Insights into Kenya’s public sector innovation: the case of managers

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Evans Agolla ◽  
Jacobus Burger Van Lill
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Middle Managers ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
The Status ◽  
Innovation Outcomes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess innovation in public sector organisations (PSOs) from the middle managers’ perspectives. Several studies have been conducted on innovation drivers in organisations; however, such studies are limited when it comes to the public sector. Innovation is a term that has been synonymous with the private sector, until of late when public sector organisations adopted the terminology. Design/methodology/approach The present study adopts a qualitative approach. The findings are based on a sample of selected 16 middle managers from two PSOs in Kenya. The study relies on focus group discussions (FGDs) to collect data. The data are analysed thematically, based on categorisation. Findings First, the results identified drivers, barriers, strategies to overcome barriers, innovation outcomes/indicators and the status of innovation in Kenya’s public sector. Second, the study points to policy directions, theory and practice. Research limitations/implications The study suggests that innovation drivers in the public sector greatly depend on government and top management, particularly the way they craft policies and provide support for innovative behaviours. The current findings are limited to innovation activities of the public sector in Kenya, specifically the two organisations. Originality/value The findings from this research can aid the understanding of the nature of innovation in PSOs given that it is empirically based on middle managers’ insights.

How can a municipal government continue operations during megadisasters? An analysis of preparedness using complex adaptive systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 779-792
Author(s):  
Masahiko Haraguchi
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Municipal Government ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Continuity Planning ◽  
Complex Adaptive

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how government continuity planning contributes to strengthening the public sector's emergency preparedness, resulting in enhanced resilience of the public sector. Government continuity plans (GCPs) are a recently focused concept in disaster preparedness, compared to business continuity plans (BCPs) in the private sector. The need for BCPs was widely recognized after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and the 2011 Thailand Floods. However, recent disasters, such as the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake in Japan, have revealed that local governments without effective GCPs were severely affected by disasters, preventing them from quickly responding to or recovering from disasters. When the GEJE occurred in 2011, only 11% of municipal governments in Japan had GCPs.Design/methodology/approachThe paper analyzes basic principles of government continuity planning using complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory while summarizing recent developments in theory and practice of government continuity planning.FindingsThis research investigates the Japanese experience of GCPs using self-organization, one of the concepts of CAS. A GCP will complement regional disaster plans, which often focus on what governments should do to protect citizens during emergencies but fail to outline how governments should prepare for an emergency operation. The study concludes that GCPs contribute to increased resilience among the public sector in terms of robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness and rapidity.Practical implicationsThis paper includes implications for the development and improvement of a GCP's operational guideline.Originality/valueThis research fulfills an identified need to investigate the effectiveness of a GCP for resilience in the public sector and how to improve its operation using concepts of CAS.

scholarly journals Containers, facilitators, innovators? The role of cities and city employees in innovation activities

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teemu Makkonen ◽  
Maria Merisalo ◽  
Tommi Inkinen
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Development Activity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
Innovation Activities

Innovation has long been considered one of the key engines of economic growth, and patents as important incentives for research and development activity. Particularly in terms of intellectual property rights (IPR), however, little is known about how cities contribute to regional innovation: are they containers, facilitators or innovators? This is investigated here through empirical material derived from 27 interviews with top departmental management in three Finnish cities (Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa). The results show that local city governments (LCGs) consider cities as facilitators of innovation activities but also admit that there are limits (time constraints and lack of resources) to the influence of LCGs over the innovation environment. Still, many of the public sector innovations (especially social innovations) that do not necessarily have a clear market potential would not have been created without the active role of LCGs as innovators. City employees are innovative – the seeming lack of public sector innovation is actually a result of measurement issues that favour (patentable) technological innovations rather than those more common to LCGs, meaning service and organisational types. Therefore, LCGs can be seen as highly innovative organisations. There are, however, barriers to innovation in the public sector, such as the cost of innovation activity, the lack of incentives for it and a working culture that does not support it. Lastly, the results show that LCGs have not really fully considered the possibilities and potential of owning their own IPR; to be specific, potentially lucrative opportunities should be explored.

