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Unfurling Organizational Innovation in Public Services: The Case of a Public Research Organization

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Management Innovation

Abstract

This paper uses a longitudinal case study of an internally driven organizational innovation and redesign process at a scientific or public research organization (PRO) as a way of illustrating innovation dynamics that result from the need to formulate a new strategic mission for the organization as a response to wider environmental and institutional pressure. Based on in-depth interviews with key participants, supplemented by a review of project reports, contract archives, publications and press coverage, this paper illustrates that organizational renewal is a complex phenomenon in PROs and that innovations in essential elements of the formal structure, work practices and values can serve as important enablers of change in highly rigid work environments; it also shows that the introduction of certain management principles borrowed from private organizations may accelerate change by providing a strong basis for developing a shared collaborative organization in public research.

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Correspondence to Carlos Martin-Rios .

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Martin-Rios, C., Heckscher, C., Gonzalez, C. (2014). Unfurling Organizational Innovation in Public Services: The Case of a Public Research Organization. In: Hervás-Oliver, JL., Peris-Ortiz, M. (eds) Management Innovation. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03134-7_5

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