How governance paradigms and other drivers affect public managers’ use of innovation practices. A PLS-SEM analysis and model

Abstract

Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology for Innovations in the Public Sector (UTAUT-IPS) model, this study examined the influences on using a specific innovation practice on public managers. We based our analysis on an end-of-2019 sample of 227 Spanish public managers, aiming to answer the question “Are public innovation and project managers driven only by a governance paradigm, influencing their intention and usage of an innovation practice?” Using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) algorithm, we singled out the effects of the governance paradigm, performance expectancy, and motivation, among seven other behavioral composite variables. The PLS-Prediction-Oriented Segmentation routine was used to segment our sample into three distinct groups of innovation managers: (i) those driven by nearly all influences; (ii) those driven by results and the governance paradigm; and (iii) those driven by governance and habits. The three groups highlight the different practical approaches to public innovation and co-creation initiatives, which clearly reflect the complex process of deciding which tool (or tools) should be used to implement these. Our UTAUT-IPS model helps visualize this complex decision-making process.