Citizen engagement in public sector innovation: exploring the transition between paradigms

This paper explores how the public sector engages citizens for innovation purposes. It connects the related but currently separate debates concerning the transition from the ‘new public management’ to the ‘new public governance’ paradigm and the application of different helix models to public sector innovation. Through a case study of a Danish municipality, the process for changing normativity and the perception of citizens’ roles is illustrated. This includes the application of both new structures and instruments for engaging citizens in collaboration and a pragmatic approach to quadruple helix collaboration, which is context-driven rather than strictly compliant with theoretical models.