This document discusses measuring innovation in the public sector. It outlines several surveys conducted since 2008 to measure innovation among public sector organizations, moving away from comparing the public and private sectors to focus on policy-relevant issues for the public sector. The document also discusses policy interests in public sector innovation and future topics for survey research, such as identifying transformative innovations, measuring beneficial outcomes, and linking innovation capabilities to governance models.

1. Measuring innovation in the public sector
Anthony Arundel Australian Innovation Research Centre, University of Tasmania
and UNU-MERIT, University of Maastricht
Carter Bloch Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy (CFA),
Aarhus University
Barry Ferguson Australian Innovation Research Centre, University of Tasmania
OECD Blue Sky III
Ghent, Belgium
September 19-21, 2016, Ghent

2. 31 MAY 2016
AARHUS
UNIVERSITYAU
PUBLIC SECTOR SHARE OF GDP
EU-27 countries
in 2008: 25%
Denmark in
2010: 31.3%
Australia in
2011/12: 23.1%

3. 31 MAY 2016
AARHUS
UNIVERSITYAU
Pre 2010:
1.Object-based studies
2.‘business practices’ studies
3.Surveys of municipalities with some questions on innovation
4.UK audit commission survey of innovation in UK local
agencies
2008 – 2009 MEPIN
survey in Scandinavia
first large-scale
dedicated innovation
survey, approx 2,500
responses from CEOs
2010 Innobarometer
survey of all EU
member states,
3,700 responses
from CEOs
2011 SOS survey in
Australia, innovation
module, 6,000
responses from all job
levels
2012 APSII pilot
survey in Australia,
344 responses from
senior managers
2015/16 survey of
Australian/NZ universities,
573 responses from senior
managers

4. 31 MAY 2016
AARHUS
UNIVERSITYAU
Since MEPIN - General trend over time away from
the Oslo Manual guidelines, except for similarities in
questions on innovation types and sections
(information sources, collaboration, obstacles etc.)
Why? Shift from public-private comparison to
policy focus on public sector
Surveys need to address policy-relevant issues
for the public sector
MEPIN (2008/09) – Initial focus on comparison of
innovation in public and private sector

5. 31 MAY 2016
AARHUS
UNIVERSITYAU
POLICY INTERESTS
How innovation occurs – what encourages
innovation and good outcomes?
 Use of design-thinking (co-creation), other strategies to
support innovation development
 Is there an inclusive innovation culture and if yes, how does
this influence innovation activities and outcomes?
 Is innovation mostly ‘bottom-up’ or ‘top-down’ and which
one of these two approaches works best?
 Is there a systemic innovation strategy, and if not, how to
build one?

6. 31 MAY 2016
AARHUS
UNIVERSITYAU
POLICY INTERESTS…
How does diffusion and the up-take of good practice
occur?
Can we identify incremental and transformative
innovations?
What are the obstacles?
 Effect of a risk-averse culture – what tools can managers
use to work around this, or must managers embrace risk?
 Innovating in response to a crisis or funding cuts?
 Lack of incentives, staff resistance, resources

7. 31 MAY 2016
AARHUS
UNIVERSITYAU
FUTURE TOPICS FOR SURVEY RESEARCH ON
PUBLIC SECTOR INNOVATION
How to identify transformative (disruptive)
innovation?
Can we get better measures of innovation outcomes
(particularly beneficial ones)
Can we identify innovations that span organisations?
 Includes a systemic innovation strategy
Can we link innovation capabilities to governance
models?
We need more research on risk aversion and on the
diffusion of best practice innovations