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Promoting Innovation in the Public Sector: Case Studies

Management Advisory Committee Report 9 - ANNEX 1

Assessing Policies, Programs and Other Initiatives to Promote Innovation in the Public Sector: International Case Studies

Don Scott-Kemmis November 2009

The Challenge of Sustaining Innovation in the Public Sector

Don Scott-Kemmis & Associates

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Promoting Innovation in the Public Sector: Case Studies

Assessing Policies, Programs and Other Initiatives to Promote Innovation in the Public Sector: International Case Studies

Contents
Summary 3

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Framework for Assessing Policies, Programs and 6

Initiatives to Promote Innovation in the Public Sector

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Case Studies: B.1 B.2 B.3 B.4 United Kingdom Canada Singapore Netherlands 28 44 60 68

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Prior Research on Public Sector Innovation – References. 79

Don Scott-Kemmis & Associates

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Promoting Innovation in the Public Sector: Case Studies Summary
The factors that are driving the strong interest in innovation in the public sector are likely to increase. This will ensure that greater innovativeness in the public sector will remain a priority. These factors include the increasingly pervasive role of ICT, and the resulting transformative changes in organisation, services, culture and relationships, and social expectations regarding the quality of service delivery, openness, accountability and opportunities for participation in policy development. Another set of drivers arise from the rising importance of innovation (for competitiveness, sustainability, security etc) and the recognition of the importance of innovation in all aspects of industrial and social activity (ie in organisation, services, institutions, policies etc). A dynamic national innovation system requires a dynamic and innovative public sector. The primary purpose of this paper is to review the approaches to public sector innovation through case studies of four comparator countries: the UK; Canada;

References: Promoting Innovation in the Public Sector: Case Studies Borins, S., Encouraging Innovation in the Public Sector, Journal of Intellectual Capital 2(3) (2001), 310–319 Promoting Innovation in the Public Sector: Case Studies Cunningham, Miriam (2005) Innovation and the Knowledge Economy: Issues, Applications, Case Studies Promoting Innovation in the Public Sector: Case Studies Hansen, Morten Balle, and Borgen, Svein Ole (1998) ‘The Simultaneous Diffusion and Transformation of Management Ideas.’ Paper presented at the SCANCOR Conference: Samples of the Future