The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 introduces a social value duty. It requires public authorities in England and Wales that are carrying out procurement activities to ‘consider’ how such activities might ‘improve … economic, social and environmental well‐being’. This article analyses qualitative, empirical data on how the social value duty has been interpreted and applied across local government in England. Although only a weak legal duty, this law has made a notable impact on practice. The article explains the changes brought about in practice under the social value duty and seeks to understand why these changes have occurred. It does so by recognizing local government procurement markets, as well as local government organizations themselves, as strategic action fields. In these fields, there are competing visions for social value. It is through conversations between actors that a common meaning comes to be attached to the law.

中文翻译：

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政府采购市场价值的法律和社会建构

2012年《公共服务（社会价值）法》引入了社会价值义务。它要求正在进行采购活动的英格兰和威尔士政府当局“考虑”此类活动如何“改善……经济，社会和环境福祉”。本文分析了有关如何解释和应用英格兰各地政府的社会价值义务的定性，实证数据。尽管这只是一项微不足道的法律义务，但这项法律对实践产生了显着影响。本文解释了在社会价值义务下实践中带来的变化，并试图理解为什么发生了这些变化。它通过将地方政府采购市场以及地方政府组织本身视为战略行动领域来做到这一点。在这些领域，对于社会价值存在着相互竞争的愿景。