Entrepreneurship and the Public Sector: Issues and Applications

• Published in: International journal of entrepreneurship and innovation 2000-10, Vol.1 (3), p.163-171
• Main Authors: Llewellyn, Nick, Lawton, Alan, Edwards, Charles, Jones, Geoff
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1465-7503; 2043-6882
• DOI: 10.5367/000000000101298667

This paper reports key findings from a series of structured public sector practitioner panel seminars, convened at the Open University Business School (OUBS) as part of a three-year study assessing the meaning and significance of entrepreneurship for the practice of public management. The seminars were structured around issues emerging from a detailed literature review. Reflecting the structure of the seminars, findings are presented around four themes: (a) the meaning of entrepreneurship as applied to public services; (b) the impact of entrepreneurial behaviour on traditional public service values; (c) contingencies that relate to entrepreneurial public management; and (d) outcomes of entrepreneurship. In the initial section of the paper traditional theories of the entrepreneur are contrasted with the way in which entrepreneurship has recently been linked to social, rather than individual goals. Methodology is then discussed, exploring the way in which field notes were generated and analysed. Key outcomes are then presented. The research reveals a balance between entrepreneurial behaviour and bureaucratic accountability, and a concern that public services, rather than individual goals are achieved. Entrepreneurial behaviour is found to exist across the public services, but it is recognized that there may be a core of activities that do not lend themselves to entrepreneurial behaviour. In the discussion section a number of implications emerging from the research are presented.