Where are All the Female Innovators? Nurses as Innovators in a Public Sector Innovation

Abstract

The field of innovation does not see the innovator and is therefore gender-blind. Still, there is an implicit understanding of who is innovative, and this understanding includes gender and profession of the innovator. The female nurse is not seen as innovative and few innovation policies target her. The lack of innovativeness is due to many factors and two of these are tested empirically in this article: that women work in professions which are not associated with innovation and that women lack confidence to carry out innovative work. The empirical investigation presents evidence in line with both hypothesis and also notes that men and women ends their innovative efforts for different reasons. Therefore, innovation policy targeting these groups mobilises otherwise dormant potential innovators.