In a recent seminar at the Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance, integral to the PADST project, we were privileged to host Professor Susana Borrás from Copenhagen Business School. The seminar offered a profound exploration of innovation policy, focusing particularly on Borrás’ co-authored analysis of the multifaceted roles the state assumes in steering socio-technical systems’ transformations. With Veiko Lember enriching the discussion as the session’s discussant, attendees engaged in vibrant dialogue about the intricacies of governance and public administration’s evolving role in driving sustainable and digital transitions.
This session underscored the state’s dynamic roles within varied governance settings, and how these roles are pivotal in navigating the complexities of governance in promoting sustainability and digital transformation. Discussions delved into public sector organizations’ transformative capacities in fostering change towards sustainability, emphasizing the necessity for a nuanced grasp of these roles and the innovation potential within public administration to tackle sustainability transition challenges.
Moreover, the seminar illuminated the interplay between governance, technological advancements, and policymaking, showcasing the public sector’s adaptive response to societal needs. This event didn’t just spotlight the hurdles ahead but also highlighted the collaborative ethos propelling our project forward, providing valuable insights into governance and public administration’s capacity for transformative change in addressing contemporary challenges.
For those interested in the nuanced dynamics of state roles in socio-technical transformations and the potential for public administration in facilitating sustainable innovation, this seminar proved to be a significant source of knowledge and inspiration, charting a path for future explorations and discussions within the PADST project.
For an in-depth understanding of our seminar themes, explore the seminal work of our guest Professor Susana Borrás and co-author Jakob Edler in “The roles of the state in the governance of socio-technical systems’ transformation”, featured in Research Policy (2020), which significantly informs our discussions. Find the article here.
