Réceptivité et contraintes de l’innovation dans l’administration publique

Abstract

Public administrations are confronted with economic and political constraints as well as the need to maintain quality services. They must create innovative approaches that transform the rules and standards guiding the action and activities of stakeholders. Innovation is not simply a result -it is above all a process that brings a range of actors into play. The knowledge, creativity and participation of these actors are all central to the innovation process. Values as well as performance and productivity goals must converge, even though they are sometimes seen as being opposed. This analysis is based on two research projects conducted in the area of public administration innovation during the last ten years. It shows that the innovation process is not rigid or fixed but instead moulds itself to the changing context.