OGL365: Leadership, Technological Innovation & Development

Discussion Board Post

* How might the public sector innovate to be competent in the present and be ready for the
future?
While Serrat argues that the public sector, by nature resists innovation, I think that there are
several ways that the public sector can innovate to be present and also prepare for the future. In
the article written by Horth and Buchner provided in this week’s learning materials it states that
“leaders must learn how to create an organizational climate where others apply innovative
thinking to solve problems and develop new products and services (Horth & Buchner, 2014).
While the public sector follows such rigid guidelines, and set structures, the public sector must
first start with a changeup with those in leadership positions. When appointing leaders that are
more willing to innovate, the overall structure the public sector can change greatly, as innovation
typically leads to increased benefits to the organization’s members and stakeholders. The private
sector should take into account that it can be much more beneficial if innovation occurs over
time, but it can be done in a manner that is more beneficial to the structure and rigidness of the
public sector. Typically, the public sector has been slow to change but through “interactive and
social” aspects, it can speed that process to be more present in our evolving society as well as
becoming much more prepared to innovate when needed in the future (Serrat, 2017).
* How might innovation be driven more by public needs than by policy or process?
Currently, the public sector is driven almost exclusively by policy and process rather than by the
needs of the public. With more innovation taking place in the public sector, the more that the
needs of the public will be met as the entire process can be streamlined and the needs of the
public can be met when those needs arise. In the public sector now the needs of the people have
outpaced the innovation and that can be a turning point. Innovation in our society is driven by the
consumer and that innovation occurs to not only meet consumer needs, but to also make sure that
the success of the public organization is successful. When the reigns are cut form policy and
process, the public’s needs can dictate to what degree innovation will need to occur.
* Specifically, how might public sector organizations develop explicit systems to create for
value—thereby giving customers less of what they do not want (or use) and more of what
they need?
Specifically, I think that the public sector organizations can develop a more effective system, by
looking at private sector organizations and implementing a similar stance toward guidelines,
rules, and policy to better provide for the customer. While public sectors can implement
procedures for innovation similar to the private sector, I think the biggest way innovation can be
implemented in the public sector is through increased communication throughout an
organization. Communication between those at the top with the working members of an
organization can give way to innovated ideas being formed. Innovation can also be developed by
going directly to the customers and creating a line of communication to see what can be done
better to meet the common needs.
References
Horth, D., & Buchner, D. (2014). Innovation Leadership How to use innovation to lead ...
Retrieved from https://www.ccl.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/InnovationLeadership.pdf
Serrat O. (2017) Innovation in the Public Sector. In: Knowledge Solutions. Springer, Singapore.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0983-9_59