Innovation in Local Government: a framework for analysis

This paper focuses on innovation in local government, by analysing both the features of innovation and the way the process of innovation takes place in local governments. Local government is the closest level of government to citizens and has a direct impact on their daily lives. For this reason, continuous innovation is fundamental to keep local government updated with the changing needs of individuals and the increasing demand for more efficient and effective services, in a context of decreasing resources. The paper provides strategies to create the right context around the vision, goals and objectives of the council of the day. These strategies include the role of creativity in individuals as well as the capacity to respond to external pressure and their relative importance over time, making it necessary to focus and adapt over time.