Innovation labs in the light of the New Public Service model

Abstract

Purpose: This article aims to propose a conceptual framework indicating how innovation labs can improve public service provision in the light of the New Public Service (NPS) model. Originality/value: The article discusses the relations and theoretical approaches of innovation labs at the interface with the NPS model through a framework; this is relevant, given the possibilities that these spaces provide for enhancing innovation in services and collaboration in the public sector, allowing knowledge exchange and individual and collective learning. Design/methodology/approach: This is a theoretical essay carried out through a non-systematic literature review. We collected information from books, scientific papers, theses, and dissertations on the Google Scholar platform. Data collected were discussed in view of NPS’s potential connections and implications, considering laboratories as intermediaries of innovation for enhancing the quality of public services through innovative solutions. Findings: Innovation labs are dynamic and collaborative environments that seek to fix shortcomings identified in the traditional policy approach and in designing public services. They are also considered border spaces, acting at the direct interface with citizens and private organizations. They use innovative techniques to change how public organizations operate and stimulate the building of collaborative networks. However, individual, collaborative, and structural barriers may limit the proposition of innovative solutions for public services and the scope of these laboratories for incorporating NPS elements.