Public Service Research & Innovation: a Quest for Sustained Service Delivery Session 2 Entrepreneurship in Public Se

1. Public Service Research & Innovation: a Quest for Sustained Service DeliverySession 2Entrepreneurship in Public Service Innovation Ms Thuli Radebe Centre for Public Service Innovation, South Africa

2. Content • The case for Public sector innovation • Definitions of Public entrepreneurship (PE) & innovation - relationship between the two 3. Government’s dual role 4. Examples illustrating Public entrepreneurship 5. Example of inculcating public entrepreneurship 6. Government of the future concept 7. Leadership to drive PE & Innovation 8. Conclusion

3. Brief • Within the complex structures, systems and processes of government, the need for accountability and stewardship of public resources often conspires against the adoption of new ideas and their associated risks (accountability measures work against innovation). • Will a more entrepreneurial approach to public sector governance provide a better framework for encouraging innovations? Relationship between public entrepreneurship & innovation • What is the role of the leader who has to straddle both entrepreneurial and public service realities?

4. 1. The case for innovation in the public sector • Despite progressive policies, legislation, transformation (institutional and otherwise), implementation strategies, capacity building programmes, service delivery challenges persist(crime, health, education, etc.) • Citizens rights-conscious & vigilant – sophisticated, know what services and how (integrated around life episodes); connected (social media) • governments are expected to provide users with a seamless service experience; to reduce citizens’ cost-to-be-served, including distance; and to achieve efficiencies that help reduce government’s cost-to-serve • Very tight budgets – economic downturn (DO MORE WITH LESS)

5. Typically governments are the largest organisations with complex structures where individual departments work in their respective silos - fragmented business processes and duplicated , legacy systems and technologies, posing obstacles to cross sector integration and interoperability - Processes and data are tied to a department, and inter-departmental processes are often paper based - Often one department is in the dark with regard to another department - Insufficient standardisation of systems, infrastructure for collaboration Upfront assertion: The situation ushers in a drive for innovation and PE The case for Public Sector innovation, continued

6. 2. Definitions • Innovation – extra-ordinary initiatives with new outcomes when all else fails – stretching beyond own mandate . • When good policies, implementation strategies, capacity building initiatives, special intervention programmes, available resources but problems persist; Coming up with new and radical ways of getting services to our citizens • Public entrepreneurship - a creatively destructive force, tearing down old thoughts, processes, programs, or even organizations, in order to institute something hopefully more effective in its place (Kennen, 2009). • To me, the spirit of getting it done regardless of the constrains, leaving no stone unturned to achieve your outcomes PE Very old concept & pillar for transforming government: • During the Reagan presidency and Thatcher premiership • PhD dissertation in 1964 - Public entrepreneurship: Case study in ground water basin management in Southern California (ElinorOstrom)

7. Relationship between PE & Innovation PE allows innovation from within rather than relying on external forces – it is a critical pillar of innovation • The two not to be viewed as existing on opposite sides or even running along each other - they are entwined/intertwined, they co-exist • We do not have a choice – it is imperative to embrace PE and innovation in the public sector & nurture, entrench them • Anyone is a potential public sector entrepreneur and innovator – from all levels of government including officials, civil society and citizens

8. To be entrepreneurial and innovative in delivering services – designing & developing new ways, ‘tearing down old systems – being creatively destructive’ (guard against throwing the baby out with the bath water) To provide an enabling environment for the rest (private & civil society) to be entrepreneurial & innovative in economic growth 3. Government’s dual role

9. 4. EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

10. Limpopo Public Works Commercialisation - ‘redundant’ workers (excess staff) - instead of retrenchments, once identified, they were assessed on strengths & competencies, trained & set up as SMMEs and government outsourced road maintenance to them. Outcome extremely positive from ownership impact & income implications– morale, commitment! Restructure state assets: KZN Wildlife Ezemvelo (Amalgamating of wildlife conservation/reserves with strong community participation & development - ownership); Zebediela citrus estate: turning around loss-making 13 785 ha government owned farms whilst giving communities ownership within company to address poverty - outcomes extremely positive SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES? Examples illustrating Public Entrepreneurship

