystems at the organisational level. His empirical research spans areas such as climate change, global pandemics, and digital transformation in public services. He specialises in qualitative research methods.

His work has been published in leading academic journals, including Public Administration Review, Public Administration, and Public Management Review. He also publishes actively in books, book chapters, and practitioner-focused outlets. Dr Cui is actively engaged in the international research community and regularly participates in major conferences such as IRSPM, PMRC, and EURAM, where he frequently organises and chairs panels.

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