Social Networking Sites (SNSs): Smart Platforms for Public Service Innovation?

Abstract

The paper argues that social networking sites SNS can be exploited as smart platforms for fostering public service innovation. Exploring and discussing SNSs in public service innovation through the complexity lens, the paper shows that SNSs enable new opportunities and pose new threats, depending on the perspective. The paper speaks for open and democratising innovation, which accentuates that not all ideas and knowledge critical to innovation reside within an organisation, but are dispersed in the organisation's external environment.