11. Examples illustrating Public Entrepreneurship • Chris Hani District Municipality Sustainable villages - project entails: • Setting up a Sustainable Commons at village schools to support the local community in developing small scale, replicable, renewable energy technologies and sustainable practices in their own rural homesteads • The alternative energy designs are simple, effective and easy to replicate and many are built from any material readily available. Examples include a greenhouse nursery made from recycled plastic bottles; solar cookers, solar water heaters made from recycled plastic bottles; hot boxes which allow families to cook hot meals without using dwindling wood resources; eco-circles, vermiculture and permaculture gardens; and aquaponic systems. • Led by a community champion

12. Examples illustrating individual public entrepreneurship Pulamadibogo Primary School – School contributing to economic development (good example of leadership stepping out of comfort zone, beyond own mandate, recognising opportunities and embracing them – nothing stops her!) • Food supplementing (school & old age home) • Chicken farm – generating income • Parents from destitute families employed & paid • Mini-pharmacy (ointment) • French lessons Physiotherapist - using a coke bottle as a spacer to admit asthmatic children - continued into permaculture (nothing stopping her!)

13. 5. Example of inculcating PE Innovation Hub (collaboration between Science & Technology, science councils, private & academic institutions to support SMMEs) – Gauteng Province driven Solution Exchange Programme: CPSI a partner with Innovation Hub on this web-based platform through which public & private sector institutions present challenges for which they do not have solutions, to a broader, entrepreneurial community in search for new innovations. • Government (service delivery) challenges are posted & solutions sought from young innovative entrepreneurs. Seed funding availed. CPSI Examples • preventing duplication in the dispensing of Chronic medication (CPSI & Tshwane), and • Crime reporting in informal settlements (Honeydew Policing Cluster and CPSI).

14. 6. Government of the future concept What should the public sectors of the future look like? Linking research with Innovation/PE • How do we anticipate climate change related challenges ‘catch us by unprepared’(proactive)? • Mozambique floods • Tsunamis • Earth quakes • Migration;Economic crisis ‘Business as usual’ no longer an option - collaborative service methods MDIs to examine their role within this context -capacity building of future public servants

15. 7. Leadership to drive Public Entrepreneurship & Innovation There is an assertion that we need “…a new generation of public entrepreneurs.” Lord Andrew Adonis (director of the UK’s Institute for Government) This new generation consists of public service leaders: - that understand the interrelationship between social progress and economic growth; - who can foster new collaborations between government, businesses and citizens; and - who are able to create the profound shift in culture needed to drive the innovation that can create sustainable growth during fiscal austerity. • Leaders who can envision integrated outcomes (collaboration of systems & efforts)

16. Leadership • Leaders –who have guts (audacity) to implement & mainstream innovations • Leaders who take a holistic approach to public service transformation, embarking on programs that create synergies across the social and economic ecosystems. • Leaders who do not alienate the “eccentric-but-talented” and give comfort to the “bland-but-mediocre” • Leaders who recruit staff with very different perspectives to spice up their knowledge mix, NOThiring “people like us, who think like us” Leaders who robustly innovate around accountability measures for the achievement of governance outcomes (balanced fear of the Auditor-General)

17. 1. It does not matter what category an innovation falls under: - an innovation must be in response to an identified need which determines what it is called (process, behavioural, etc.) Science & technology partners’ request - move from a researched/confirmed challenge (root causes VS surface cracks) Hence appreciation of link between research & innovation 2. Prioritise replication and mainstreaming of innovative solutions – otherwise effort & resources have gone to waste 3. Illustrate practical benefits of the innovation to the politicians else they will not hear you; charm them; give them ownership of the initiative (sell it to them) 8. Conclusion

18. NGIYABONGA THANK YOU!