Value processes and lifecycles in networks for public service innovation

ABSTRACT

Public administrations, to innovate public services, seek strategies beyond market-like mechanisms and claim for clear paths such as lifecycles. This research bridges service management theory and theory of public management to further how networks for public service innovation mediate public value creation; the study, by integrating both theories and the public service logic approach, discusses the dynamic interactions throughout networks evolution (lifecycle). A theory is elaborated, advancing the relevant role of networks lifecycles in public service innovation lifecycles. The research, lastly, offers several propositions to improve (meta)governance of networks for innovation of public services.

KEYWORDS:

• Public services
• innovation
• networks
• lifecycle
• service management
• public management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This paper has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No European Commission 770356: Co-VAL. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Agency cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein. The paper has also been co-funded by the Spanish National Research Programme RTI2018-101473-B-100.

Notes on contributors

Luis Rubalcaba

Luis Rubalcaba (he). Professor of Economics, Department of Economics and Business Administration, University of Alcalá, director of the Master on Innovation Economics, Management and Technology, scientific coordinator of the H2020 project Co-VAL on cocreation and innovation for transforming European public administrations, and previous senior innovation specialist at the World Bank in Washington DC., USA.

Alberto Peralta

Alberto Peralta (he). Principal Investigator of the LivLab Simulator and the ABM-SBMI projects. The projects address the innovation dynamics happening in public living labs to design public policies, and the innovation paths of sustainable business models. Following up on his PhD dissertation and professional experience, he has published and presented multiple articles on sustainable business model innovation.