Collaborative governance and innovation in public services settings

Bibliographic Data

ID6327784
AuthorsNicolette Van Gestel (0000-0003-3968-3198, Tilburg University, the Netherlands), Sanne Grotenbreg (Tilburg University, the Netherlands)
Year2021
Volume49
Issue2
Pages249-265
Publication date2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolicy & Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0305-5736 • E-ISSN: 1470-8442
PublisherBristol University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1332/030557321x16123785900606
OpenAlexW3135069220
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited24

Collaborative governance is believed to lead to more innovative solutions to complex problems in public services. This article analyses whether this hypothesis applies in the case of decentralisation of labour market policy to regional networks of various actors in the Netherlands. We first develop a theoretical argument that integrates theories of collaborative governance with theories of innovation, distinguishing between a wide and a small option for innovation in relation to the structure, process and output/outcome of collaborative governance. Our findings show that, despite a variety of partnerships and ambitions across the regions, new and bold solutions to complex problems are scarce. In particular, wide innovation, which creates public value beyond the existing policy frameworks and services, is limited in practice. The article advances the theory by specifying barriers and conditions for network innovation in the public sector, and provides some suggestions for further research

Argument (complex analysis · Business · Collaborative governance · Corporate governance · Decentralization · Economics · Network governance · Process (computing · Public sector · Relation (database · Value (mathematics · Variety (cybernetics · Computer Science · Local Government Finance and Decentralization · Public Policy and Administration Research · Public-Private Partnership Projects

Tools

Open DOI