Innovation policy for welfare services in a Swedish context

Authors

  • Thomas Wihlman Mälardalen University
  • Hélène Sandmark Mälardalen University
  • Magnus Hoppe Mälardalen University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v16i4.16270

Keywords:

Innovation policy, Welfare services, Public sector, Innovation systems, Public procurement

Abstract

The aim of the study is to explore the role of public welfare services expressed in the Swedish government’s innovation policy. The focus is on municipal and county services, such as education and health care. The study is based on an analysis of 55 documents produced by the government and its agencies. Although innovation policy is a major issue in Sweden, and Sweden has a large public sector, research on innovation within this field is very limited. The results show that the municipality and county services are visible in innovation policy when they are a driving force for innovation in the private sector. This applies especially when public procurement becomes a vehicle for business innovation. Innovation is not used as a concept representing radical change and general progress of the public sector as such. When municipal welfare services become visible in the studied documents, there are often references to a need for efficiency improvements and for procurement leading to innovation. For the public sector, including local welfare services, no coherent innovation policy is present, but this study found elements that could become part of an innovation policy. Policy development is important for the future, considering the public sector ́s role in the important and increasing service sector and in the society as a whole.

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Author Biographies

Thomas Wihlman, Mälardalen University

Thomas Wihlman is a PhD student in Work Life Science at Mälardalen University, M.Sc in Innovation Management at Mälardalen University, B.A. in Political Science and Sociology at Uppsala University. Wihlman has worked as a manager in various positions in the public sector. He is also a former freelance journalist and business intelligence coordinator.

Hélène Sandmark, Mälardalen University

Hélène Sandmark Sandmark is an Associate Professor in Public Health Sciences at Mälardalen University. Since 2004 she has been the director of a research program on working women’s health and psychosocial stressors, as well as sustainable work ability. She is one of two directors of a new interdisciplinary research program using social media in health-promoting measures in collaboration with ICT researchers.

Magnus Hoppe, Mälardalen University

Magnus Hoppe holds a PhD in Business Administration from Åbo Akademi, Finland, and is Senior Lecturer in Innovation Management. He is currently researching entrepreneurship as a concept for welfare and health care. In parallel with this, he is also interested in knowledge creation, knowledge activists, informal innovation leaders, and intrapreneurial action.

 

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Published

2012-12-15

How to Cite

Wihlman, T., Sandmark, H., & Hoppe, M. (2012). Innovation policy for welfare services in a Swedish context. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 16(4), 27–48. https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v16i4.16270

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Section

Original Articles

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