Public services organisations are now expected to innovate in their delivery of services. This is an international expectation clearly linked to the range of management reforms which swept across the world during the last two decades (Pollitt and Bouckaert, 2000). They are currently seen in the development of the ‘Reinventing Government’ movement in the USA (Osborne and Gaebler, 1992) and the British Labour government's ‘Modernisation’ agenda (DETR, 1998). These expectations have led to innovative claims by public services organisations. These claims remain unproven. Furthermore, if public services organisations are to meet their innovative expectations little information exists on the management of innovation to help in this pursuit.

This book explores the innovative claims of one group of public services organisations – housing associations (or Registered Social Landlords, as they have been called since the 1996 Housing Act). It builds upon other innovation case studies (Osborne, 1998; Newman et al, 2000). It offers an alternative perspective by focusing upon and making recommendations on the management of innovation. Housing associations or Registered Social Landlords (we choose to refer to them as housing associations) are particularly good examples to draw upon. They were propelled into the centre stage of housing policy in the late 1980s because they were seen to be innovative. Since this time widespread change has taken place within the sector and housing associations have experienced exposure to the market in more extensive ways than many other public services organisations. However, because other public services organisations will face similar experiences over coming years with the market coming to play an increasingly important role in our hospitals, local authorities and universities, and policy becoming ‘evidence-based’ as ‘what works is what counts’ becomes the rhetoric of the day, the findings presented here have relevance in these other settings. The evidence presented in the book, from which our lessons are drawn, is based on extensive and intensive research projects on housing association innovation.

The notion of innovation came into popular use during the 1990s within the housing association sector.

• • Key bodies in the housing sector promote the importance of innovation. For example, the Chartered Institute of Housing's Annual Innovation Awards and the Housing Corporation's Innovation and Good Practice Grants.