- There are differing perspectives among researchers in Indonesia on what constitutes public service innovation. Some believe the definition should be rigid to encourage truly new ideas, while others argue a flexible definition stimulates more innovation attempts. - A study of 45 researchers found nearly half agreed that replicating other organizations' successful innovations can still be considered innovation, while a smaller majority thought innovations could fail without negating their status as innovations. - The study aims to narrow gaps in understanding innovation between researchers and practitioners by exploring debates around what makes an idea original, and whether innovations must be large in scale or impact to qualify.

1. DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON PUBLIC
SERVICE INNOVATION
IN INDONESIA
Heru Syah Putra,SE,. MA
Lembaga Administrasi Negara
International Seminar “Reconstructing Public Administration Reform
to Build World Class Government”
Jakarta, 21-22 Agustus 2017

2. INTRODUCTION
Innovation is believed as a new and more effective strategy to improve public service quality (Moore & Hartley,
2017).
Some experts state that innovation must have a clear definition. Innovation means an innovative way to
produce and conduct services in government. An innovative way should be considered as the first
consideration when determining innovation.
However, others believe that by making the definition more flexible, it will encourage innovator to
create more innovations as much as possible. It may boost the spirit of any worker to create its own
innovation based on his capability. A rigid definition may discourage and demotivate innovators.
Building a robust definition for public service innovation is a must. The perspective
gap must be narrowed among researchers and practitioners.

3. The Purpose
Some previous research tend to explore the implementation of a certain innovation, both in
central or local government. These studies just explore the success story or barriers encountered
by the governments. There is no a study discuss the doubtable issues that commonly arise in
innovation discussion. Some questions, such as the originality of the idea, the size, and the
failure, should be cleared to enrich the discussion of public service innovation in Indonesia.
This study tries to fill the gap by identifying the researchers’ perspective on
public service innovation in Indonesia.

4. Literature Review
• Are public service innovations really innovations?
• A question that frequently asked by public administration experts is whether innovation in government
is really an innovation (Arundel & Huber, 2013; Moore & Hartley, 2017; Torugsa & Arundel, 2014).
• Innovation in government can not be compared to private sector innovation as they have different circumstances.
• Industries innovate to win the market and gain more profit whereas government innovates to satisfy the citizens without profit
orientation. Further, failure to innovate in the industry leads to loss whereas in government only reduce the community
satisfaction.
• Innovation in public service must a solution for the common problems faced by citizens such as high
cost, time-consuming, and unresponsive services. It must reduce the cost both for user and provider.

5. Method
This study uses a mixed method by combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected by using
questionnaire and interview to respondents. The data is tabulated and followed by supporting previous studies. The
sample is 45 respondents who are researchers and prospective researchers at The Indonesian Institute of Sciences
(LIPI).
Performance
INNOVATION
Failure
Size
Originality
Replication

6. Finding
Table 1 The Orginality of an Innovation
Innovation Response Freq. %
Innovation must an new idea Do not agree 12 26.67
Agree 22 48.89
Strongly agree 9 20.00
No response 2 4.44
Total 45 100.00
Innovation might be a
replication of other innovation
Do not agree 10 22.22
Agree 31 68.89
Strongly agree 3 6.67
No response 1 2.22
Total 45 100.00
Source: Author, 2017
A new idea in innovation means not only a new product but also new idea for implementation of others
innovation. Thus, replication may an innovation if the idea to adopt is never suggested before in an institution.
Replication, to some extent, is more effective to boost innovation in an organization than building a really new
product (Albury, 2010). Further, replication is a good start for a new public organization. The risk to fail is fewer
when an organization adopts an innovation that has been implemented and improved in other public
organization.

7. Finding (2)
Table 2 Innovation and Performance
Innovation Response Freq. %
Innovation must increase
performance
Agree 28 62.22
Strongly agree 17 37.78
Total 45 100.00
Innovation has milestones Do not agree 2 4.44
Agree 27 60.00
Strongly agree 15 33.33
No response 1 2.22
Total 45 100.00
Innovation could be fail Do not agree 9 20.00
Agree 28 62.22
Strongly agree 7 15.56
No response 1 2.22
Total 45 100.00
Source: Author, 2017
An innovation is still an innovation even if it failed in implementation. Innovation means accepting the
possibility of failure (Grimm, Fox, Baines, & Albertson, 2013).
The fear of failure in innovation may decrease the interest of bureaucrats to innovate, especially if
there is a sanction for failed innovation (Crosby, Hart, & Torfing, 2016)

8. Finding (3)
Table 3. Innovation: Small or Big
Innovation Response Freq. %
Innovation should be a
Big change/break through
Do not agree 18 40.00
Agree 21 46.67
Strongly agree 5 11.11
No response 1 2.22
Total 45 100.00
Innovation could be a small
Change
Do not agree 1 2.22
Agree 31 68.89
Strongly agree 11 24.44
No response 2 4.44
Total 45 100.00
Source: Author, 2017
The extent of innovation depends on the size of the public service organization. In a school, a small public
organization, innovation may a small change or improvement (Albury, 2010).
Thus, the size of change should be compared to the size of the organization. Further, a small change conducted by
an innovative way may be categorized as an innovation.

9. Discussion
The different perspective on public service innovation is relatively large. There is 22.22 percent
of respondents do not agree a replication is categorized an innovation, and 20.00 percent agree
that an innovation should not be fail.
First: The different perspective on definition and framework of public service innovation should not be
worried. The difference is expected to nourish the willingness to innovate in public sector organization
in Indonesia. The wide definition provides flexible space for potential innovators in the government.
Second: The use of word “failure” in public service innovation must be careful and wise.
Innovation does not fail if it encourages other innovation, especially if an innovation is the early
version of another innovation.