Innovation Dynamics in Transition Country

1. Innovation Dynamics in Transition Country Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia

2. Transition Context • Coincidence of 2 movements: • Overall societal changes from a centralized authoritarian state (unitary power in political, economic, administrative sense) • Political, economic, administrative and social changes • Pluralization: creation of civil society • Privatization: creation of markets and business sector • Decentralization: creation of self-governments • New Public Management • Privatization: service providers • Client empowerment • De-institutionalization • Personalization of Services

3. Transition Context • Public Administration Reform (devolution of power from state → other actors) Decentralization (Territorial Units and Municipalities) • Competencies (Slovakia: 1. July 2002) • Finances (Slovakia: 1. January 2005) • Transformation of Social Services System (responsibility shift from state → citizen) 1/ How to define a new quality of public sector and basic social service 2/ How to improve their performance

4. Societal Reforms vs. Innovation in Social Services • Language • social care → social aid → social services • patient → client • Reforms / modernization / changes vs. innovations • Reform or Innovation fatigue??? • WHAT: nature and range of social services (institutional care → taxative enumaration of institutions with specific services → scale of alternative services) • WHO: form, role and scope of founders and providers (new and alternative providers of services, e.g. church, NGO, private institution • HOW: Types of service (social vs. health services) • FROM WHAT ($$$): (state → multisource financing)

6. Context - local • Service Institutions became independent legal entities (directors) • Fiscal pressure (effectiveness and efficiency) - Municipalities responsible for social services - Decentralization support (from Ministry via municipality / territorial unit) • Civil Organizations pressure: humanization of services, respect towards clients, quality services - ASHOKA project (Council for Advice in Social Work) • Slovakia: Residential Home for Elderly • Lithuania: Establishment of Day Centers for Elderly

7. Drivers for Innovation • Overall changes in society: climate for changes • Need • Philosophical change: humanization of services, de-institutionalization • Problem-driven (fiscal pressure, efficient provision of services) • Study visit to partner organization in Germany (inspiration) • Trainings / meetings by NGO (CASS) + facilitative trainings with municipality (CDLM) • Czech initiative “For respectful senior age” • Preparation of manual for Quality Standards • Regular meetings with staff to monitor, evaluate and adjust innovation in the context (+ WHY innovation) • Preparation of draft law on Social Services at Ministry

8. Barriers to Innovations • Transition related • Collapse of information flow between policy and service levels • collapse of formal network among service providing facilities • Inadequate training opportunities for ‘new’ type of social services • Lack of professionalism in management issues (mistrust and misunderstanding of private sector) • Traditional • Need to communicate with staff and other stakeholders to explain rationale and process of innovations • Internal politics

9. Lessons Learned – Perceptions, Definitions & Innovations • Concept of Innovation perceived in national public sector context as system change/reform or internal organizational change/reform • PUBLIN definition works\Concept often applied in the context of ‘reforms’, ‘modernization’ and ‘problem solving’ BUT improvement for beneficiaries • Concept is applied across all types of innovation (system, process, organizational, technical, etc.)

10. Lessons Learned – Interaction policy & service levels • Policy level system changes enabled innovations on service level (e.g. independence of facilities in decision making on local level, introduction of multi-source financing) • Problems on service levels to be solved – seeking for innovations • Role of Entrepreneurs • Role of NGOs • Experience with innovations on service level taken into policy level decisions (new law on Social services)

11. Lessons learned – Role of Entrepreneurs (front line managers) • Beliefs and values of innovators (both internal and external influence) • Inspiration from experience elsewhere (e.g. partnerships, trainings, seminars, etc.) • Committed ‘change agents’ in the organization (besides the director also committed staff members) • Communication, negotiations and supervision of all stakeholders (politicians, decision makers, policy makers): demonstration of benefits and early identification of resistance • Staff empowerment and motivation (trust, responsibilities, communication, feedback, training)

12. Lessons Learned – Role of NGOs • Initiation • Interaction and knowledge transfer • Networking: • vertically - facilitator of communication between service and policy levels; • horizontally – among service organizations • Research and pilot testing • Diffusion of innovation and policy learning • Additional financial resources