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The Role of Private Actors in Public Sector Innovation

Helby Petersen, Ole ; Lember, Veiko ; Scherrer, Walter and Ågren, Robert LU orcid (2016) p.197-214
Abstract
The changing forms of governance stemming from the rise of New Public Management (NPM) and New Public Governance (NPG) have brought about significant changes in the relationship between the public and private sectors (Christensen and Lægreid 2007; Torfing and Triantafillou 2013). Not only have we witnessed a gradual increase in the involvement of private actors in the provision of public services, but we have also seen an upsurge of new forms of public–private interaction based on quasi-markets, partnerships and networks.

This development, which has unfolded over the past four decades, entails two parallel but distinct trends. First, the gradual replacement of public with private solutions across a broad range of services, such as... (More)
The changing forms of governance stemming from the rise of New Public Management (NPM) and New Public Governance (NPG) have brought about significant changes in the relationship between the public and private sectors (Christensen and Lægreid 2007; Torfing and Triantafillou 2013). Not only have we witnessed a gradual increase in the involvement of private actors in the provision of public services, but we have also seen an upsurge of new forms of public–private interaction based on quasi-markets, partnerships and networks.

This development, which has unfolded over the past four decades, entails two parallel but distinct trends. First, the gradual replacement of public with private solutions across a broad range of services, such as health, eldercare, employment services and childcare, many of which are services that have traditionally been seen as the family silver of the modern welfare state. While this trend has developed incrementally, it has nonetheless resulted in significant transfers of activities from the public to the private domain (Petersen and Hjelmar 2013). Second, we have witnessed the emergence of a growing number of innovation-oriented forms of public–private interaction under catchy titles such as ‘public–private partnerships’ (PPPs) (Hodge and Greve 2005), ‘public procurement of innovation’ (Lember, Kattel and Kalvet 2014), ‘innovative contracting out’ (Lindholst and Bogetoft 2011) and ‘public–private innovation partnerships’ (Brogaard and Petersen 2014). Today, perhaps more than ever before, there is a search for new forms of public–private collaboration that have the potential for delivering efficient public services, enhancing innovation and safeguarding public value in its widest sense (Moore 1995).

This chapter examines how governments can enhance public sector innovation by utilizing new as well as old forms of public–private interaction that mobilizes the knowledge, competencies and resources of the private sector. We focus on three major yet distinct forms of public and private interplay: contracting out, public procurement and public–private partnerships (PPPs). The aim is to examine how these widely used interaction forms fit into the emerging NPG paradigm and how they can contribute to enhanced innovation, learning and collaboration under the evolving NPG framework.

As outlined by the editors in Chapter 1 of the book, innovation and learning are embedded into collective action and institutions governing the public–private collaboration. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Enhancing Public Innovation by Transforming Public Governance
editor
Torfing, Jacob and Peter Triantafillou, Peter
pages
197 - 214
publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISBN
9781316105337
978-1-107-08898-6
DOI
10.1017/CBO9781316105337
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fa077223-8f60-46b1-a797-d66b8873aa28
date added to LUP
2016-10-25 14:46:38
date last changed
2019-11-13 17:17:00
@inbook{fa077223-8f60-46b1-a797-d66b8873aa28,
  abstract     = {{The changing forms of governance stemming from the rise of New Public Management (NPM) and New Public Governance (NPG) have brought about significant changes in the relationship between the public and private sectors (Christensen and Lægreid 2007; Torfing and Triantafillou 2013). Not only have we witnessed a gradual increase in the involvement of private actors in the provision of public services, but we have also seen an upsurge of new forms of public–private interaction based on quasi-markets, partnerships and networks.<br/><br/>This development, which has unfolded over the past four decades, entails two parallel but distinct trends. First, the gradual replacement of public with private solutions across a broad range of services, such as health, eldercare, employment services and childcare, many of which are services that have traditionally been seen as the family silver of the modern welfare state. While this trend has developed incrementally, it has nonetheless resulted in significant transfers of activities from the public to the private domain (Petersen and Hjelmar 2013). Second, we have witnessed the emergence of a growing number of innovation-oriented forms of public–private interaction under catchy titles such as ‘public–private partnerships’ (PPPs) (Hodge and Greve 2005), ‘public procurement of innovation’ (Lember, Kattel and Kalvet 2014), ‘innovative contracting out’ (Lindholst and Bogetoft 2011) and ‘public–private innovation partnerships’ (Brogaard and Petersen 2014). Today, perhaps more than ever before, there is a search for new forms of public–private collaboration that have the potential for delivering efficient public services, enhancing innovation and safeguarding public value in its widest sense (Moore 1995).<br/><br/>This chapter examines how governments can enhance public sector innovation by utilizing new as well as old forms of public–private interaction that mobilizes the knowledge, competencies and resources of the private sector. We focus on three major yet distinct forms of public and private interplay: contracting out, public procurement and public–private partnerships (PPPs). The aim is to examine how these widely used interaction forms fit into the emerging NPG paradigm and how they can contribute to enhanced innovation, learning and collaboration under the evolving NPG framework.<br/><br/>As outlined by the editors in Chapter 1 of the book, innovation and learning are embedded into collective action and institutions governing the public–private collaboration.}},
  author       = {{Helby Petersen, Ole and Lember, Veiko and Scherrer, Walter and Ågren, Robert}},
  booktitle    = {{Enhancing Public Innovation by Transforming Public Governance}},
  editor       = {{Torfing, Jacob and Peter Triantafillou, Peter}},
  isbn         = {{9781316105337}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{197--214}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  title        = {{The Role of Private Actors in Public Sector Innovation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781316105337}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/CBO9781316105337}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}