Public procurement and the BLS: operationalizing occupational duties

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 510-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua M. Steinfeld ◽  
Eric Prier ◽  
Clifford McCue
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Us ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Bureau Of Labor Statistics ◽  
Job Activities

Purpose – Procurement is a specific, yet dynamic area of work and study that is recognized as an occupation by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, there is growing literature that substantiates differences in theory and practice, between procurement practitioners in the private and public sectors. The purpose of this paper is to validate the procurement occupational duties identified by the BLS with actual job activities performed and managed by public sector practitioners. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a survey of public sector practitioners to obtain information with regards to occupational duties and job activities in public procurement, as compared to a BLS proxy for procurement. Findings – Public procurement practitioners complete the occupational duties identified by BLS, yet there is one occupational duty in public procurement that is absent from the BLS description for procurement. Practical implications – Empirical data and analysis identifies the potential for public procurement to be considered its own occupation separate from private sector procurement, providing a foundation for development, management, and professionalization of the field. Originality/value – The public procurement practitioners who completed the survey have a high degree of professional orientation based on certifications held and professional association membership, a foundation for generating applicatory results for studying the actual occupational duties in procurement. The specialized job activities performed and managed in perhaps the fastest growing occupation within public sector management are catalogued in this study.

Do public sector mergers (re)shape reputation?

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilma L. Luoma-aho ◽  
Mirja E. Makikangas
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The public sector worldwide is under pressure to downsize, which has led to mergers of public sector organisations. This paper seeks to bridge the unstudied gap of what happens to organisational reputation after a merger. The paper discusses change and reputation in the public sector, and reports findings of a longitudinal study on stakeholder assessments of four public sector organisations undergoing mergers recently. Design/methodology/approach – Following a theory-driven content analysis, this longitudinal study compares stakeholder assessments of four public sector organisations' reputations a year before an organisational merger with assessments of the two resulting organisations' reputations two years after the merger. Findings – The paper finds that the mergers did not really re-shape reputation, but the once established reputation persevered. Although the organisations faced greater expectations after the merger, only minor changes in reputation were detected post-merger: the reputation for expertise, heavy bureaucracy and trustworthiness remained strong after the merger, but certain traits, such as being international and esteemed, were lost. In both cases, one organisation's prior reputation slightly dominated the new reputation. Research limitations/implications – The findings may be limited to Finland and other Nordic countries, as well as those countries where trust in the public sector is high. Practical implications – Mergers may not change once-established reputations, and hence the improvements desired by mergers may go unnoticed by the different stakeholders. Organisations merging must prepare for increased stakeholder expectations, as the new organisations arise questions. Previous organisational traits may remain in stakeholders' assessments despite any achieved improvements. Originality/value – This paper addresses the gap in studying organisational reputation after public sector mergers, and contributes to both theory and practice by providing insight into the stability of once-established reputations.

Triggers that can lead to greater innovativeness

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-18
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Tangible Rewards ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – How do firms persuade employees to participate in innovation activities and to renew their work? It is a question which especially concerns the public sector, where monetary or other tangible rewards are not available. Using two such bodies in Finland, this article examines links between well-being and innovativeness and discovers some contradictions among the findings that would have been easier to predict. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

scholarly journals relationship between research and innovation in the public sector – an analysis of five cases from labour and welfare services

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (Special issue) ◽  
pp. 46-69
Author(s):  
Magnus Gulbrandsen ◽  
Gry Cecilie Høiland
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Public Agencies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Knowledge Codification ◽  
Set Up

Many public agencies promote renewal in the public sector through projects that require a productive combination of research and innovation activities. However, the role of research in innovation processes is a neglected theme in the public sector innovation literature. We address this gap through an analysis of five cases from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. We find few examples of innovations based directly on research, but several examples of research on innovations and on more complex co-evolutionary processes of the two activities. Research seems to be particularly important for the diffusion and scaling up of innovations. We find that research has an impact on innovation in later phases of the innovation process through the formalisation of practice-based and unsystematic knowledge, codification of experiences, and legitimation to ensure political support and funding. This new conceptualisation contributes to the public sector innovation literature and may help improve policies that set up a rather limited role for research.

