How is the public interest best served? It is one thing to define the public interest… it is another to pursue the interests of the public. Given the problems associated with abstract definitions, this collection of essays explores individual approaches to acting in the public interest and examines institutional strategies for advancing the public interest. The contributors consider the practical dimensions of promoting and protecting the public interest in diverse settings ranging from policing to planning, and national defence to resource allocation. While the main focus is executive decision-making, they critique the processes and procedures that have been used to identify the public interest in the midst of personal hopes and private desires, political priorities and commercial aspirations. Drawing on their experience and expertise, the contributors have tried to show where the public interest began as a guiding administrative principle that became an effective practical tool.