THREE ESSAYS ON CONDITIONS OF INNOVATION IN PUBLIC SECTOR

Abstract

Public organizations around the world are under unprecedented pressure to innovate. However, our understanding of conditions of innovation within public sector organizations is still at a formative stage. Conceptual studies on the topic are not empirically substantiated while empirical studies are poorly informed by conceptual frameworks. Furthermore, studies on public sector innovation has mostly focused on the behavioral drivers of innovation and insufficient attention has been given to understand how organizational structures influence the innovation process. The objective of the dissertation is to address these gaps. Using three standalone papers, it explores some of the structural and institutional drivers of innovation within public organizations. The dissertation contributes to the literature of public sector innovation by highlighting the importance of structural and institutional variables. In addition, the dissertation also showcases the potential importance of cross-learnings between organization theory and public administration literature to inform a richer understanding of innovation within organizations.