Innovation in Public Sector and Government- Owned Organisations

Abstract

Public sector and Government-owned public services organizations are generally considered risk-averse and process-constrained, with sometimes conflicting accountabilities, resulting in a struggle to focus clearly on innovation and thus finding new ways to perform better. These organizations often find it complex to define its customer. To cite an example, how does a police force or a tax-collecting local authority define and measure customer satisfaction? This is a constant enigma faced by some of the public service organizations. However, there are public utility organizations which can with some effort devise ways and methods of go1ng about understanding their customer as well as to innovate and improve. This paper seeks to identify key factors that bring innovation into public service organizations and develop some ideas on success of innovation in such organizations. This paper will discuss management of innovation conceptually and substantiate the concept with a live case of innovation that has been successfully implemented in one of organizations in the public utility sector in India. The article will throw light on the strategies employed by it such as strategic planning, reengineering, team management and outsourcing