Topic 5.1: Innovation into Action

Change and innovation are inextricably linked. Any innovation involves change.

Change is ideally designed to innovate a system, process, and/or a service or product, focused on delivering public value. Think of ‘a change’ and ‘an innovation’ as natural partners.

In GSZ633 Managing Outwards in a Networked Government you explored technology as a driver of innovation and change. Some key questions and potential hurdles were raised:

• Innovations often cross internal and external boundaries.
• Innovation questions the existing and accepted practices within and between organisations.
• Technologies are being adopted to link capabilities, to force agencies to become part of networked governments.

In turn, these factors force discussions around spheres of influence, and ownership and control of information.

Globally public entities are committed to, at least in principle, using innovation to reform public services. A question arises however about whether there is also a push for a focus on ‘less risky types of innovation, irrespective of comparative types of need’ (Osborne et all, 2013:157)^[1]. Contested services may also bring with them additional issue of balancing risks and benefits.

Revisit the previous discussions about risk. When considering managerial versus citizen risk viewpoints (Eckerd, 2014)^[2], managers of innovative projects need to have clear risk management as top of mind.

It is close to being fact that a leader’s beliefs and intentions are key drivers of the degree to which organisations can develop and harness innovation and innovations, and thus change.

Blanket statements about risk and innovation are one thing; how they manifest is another.

There is most likely strong correlation between leaders’ attitudes, and how they want the organisation to approach innovation (Kesting, et all, 2015)^[3]. Here are some potential stages or levels of commitment to organisational adoption of innovation and innovative processes.

• Encouraging innovations and being the first to adopt new approaches.
• Supporting innovations and actively seeking out new emerging ideas in other places that can be considered.
• Monitoring new approaches developed in other government agencies or domains, and adopting them when other governments or agencies have tested them.
• Following other governments in adopting approaches that are proven to be worthwhile or effective.
• Maintaining current practices and considering change if the organisation is clearly out of touch with prevailing practices or if circumstances require a new approach.
• Preserving the status quo.