Understanding the concepts of innovation in regional governance

Abstract

Understanding the concepts of innovation in regional governanceThe purpose of this paper is to present the concepts of innovation in regional governance — both their theoretical foundations and empirical dimension. The concepts proposed here are rooted in the public management model, while the idea of regional governance is based on the framework of a multi-level system of making and implementing political decisions. The article analyses definitions of innovation and the process of its implementation. This, in turn, provides a research tool for examining regional governance. The authors present a definition of innovation in public management — a sphere oriented toward meeting common needs of society, as contrasted with the market-oriented private sector. They proceed to pointing out the doctrinal sources of pursuing innovation in public management: theories of democracy, civil society, knowledge, social capital and networks. Finally, they propose a three-part analytical model for examining innovation in regional governance. The study is based on a typical scientific literature review using the following research methods: analysis, synthesis and theoretical modelling.