This is a brief reminder about the invitation and opportunity to submit an
abstract for a proposed symposium at the 2010 SPA Conference, to explore
current thinking around using innovation to improve policy making and practice.
It is intended that the symposium will involve presentations, discussants and
open discussion leading to the development of a network of active researchers
in this area.
The UK government clearly believe that unless public sector services engage
with the innovation agenda and find ways to incorporate innovation into the
delivery of front-line services, future performance will remain inefficient and
ineffective. The recent white paper ‘Innovation Nation’ highlighted
that ‘Innovation in public services will be essential to the UK’s ability to meet
the economic and social challenges of the 21st century’ (DIUS, 2008:8).
However it is a myth that public sector organisations do not innovate and
many examples exist. Yet current research and knowledge about the
innovation process and factors influencing its success or failure remain largely
invisible. We are looking for contributions from any discipline that will provide
empirical evidence of new models of innovation in policy and practice; share
knowledge around facilitation and implementation of innovation, characteristics
of innovating organisations and innovators. We are particularly interested in
experience of scaling-up innovative projects, programs or processes from pilot
to mainstream practice and international papers would be most welcome.
Please send an electronic submission consisting of full contact details and a
400 word abstract to Dr Louise Brown, Dept. of Social & Policy Sciences,
University of Bath, England by 8th January 2010, an application to for the
symposium detailing the 3-4 selected papers will be made by 12th February
2010 and successful papers would be due by 18th June 2010. Please send
submissions to [log in to unmask]
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