Instructor: Prof. Mehmet Akif Demircioglu, Carleton University This course examines the core functions of public sector innovation (PSI), or bureaucracy and innovation. More specifically, this course is designed to help students understand what questions (e.g., innovation typologies and sources), how questions (how can governments innovate), where questions (the political and socio-economic context within which organizations operate in different sectors), why questions (why governments need to innovate), and so what questions (outcomes of innovation, including ethical implications). Overall, the concepts taught in this course apply to all types of positions in all kinds of organizations (e.g., public, private, and non-profit) in which we may find ourselves. However, most of our focus will be on the public sector. We will learn a variety of concepts on public sector innovation (and reforms, organizational change, and entrepreneurship) and how they influence innovative activities and employee attitudes considering different levels of analysis: individuals, groups, organizational structure, state/country, and the external environment of public organizations. As we discuss these content and context areas, I will be asking you to be introspective and think about your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Then, we will discuss how you can maximize your innovation as an individual, a group member, colleague, manager, and citizen. We will also contemplate a key question from the first class: innovation through or in the public sector (i.e., should the bureaucracy innovate itself or promote business innovation?) and how it affects employees (e.g., their attitudes and behavior), organizations (e.g., performance), and nations (e.g., national development). Week Date Topic Readings 1a May 11 Introduction and Definition Textbook. Ch 1: Introduction Textbook. Ch 2: What is PSI? 1b May 11 Context Textbook. Ch 3: Public versus Private Textbook. Ch 4: The context of PSI 2a May 14 Typologies and Rationales Textbook. Ch. 5: Innovation typologies Textbook. Ch. 6: Why PSI? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =tUyw8ru1Obk&ab_channel=PublicSectorNetwork https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =CB_cGcyS1ls&ab_channel=TEDxTalks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =QZZf-RZVQaI&ab_channel=CreativeBureaucracyFestival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =YvouTR1_cYo&ab_channel=MeircTrainingandConsulting 2b May 14 Conditions and Drivers Textbook. Ch. 7: Drivers and conditions for innovation 3a May 18 Sources of Knowledge & Collaborative Innovation Textbook. Ch. 8. Sources of Knowledge and Collaborative Innovation 3b May 18 Barriers Textbook. Ch. 9. Barriers to PSI 4a May 21 National System of Innovation, and Market and Government Failures Textbook. Ch 10: National System of Innovation, and Market and Government Failures 4b May 21 Outcomes and Ethics Textbook. Ch 11: Outcomes of PSI Textbook. Ch 12: Ethics and PSI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxqbzISf6l8 5a May 25 Conclusion & Final Paper Presentations Textbook. Ch. 13: Conclusions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuMJRdX15nA 5b May 28 TBD Deadline for the final paper

Expected learning outcomes 1) To understand, apply, and develop theories and frameworks of innovation. 2) Explain and discuss the institutional, political, national, organizational, and demographic context of the innovative activities. 3) Develop an ability to think critically and systematically about innovative activities and evaluate them. 4) Generate new knowledge about how to increase innovation in the public sector. 5) Employ qualitative [interviews, interpretation; fewer observations, but in-depth; build a theory or explore; inductive] and quantitative [numbers; large dataset, statistical; to test a theory; deductive] methods to measure and evaluate innovative activities.

Attendance, civility, and in-class participation make up 25% of the final grade. • First, read the required materials and prepare for a fruitful discussion! • Please bring a case or an essay from newspapers/magazines to the classroom related to each week’s readings and discussion from time to time. • Don’t be shy, and please contribute. You will never miss any points if your idea or answer is wrong (there are no true/false answers in most cases in our class). • Being an active participant, but not a dominating participant. • Making thoughtful, insightful comments and not speaking just to be heard. • Being a good listener and demonstrating respect for others and for others’ opinions. • Building on others’ comments and helping others develop their views and ideas. • Identifying key assumptions underlying discussion points and arguments. • Being constructive and positive in one’s comments. • Positively contribute to group discussions.

6 hours each week in May

Demircioglu, Mehmet Akif, and David Audretsch. 2024. Public Sector Innovation. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Required: Demircioglu, Mehmet Akif, and David Audretsch. 2024. Public Sector Innovation. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Suggested (free download): OECD. 2017. Fostering Innovation in the Public Sector. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/gov/fostering-innovation-in-the-public-sector-9789264270879-en.htm