Don't Ask for Ideas and Innovations, Ask for What They Do

Understanding, recognizing and enhancing (women’s) innovation activities in the public sector

Authors

  • Anna Isaksson School of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Halmstad University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3720-693X
  • Camilla Andersson Department of Design Aalto University
  • Emma Börjesson School of Information Technology, Halmstad University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242020000200095

Keywords:

Innovation, ideas, gender, experiences, elderly care, public sector,

Abstract

This article demonstrates how the innovation capacity in the public sector, such as in elderly care, can be recognized and enhanced if the daily experiences of the employees, i.e. what women are doing in their everyday work, are taken into account. Women working in elderly care encounter a number of challenges and have different strategies for solving them in order to provide good care for the elderly. These solutions are often non-technical and non-digital and, therefore, not regarded as “good ideas” and innovations. Asking for “ideas” and “potential innovations” prevents the staff from identifying these innovative solutions since they regard them as nothing special. However, when the point of departure is taken in everyday experiences, it is possible to challenge the male-dominated discourse on innovation and capture innovations. Consequently, this article suggests that innovation activities and innovation models in for instance the public sector should address and be grounded in experiences rather than “ideas”.

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Published

2020-09-01

How to Cite

Isaksson, A., Andersson , C. ., & Börjesson, E. . (2020). Don’t Ask for Ideas and Innovations, Ask for What They Do: Understanding, recognizing and enhancing (women’s) innovation activities in the public sector . Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 15(2), 95–102. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242020000200095

Issue

Section

Case Studies