Log in

Create a user profile using your existing professional profile on LinkedIn, Academia, or ResearchGate.


Alternatively, register a username and password to start an account.


By creating an account you will be able to contribute articles, engage in discussion groups, network with fellow professionals and businesses, and receive interest-related alerts.

Forgot Password

Please enter your email address below and you will receive a temporary link to re-activate your account

Innovation for basic service delivery: Enhancing municipal innovation maturity

Article image

Irma Booyens, Sikhulumile Sinyolo, Peter Jacobs, Tim Hart

01 January 2018

Department of Science and Technology, HSRC

English

Ephraim Phalafala

Policy brief

Department of Science and Innovation

South Africa

The Municipal Innovation Maturity Index is a tool for assessing the capabilities of municipalities to support innovation for improved basic service delivery. The tool was developed by the Human Sciences Research Council in response to the general lack of appropriate instruments for understanding and evaluating the innovation capabilities of local and district municipalities in South Africa. This policy brief aims to investigate the extent to which municipalities develop their innovation capabilities as a result of exposure to innovations demonstrated at distressed municipalities as part of the Innovation Partnership for Rural Development Programme.

 

The results reveal a marginal increase in the overall innovation maturity of the municipalities that were surveyed, suggesting that learning is taking as a result of exposure to the IPRDP. The MIMI results further show that even though municipalities are aware of and understand basic service delivery innovations, they have yet not reached a stage where innovation principles are entrenched in their organisations. The organisational enablers to foster an enabling environment for innovation maturity are generally lacking. In terms of leadership and management support for innovation, we stress that more should be done to encourage staff to learn about innovation. Moreover, local municipalities should be supported to strengthen their innovation capabilities and embed innovation in local government.

Downloads

Website References

Basic services

Built environment

Energy

Human settlements

Innovation

Local government

Municipalities

Policy

Solid waste

South Africa

Sustainability

Urban

Water and sanitation

View Contributors:

Comments

No comments available
LOAD MORE