Innovation for sustainable development goals: a comparative study of the obstacles and tactics in public organizations

Abstract This study examines obstacles and tactics in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-oriented public sector innovation (PSI). We analyzed 137 SDGs-oriented PSIs in Thailand and Korea. First, our results indicate that the configuration of obstacles is influenced by politico-administrative context and innovation type. Organizational level obstacles are more frequent in Thailand, whereas interaction level obstacles are more common in Korea. Second, we reveal the tactics used to overcome various kinds of obstacles and develop a classification that identifies a new tactics type, forming & coordinating for tackling obstacles originating from the governance of collaboration in the innovation process. This empirical study provides public managers with insights to comprehend PSI obstacles and choose effective tactics for overcoming them.