Creating the conditions for radical public service innovation - David Albury

30 June 2011

David Albury

Public services are facing an unprecedented combination of challenges and opportunities: demographic, technological, public expectations, fiscal constraint, local and global "wicked issues". The need for radical innovation - innovation that achieves significantly better outcomes for significantly lower costs - has perhaps never been greater.

This lecture will draw on international research, experience and case studies to discuss the policy, system and organisational dynamics and relationships necessary to foster innovation and stimulate diffusion of ‘proven’ innovations.

Among the questions to be explored will be: What are the required leadership characteristics? In what ways can funding regimes be developed to reward the adoption of innovation? How should users and the public be engaged in the processes of innovation? What regulatory frameworks hinder or enable innovation?

Broad Topics: Business and Economics

Sub-topics: Economics, International Business

Areas: ANU College of Business and Economics

David Albury is an internationally respected, independent policy and organisational consultant. He specialises in public service reform and the development and implementation of strategies for public sector organisational and system transformation. David is a global leader in helping create the conditions and dynamics to support radical innovation to achieve better outcomes for lower costs. David has worked in the UK and internationally with leading professionals, senior politicians, chief executives and Boards in government departments, national agencies, public service and third sector organisations, and public-private partnerships. Much of his work focuses on education and health but he has undertaken major projects across the full range of public services. He is an accomplished speaker, writer, coach, facilitator, analyst, trend spotter and manager. David is a Board Director of Innovation Unit Ltd, Associate of the Institute of Government, Visiting Professor in Innovation Studies at King’s College London, Design and Development Director of the Global Education Leaders’ Program (GELP), and was, from 2002 to 2005, Principal Adviser in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit where he co-authored the influential report Innovation in the Public Sector.