Piret Tõnurist

Innovation labs in the public sector: what they are and what they do?

ABSTRACT This article is a first comprehensive attempt to globally map and analyse innovation labs (i-labs) in the public sector. The article analyzes theoretical reasons why i-labs are created in the public sector and tests these assumptions in practice. During the empirical study, thirty-five such organizations all over the world were identified. The research is based on a two-step approach: first, a comprehensive survey was carried out followed by an extensive in-depth interview with the managing figures of i-labs; eleven i-labs responded. The article finds support for the assumptions of external complexity, technological challenges, emulation, and legitimization as reasons behind the creation of i-labs.

STATE OWNED ENTERPRISES AS INSTRUMENTS OF INNOVATION POLICY

This article expands the literature on the rationales and governance of state owned enterprises (SOEs). We show that SOEs could be seen as instruments of innovation policies and change agents within broader innovation systems that can overcome many of the conventional challenges of innovation policy and its implementation, from coordination and implementation of policies and innovation system actor networks to financing innovation. We review the existing literature on the rationales of SOEs and extend it to include innovation as a central rationale. Thereafter we provide a taxonomy that reveals the necessary policy and managerial conditions and constraints for using SOEs as instruments of innovation policy. We place some of the better-known innovation-oriented SOE successes and failures into this taxonomy and show that this approach will allow in future research to explore different SOE practices and potential for using SOEs as innovation policy instruments across countries.

Does co-creation impact public service delivery? The importance of state and governance traditions

Co-creation in public service delivery requires partnerships between citizens and civil servants. The authors argue that whether or not these partnerships will be successful depends on state and governance traditions (for example a tradition of authority sharing or consultation). These traditions determine the extent to which co-creation can become institutionalized in a country’s governance framework.

Changing public service delivery: learning in co-creation

Abstract Co-creation – where citizens and public organizations work together to deal with societal issues – is increasingly considered as a fertile solution for various public service delivery problems. During co-creation, citizens are not mere consumers, but are actively engaged in building resilient societies. In this study, we analyze if and how state and governance traditions influence learning and policy change within a context of co-creation. We combine insights from the co-creation and learning literature. The empirical strategy is a comparative case study of co-creation examples within the welfare domain in childcare (Estonia), education (Germany) and community work (the Netherlands). We show that state and governance traditions may form an explanation for whether co-creation, learning and policy change occurs. Our paper suggests that this seems to be related to whether there is a tradition of working together with citizens and a focus on rule following or not.

Co-Production in a Network Setting: Providing an Alternative to the National Probation Service

ABSTRACT This article examines the policy implementation phase of co-production, focussing on micro-level dynamics (individual relationships, motivation, and trust), which are largely out of the direct control of the government. A case of an alternative probation service in Estonia is presented, where experimentation and the inclusion of motivated citizens were used to contend with the limits of traditional policymaking and implementation and the lack of resources. The case shows that while co-production can generate new ideas, the diffusion of bottom-up practices is extremely difficult due to the inherent qualities of the public-sector: authority, accountability, and legitimacy.

Technological capacity in the public sector: the case of Estonia

Technology is clearly a critical factor in the lives of organizations, yet there are only a few studies that deal with technology and public organizations. In this article, we propose to understand technological change in the public sector, in particular, how technology influences administrative capacity, through a new concept of technological capacity. We use the case of Estonia – internationally associated with a strong e-state profile – as an exploratory case to answer two research questions: ‘Why and how does technological change take place in the public sector?’ and ‘How does technological change influence administrative capacity in public organizations?’ We demonstrate how dynamic and static change in technological capacities is influenced by four different public sector feedback and selection mechanisms. We conclude that in spite of the neglected position of technology in the public administration literature, technology is an intrinsic factor in how administrative capacity evolves. Points for practitioners This article argues that technological change in the public sector is not just a matter of technical skills; rather, technology fundamentally changes how public organizations function and how services are delivered. There are, however, key differences in the speed and direction of how technology’s impacts unfold in various organizations and services. Some organizations master developing dynamic technological capacities and experience rapid and transformative changes, while others do not and accordingly go through incremental changes. This difference has both internal and external causes. Those organizations that show dynamic technological capabilities manage ambidexterity well: seeking new solutions while managing to offer high-level services. We provide new explanations as to why this is the case.

Economics and PA: Public choice theory, transaction costs theory, theory of expectations, and the enduring influence of economics modelling on PA – comparing the debate in the US and Europe

This chapter looks at the utilization of economic theories—public choice, transaction cost, and expectancy theories—in Public Administration literature in Europe and the US. The research shows that mathematical models in the field are predominantly associated with public choice and rational choice theories that have strong microeconomic assumptions connected to them. Although the discussion surrounding economic modelling in Europe has been more critical in tone compared to the US, it has paradoxically led to a wider use of economic modelling driven by model upgrading. The chapter argues that the lack of general theory building in the Public Administration discipline, both in Europe and the US, drives the perpetuation of economic modelling in the field.