Types of Innovation

Service innovation involves the development of new ways to deliver services that improve the quality, availability, or user-adaptation of public services. It can include digital solutions, new interaction models, or adaptations that better meet the specific needs of different user groups. Service innovation can also involve new interactive services that create a closer dialogue between service providers and users. 

Process innovation focuses on improving the internal processes of an organization, both in terms of efficiency, resource use, and the quality of the services offered. This can involve the implementation of new technology or systems that improve workflow, remove inefficient processes, or automate manual tasks. Such changes lead to better capacity utilization and reduced costs, as well as faster and more accurate deliveries. 

In the public sector, product innovation can involve the development of new tools, systems, or technologies that directly support service production or delivery. Product innovation differs from service innovation by focusing on the concrete “product” offered, whether it is physical or digital. This could be new IT systems, technological platforms, or instruments that provide more precise or effective results.

This type of innovation involves structural and managerial changes that improve the collaboration between departments, agencies, or other organizations. Organizational innovation can contribute to reshaping how public organizations operate, by introducing new management models, interdisciplinary teams, or more flexible decision-making structures. The goal is to achieve better coordination, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and promote more dynamic innovation within the organization. 

Social innovation involves the development of new solutions to societal challenges that require collaboration between public actors, voluntary organizations, and the citizens themselves. It often involves finding new ways to create social value, by including more actors in the process and addressing problems such as economic inequality, health, education, or social inclusion. Social innovations are often characterized by a strong focus on sustainability and long-term improvements in the quality of life for vulnerable groups. 

Policy innovation refers to the development of new political or legal frameworks that promote efficiency, quality improvements, or innovation in the public sector. It may involve new regulatory mechanisms or reforms that facilitate more innovative service delivery and management. Policy innovation can help to remove structural obstacles and facilitate organizations to develop in line with changing societal needs.

This involves adapting existing services or products to new usage contexts or target groups. Position innovation is about expanding the reach of a service by adapting it for a new group of users, or by implementing the service in a new environment where it can meet new needs. In the public sector, this could mean tailoring services for specific demographic groups, or transferring successful services from one context to another.

Strategic innovation involves a new direction or change in the organization's overall objectives and purpose. This can involve redefining the organization's focus areas or changing which societal problems the organization should address. Strategic innovation can be crucial to ensuring that the organization's activities are relevant and adapted to new societal challenges, and provide the opportunity to create value in a different way than before. 

Rhetorical innovation involves introducing new terms, concepts, or linguistic expressions that change how we talk about and understand a service, a problem, or a topic. This type of innovation can play an important role in shaping public perceptions and creating engagement for specific issues. By introducing new terms, an organization can promote a changed understanding of a case or a measure, which can influence both decision-makers and the audience."