Sustainability reporting at EU level: leading by example?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Bryan
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Eu

PurposeThis paper aims to contribute to research on public sector sustainability reporting, by focussing on the sustainability reporting of EU institutions and agencies. It seeks to examine to what extent the EU is leading by example in this area and to highlight the challenges for developing sustainability reporting at EU level.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on the European Court of Auditors’ (ECA) review on reporting on sustainability and presents the results of qualitative research, including a survey conducted among EU institutions and agencies. Additional secondary literature analysis puts the review's findings into the current research context on sustainability reporting.FindingsThe paper provides an overview of how the EU and its institutions and agencies report on sustainable development. It finds that the EU, as well as its institutions and agencies, are not yet leading by example on sustainability reporting. Of the 53 EU institutions and agencies surveyed, only 2 published sustainability reports. Additionally, the paper identifies key challenges for sustainability reporting in the public sector and highlights future research areas.Originality/valueThis is the first academic article on sustainability reporting of EU institutions and agencies. It contributes to our understanding of the status and challenges of public sector, supranational sustainability reporting and the auditing of such activities.

Mental health innovative solutions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
André Rocha ◽  
Fernando Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
Innovative Solutions

Purpose This study aims to explore worldwide innovative solutions that have been proposed to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on people’s mental health. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology is adopted, which performs an exploratory study considering the innovative projects identified by the Observatory for Public Sector Innovation framework. Additionally, the analysis of the relevance and characteristics of these projects are explored considering a multidimensional framework composed of five dimensions: novelty level; social need; improvement of society; sector neutrality; and level of emergence. Findings The findings reveal that the number of projects in the field of mental health is low, despite their strong relevance to their communities. These projects arise from a strong social need to protect especially the most vulnerable groups in this pandemic and involve a large number of partners in the public sector, business and civil society. The role of volunteering in the revitalization and growth of these initiatives is also recognized. Originality/value This study is relevant in both the theoretical and practical dimensions. It allows the exploration of these projects considering the dimensions of social innovation and offers practical implications that allow these projects to be replicated in other countries and regions.

Implementing an innovative public sector program

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Leadership Teams ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Original Innovation

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to understand factors governing the implementation of an innovative public sector program. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal case study is used to document change and tension in the implementation process. Findings – The study suggests that because of the embedded character of public sector innovation, it is likely that, as they are implemented, many innovations run up against restrictions and limitations, precisely because they challenge many systems and processes in the host agency. These conflicts, unless specifically addressed, may cause the original innovation to lose its fundamental character. Research limitations/implications – The case suggests that innovative programs may differ from other types of public sector innovation, such as specific service-delivery initiatives with novel characteristics. Programmatic innovations will be required to produce results according to standard models of managerial accountability which may be difficult to reconcile with innovation. Practical implications – The study draws attention to the need for flexible support systems, such as HR, Finance and IT in the implementation of innovation in the public sector; where a classic “intrapreneur” is involved, leadership teams with complementary styles may also be significant. Originality/value – The study demonstrates the nature of the trade-offs that are involved in the implementation of innovative programs and highlights the implications of the challenging, if not subversive, nature of many types of innovation

scholarly journals Living Labs for Public Sector Innovation: An Integrative Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Lars Fuglsang ◽  
Anne Vorre Hansen ◽  
Ines Mergel ◽  
Maria Taivalsaari Røhnebæk
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Living Labs ◽  
Elusive Concept

The public administration literature and adjacent fields have devoted increasing attention to living labs as environments and structures enabling the co-creation of public sector innovation. However, living labs remain a somewhat elusive concept and phenomenon, and there is a lack of understanding of its versatile nature. To gain a deeper understanding of the multiple dimensions of living labs, this article provides a review assessing how the environments, methods and outcomes of living labs are addressed in the extant research literature. The findings are drawn together in a model synthesizing how living labs link to public sector innovation, followed by an outline of knowledge gaps and future research avenues.

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