A study in three local authorities across England has shown that by empowering staff to work collaboratively with service users and organisational boundaries, innovation can flourish.

The research found the key to delivering a more innovative approach to service delivery is to unlock the potential of social capital within local services.  The research conducted by CIPD and University of Bath identified seven key barriers that can jeopardise innovation in the public sector including; lack of disciplined systems of innovations, a “fetish for new shiny stuff” resulting in inappropriate allocation of scarce resources, and evaluation systems which are not designed to support innovation.