Public Service Innovation In a Political Trap

Abstract

Some experts agree that innovation competition can spur the growth of Innovation in various public sectors (Jacob Torfing, 2016), so this model is widely practised in various countries, especially in developing countries that are transforming as a result of globalization. However, research focuses on public service innovation products featured in the Provincial-level Public Service Innovation competition in West Sumat ra from 2014-to 2021, even being ranked in the TOP 45. TOP 99 national levels is not a guarantee that the Innovation can be implemented according to the formulation, even changing the face of public services in the regions to be better. Even some of these superior innovations are no longer running. In addition to these facts, the results of this research using qualitative methods located in West Sumatra province show that public service innovations superior to regions included as participants in this competition have two sides. On the one hand, it was born as part of the local government's efforts to improve the face of regional public services. On the other hand, it is full of political content, namely the development of the image of regional heads. The conclusion from this study is that the regional head with his authority is the key to changing the face of public services in the region since the built public service innovation model will not be able to run successfully without political support.