Innovation and motivation in public health professionals.
OBJECTIVE
Innovations in public health services promote increases in the health status of the population. Therefore, it is a major concern for health policy makers to understand the drivers of innovation processes. This paper focuses on the differences in behaviour of managers and front-line employees in the pro-innovative provision of public health services.


METHODS
We utilize a survey conducted on front-line employees and managers in public health institutions across six European countries. The survey covers topics related to satisfaction, or attitude towards innovation or their institution. We undertake principal components analysis and analysis of variance, and estimate a multinomial ordered probit model to analyse the existence of different behaviour in managers and front-line employees with respect to innovation.


RESULTS
Perception of innovation is different for managers and front-line employees in public health institutions. While front-line employees' attitude depends mostly on the overall performance of the institution, managers feel more involved and motivated, and their behaviour depends more on individual and organisational innovative profiles.


CONCLUSIONS
It becomes crucial to make both managers and front-line employees at public health institutions feel participative and motivated in order to maximise the benefits of technical or organisational innovative process in the health services provision.
García-Goñi
Manuel
M
Manuel García-Goñi, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Departamento de Economía Aplicada II, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain. mggoni@ccee.ucm.es
Maroto
Andrés
A
Rubalcaba
Luis
L
D000328:Adult; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015980:Public Health Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires