Last week, five proposals were presented to promote innovation in public administration. Below, five additional proposals are outlined in the same direction:
Transparency and accountability: Proactively publishing information about public management and establishing clear accountability mechanisms increases citizens’ trust in institutions. Managing data robustly is fundamental, and the key to achieving this is digital transformation, even in the simplest processes.
Evaluation and continuous improvement: Implementing periodic evaluation systems for policies and programs allows the identification of areas for improvement and the adjustment of strategies to achieve proposed objectives. In the administrations I’m familiar with, this is often neglected, yet it is fundamental for identifying opportunities and improvement areas in the policies undertaken, as well as directly holding public managers accountable.
Efficient resource management: Optimizing the use of financial, human, and material resources ensures the sustainability of initiatives and maximizes the impact of public actions. Efficient management includes actions taken by anyone in the administration; it is not solely the responsibility of leaders. Acting with awareness of working for the public good is a cornerstone of public management.
Promotion of an innovation culture: Fostering a work environment that encourages creativity and the proposal of new ideas among public employees contributes to the generation of innovative solutions. In this post, we’ve discussed the culture of innovation, and there are many initiatives that can promote it.
Adaptation to climate change and sustainability: Integrating sustainability criteria and resilience to climate change into public policies ensures balanced and environmentally responsible development. Keeping this perspective in mind when defining public management can contribute to more innovative policies and greater future opportunities.
Transforming organizations in the public sector is not easy without feeling frustrated by the slow pace of change. However, I often share that the first time I invited companies from the public sector to discuss innovation, only five attended. Fifteen years later, the same forum was fully booked with over 120 companies. The only constant is change.