Valuing public innovation: contributions to theory and practice

Public innovation is distinctive from private sector innovation by being set in a political system rather than a market. The roles of citizens and elected politicians as well as public servants and other stakeholders are frequently relevant. Public organizations can be creators, funders, orchestrators or sense-makers of innovations, which are carried out with the aim of benefitting society. This book provides a comprehensive insight into the theory and practice of public innovation using a wide range of research evidence about the processes, drivers and barriers, stakeholders and outcomes of innovation. Using the lens of public value, the book offers a stimulating discussion of how public innovation is valued and contested in current societies. Valuing Public Innovation aims to help develop a deeper understanding of innovation and how to use that knowledge in practical ways. This is essential reading for academics and students in the fields of innovation, organisation studies, public administration and public policy, as well as for policymakers and practitioners. Rolf Rnning is Professor of Social Policy at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, and Visiting Professor at The Open University, UK. Jean Hartley is Professor of Public Leadership at The Open University Business School, The Open University, UK. Lars Fuglsang is Professor in the Department of Social Sciences and Business at Roskilde University, Denmark, where he heads the research group on Innovation in Service and Experience. Karin Geuijen is an Assistant Professor in Public Management in the Department of Governance at Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

1. Introduction -- 2. Innovation concepts and processes -- 3. The publicness of public innovation -- 4. Sharing and spreading innovations -- 5. Collaborative innovation and co-creation -- 6. The intertwined roles of private, social and public actors for public innovation -- 7. A sector with dynamic hybridization -- 8. Institutions, actors and leadership -- 9. Framing digital innovation -- 10. Assessing the value of public innovations -- 11. Conclusions.