Public Sector Innovation in Asia and the Pacific Region: Korea and Singapore

Public sector innovation has been a major world wide trend since the 1980s, and Asia and the Pacific region has been on the rise. Several countries in Asia and the Pacific have been leading the trend of public sector innovation. This study investigates two exemplar innovation cases in a comparative perspective. Korea and Singapore are world leaders in public sector innovation, and produce various good practices in public sector innovation benchmarked by other countries. Each country is examined in this study with consideration of their different histories, cultures, and impetuses for innovation. Dimensions of government innovation examined are cost reductions, quality improvement, professionalization, digital government, regulatory reform, and integrity and transparency. Korea and Singapore started their public sector innovation at similar period under the economic crisis in the 1990``s. However, Korea focused more on improving organizational effectiveness and transparency. Singapore put its priority on personnel innovation for its competitiveness. Information technology is a critical base of public sector innovation in Korea and Singapore. Public sector innovation in these two countries has contributed to the improvement in practices and better public services for citizens.