ABSTRACT
Can bureaucracies support radical innovation? This chapter begins by clarifying what is meant by radical innovation, providing examples of radical and incremental innovation production, and radical innovation adoption. With the groundwork laid, rationales for the public support of innovation are presented and the mechanisms used are described. The evaluation of support for radical innovation presents both challenges and opportunities for evaluators and these are illustrated with examples from the academic literature. The importance of methodological plurality is demonstrated by showing that both experimental and observational studies make important contributions. The institutional setting in which policies are created, deployed, and adapted is considered and the importance of a public sector that is engaged and embedded in the networks of constituents is highlighted. The conclusion is that the public sector is essential to the quest to create and adopt radical innovations.
