Abstract
he scale and scope of innovation in the 21st century require the government and its
public sector institutions to analyse, investigate, and adopt new methods and
approaches to fulfil their political mandates and public missions. The government and
its public sector institutions further require a better understanding of how innovation
and its trends, practices, and principles can influence the nature of government
structures, policies, regulations, functions, and service delivery mandates and
achieving and sustaining public value to the citizens and communities that they serve.
The government has become increasingly exposed to external changes and
influences that often impact on the internal functions, roles, responsibilities, structures,
and processes of public sector institutions. The globally changing environment brings
about a number of external variables that include uncertainty, risky and unfamiliar
circumstances, and changes that can affect the strategic, financial, and operational
capabilities of the government and its public sector institutions.
The focus of this study was on open and collaborative public sector innovation (PSI)
practices, trends, and principles in three national government institutions, namely the
Centre for Public Service and Innovation (CPSI), the Department of Science and
Innovation (DSI), and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). The study investigated
how innovation management practices and principles can be improved through the
adoption of risk intelligence practices towards identifying, analysing, assessing, and
minimising the risks and uncertainties that are influenced by the adoption of innovative
projects, programmes, services, technologies, and solutions towards the achievement
of open and collaborative PSI goals and objectives in the public sector.
A qualitative research approach was followed using a multiple case study strategy that
comprised the following cases: the CPSI, DSI, and TIA. Primary data were collected
through semi-structured interviews and were analysed through the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) PSI framework, which is an
international best practice tool that served as the analytical framework in this study. In
addition, thematic analysis was applied whereby primary data were coded and main
themes and subthemes were identified and discussed. The research findings of the
study were analysed and interpreted based on the findings from the OECD’s PSI
framework analysis.
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The study identified that there are a number of innovative trends, practices, and
principles among the CPSI, DSI, and TIA that are transitioning and influencing the
development and adoption of new organisational forms, governance structures,
funding mechanisms, partnerships and stakeholder engagements, and organisational
cultures. Furthermore, there is a lack of open data and open governance practices,
which, if addressed, could aid in the establishment of open innovation ecosystems in
the public sector. Recommendations for the adoption of open and collaborative PSI
and improved risk intelligence practices for innovation management are presented
according to the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental,
and governance (PESTLEG) framework.
Key concepts: collaboration; public sector innovation; innovation management; risk
intelligence; risk intelligence governance.