Entrepreneurial Thinking: Towards Drivers Of Innovation Processes In Public Sector

Purpose: The paper aims to provide contribution to the literature devoted to the public-sector innovations research providing new insights considering approach which discover entrepreneurial thinking as one of the intra-organizational antecedents in the innovations within public organizations. Moreover, the study seeks to provide new theoretical perspective on to the entrepreneurship in public context from the standpoint of the concept of knowledge-based entrepreneurship with regard to the innovation process.Design/methodology/approach: In order to provide systematic approach this study performs literature review via three-stage procedure of paper selection from Google Scholar and One Gale databases for the period of 1985 - 2017. Being in consistency with the purpose of the paper, the main criteria of eligibility is consideration of the entrepreneurial orientation and behaviour within public sector from the standpoint of innovation and efficiency. In addition to develop empirically-based conceptual framework of mapping the entrepreneurial thinking within the processes of the formation of innovation enabling conditions we select only studies applied empirical methods.Findings: The findings suggest that the entrepreneurial thinking in public context perform function of drivers of the innovation process at both: individual and organisational level. Align with considering potential impact on two levels, it provides theoretical framework of cumulative effect, based on one of the core principals of knowledge-based entrepreneurship - optimal use of knowledge and human capital.Research/practical implications: The paper embraces implications for the innovation strategy development for public sector organisations, concerning how to foster innovation more effectively by supporting the motivation of entrepreneurial thinking among public employees. It opens new areas for future empirical research, for instance to identify the determinants of entrepreneurial thinking in public context.Originality/value: This paper fulfils the revealed gap at the conceptualisation of the entrepreneurial thinking and acting within public organisations with respect to the concept of innovations within organizations.