Innovation is the buzzword of the moment in local government. Whether it's in the pursuit of shared savings or the implementation of e-government, the innovation label is often taken as a seal of approval: it is good to be innovative.
But how does local government decide what is innovative? And if certain things are judged to be genuinely innovative, then how effective is local government at spreading them around?
Local government employees, professional associations, researchers and others can all help promote innovative ideas, but only if they know how to share knowledge, and we've found that strong personal networks are the best way to effect that sharing.
In a study drawing on survey data and interviews conducted with administrators at the highest levels of city and county government in California, we found that personal contacts – especially those in close geographic proximity, and those in similar roles – are most valuable when it comes to sharing innovation.
Participants told us that while more impersonal means of knowledge sharing could be useful for acquiring information unrelated to innovation – for example learning about new laws, or understanding how to use a new contact system — sources such as webinars, list-servs and academic literature were only slightly valuable as they researched and implemented new approaches.
Internet searches were considered more valuable, but often as a first step. Personal contacts, however, inspired trust and allowed for candid and productive discussions about potential pitfalls, modifications and costs of pursuing different strategies.
Yet civil servants are starved for both time and money, and often don't have the resources to develop strong personal networks on their own. This is especially true of administrators in rural communities, in which a city manager might double as a department director. Professional associations can play a valuable role in building relationships between busy people. By sponsoring local discussion and planning groups for local government staff, and by connecting city leaders interested in similar areas of innovation across community type, professional groups can draw on this convening power to promote innovation at the local level.
So what is this "innovation" we are so keen to share?
Our survey found that local government considers ideas that reduce costs or increase organisational efficiency in delivering public services to be innovative. Even if local government staff believe civic engagement or new technology to be important, today's tough economic climate requires a commitment to saving money, too. Indeed, the lack of staff time and a shortage of funding often prevents innovative projects taking off in local government.
Strengthening personal networks isn't the only way to spark the innovation process for efficiency programmes or other projects – but our survey data found that it is a good first step
In the coming months we plan to share other recommendations emerging from this research. We invite you to be part of the conversation by sharing your own thoughts below.
Rachel Burstein is a research associate at the New America Foundation California Civic Innovation Project
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