Public innovation is distinctive from private sector innovation by being set in a political system rather than a market. Using the lens of public value, the book offers a stimulating discussion of how public innovation is valued and contested in current societies.

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.      

“This gem of a book on public innovation deals directly with the politics fundamentally underpinning it and the challenges of assessing its impacts. The authors systematically work through several thorny issues related to defining public innovation and what it creates (or does not), and the multidisciplinary framework which shapes the structure of the book is a terrific resource. Their focus on public innovation as a space where societal problems are contested and addressed is clear, convincing, and useful.” — Jenny Lewis, The University of Melbourne, Australia  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 Rønning 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, TheOpen 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.

“This gem of a book on public innovation deals directly with the politics fundamentally underpinning it and the challenges of assessing its impacts. The authors systematically work through several thorny issues related to defining public innovation and what it creates (or does not), and the multidisciplinary framework which shapes the structure of the book is a terrific resource. Their focus on public innovation as a space where societal problems are contested and addressed is clear, convincing, and useful.”Jenny Lewis, The University of Melbourne, Australia“Scholars, pundits, policymakers, and politicians have made much ado about public innovation, asserting its necessity for addressing complex societal challenges. But to date, the research has been disorganized and arguably, overly laudatory. This book sorts through the morass and moves beyond normative orthodoxy to offer a critical perspective about the drivers, structures, processes, activities, and outcomes of public innovation, particularly in terms of how they create (or destroy) public value. This framing of public innovation vis-à-vis public value creation is a powerful lens for understanding public innovation and its potential to helping us addresses the challenges of our time.”Tina Nabatchi, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Syracuse University, USA“Public sector innovation is one of the major themes in theory and practice of public administration, given also the social and political challenges with which governments are wrestling. This book makes a distinctive and promising contribution by creating a new perspective on public service innovation. Different theoretical lenses are combined in such a way that a promising outlook is presented, which is grounded in empirical research. Moreover, in order to have an impact on the real world, the authors seek to develop an agenda and tools for action.  In doing so academic rigor and social impact go hand in hand.”Victor Bekkers, Erasmus University, Netherlands. 

Examines innovation by public organizations, its distinctive processes and how it is valued Explores how modern challenges, such as collaboration and digitization, impact and drive public innovation Provides insights in theory and practice from public administration studies, management research and political science