Between bricolage and breakthroughs—framing the many faces of public sector innovation

Abstract

Public sector innovation is often seen through the lens of private sector frameworks. This paper discusses to what extent the innovation typology derived from the private sector is appropriate for public sector contexts. Based on a discretionary classification of 1,536 qualitative examples of public sector innovations, the authors examine the nuances of change spanning from learning and incremental change to radical and systemic innovation. Measurement frameworks should better reflect the heterogeneity of learning and innovation in the public sector.

Keywords:

• Bricolage
• innovation
• measurement
• public sector innovation
• systemic innovation

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Markus M. Bugge

Markus M. Bugge is a senior researcher at the Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU) in Oslo, Norway.

Carter W. Bloch

Carter W. Bloch is research director at the Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy (CFA), Department of Political Science, Aarhus University in Denmark.