Leading public sector innovation
Co-creating for a better society

Author/Editor(s):

Christian Bason

Format:

Hardback , 240 pages , 234 x 156 mm
Other formats available

ISBN

9781847426345

Published:

27 Oct 2010

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North America customers can order this book here.

Christian Bason has consistently been on the cutting edge of thinking about how public services can keep ahead of the pressures of change. This book is very timely, drawing on examples from around the world and showing how public services can work with citizens to create better, and more cost effective, solutions to their needs. Most public agencies prefer to talk about innovation than to do it for real: but the pressures of the crisis mean that this is no longer a serious option.
Geoff Mulgan, Director, The Young Foundation

This book is a practical how-to guide on reinventing the state to make it more innovative, citizen-centric and collaborative. It is the most comprehensive intervention to date to intellectually accompany the global quest for more modern and responsive government. Bason provides a major contribution on a contemporary issue that will dominate public discourse and political decision making for years to come.
Ann Mettler, Executive Director, The Lisbon Council

Innovation in public services will be a critical issue for professionals, politicians and the public in the next decade. Christian Bason's book provides a massively valuable and timely contribution to thinking and action on the subject providing both practical advice and theoretical frameworks.
David Albury, Visiting Professor in Innovation Studies, Kings College London

Christian Bason has written a book that should be read by everyone interested in public sector innovation. With clear writing and concrete examples, he demonstrates how public officials can embrace a new way of thinking - despite some challenging obstacles. Bason's hands-on experience at MindLab makes the book extremely practical. As problems grow more complex, the innovation culture described in the book becomes increasingly important.
John O'Leary, Research Fellow, Ash Center, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government

About This Book

In a time of unprecedented turbulence, how can public sector organisations increase their ability to find innovative solutions to society's problems? "Leading public sector innovation" shows how government agencies can use co-creation to overcome barriers and deliver more value, at lower cost, to citizens and business. Through inspiring global case studies and practical examples, the book addresses the key triggers of public sector innovation. It shares new tools for citizen involvement through design thinking and ethnographic research, and pinpoints the leadership roles needed to drive innovation at all levels of government. "Leading public sector innovation" is essential reading for public managers and staff, social innovators, business partners, researchers, consultants and others with a stake in the public sector of tomorrow.

"This is an excellent book, setting out a clear framework within which the practical issues involved in public sector innovation are explored, using insights drawn from extensive practical experience of implementing and supporting it. It draws on an impressive range of research and relevant wider experience in both public and private sectors and is written in a clear and persuasive style. The book offers an excellent synthesis of principles, practices and tools to enable real traction on the innovation management problem - and it ought to find a place on any manager's bookshelf." John Bessant, Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer and Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Exeter Business School

Author Biography

Christian Bason is the Director of MindLab, a cross-ministerial innovation unit in Denmark. He was formerly responsible for the public organisation and management practice of Ramboll, an international consultancy. As an experienced presenter and facilitator, he has served as advisor to numerous public institutions around the world. He has also been a university lecturer and is the author of three previous books on citizen involvement, leadership and innovation in the public sector.

Contents

Introduction
The Innovation ecosystem
Part one: Consciousness: Mapping the landscape
Part two: Capacity: Political context
Strategy
Organising for innovation
People and culture
Part three: Co-creation: Design thinking in government
Citizen involvement
Orchestrating co-creation
Measuring to learn
Part four: Courage: Four leadership roles.

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