Leadership and Innovation

Synonyms

Creativity; Improvement; Initiative; Problem solving

Definition

Public sector innovation introduces new and improved approaches to the delivery of public goods and services, through capacity development that often incorporates new technologies, and through information sharing that widens the range of possibilities open to public organizations in responding to the needs and expectations of the public whom they serve. Among the challenges to leading public sector innovation is that it involves trial and error, and at the onset, there is uncertainty about the actual outcomes. This can obstruct the availability of support and cooperation that would be necessary for its success. Leadership is a crucial factor that can determine what support and cooperation public sector innovation receives.

Leaders in the political arena and at different levels of authority in public organizations have varying degrees of influence over whether innovation is to be an option pursued by a public...