IRSA-Local Government Innovation Research Support on Local Government Innovation

Rationale

Despite nearly two decades of decentralization, inter-regional development disparity is still high and persistent. Moreover, intra-regional disparity reflected in the inequality between different groups of the population has reached a level unprecedented in Indonesian history. A root cause is unequal access to improvements in the quality of human resources, especially those related to skills improvement, through education, and the quality of public health. These services are the responsibility of the state, and have been decentralized to local government. In order to optimally exercise this decentralized function to improve development outcomes, regions and localities need to be innovative in the way they serve people, produce or encourage innovation, and produce innovative development actors and leaders.
In many cities and provinces in Indonesia, we are beginning to see innovative approaches to development, but this is still the exception. The understanding of conditions under which such innovations occur is empirically limited. We need evidence of lessons learned so success in certain areas can be replicated.

Research Support

As an initiative to increase knowledge about how and why such innovation occurs, IRSA and Local Government Innovation are supporting research in this area. The support is in the form of small research grants of Rp. 25,000,000 for any good quality research that potentially can produce new knowledge of local government innovation in Indonesia.

Research topics

Specific research topics can be, but are not limited to, the following:

• What environments could help to create innovation in the public service in the regions/localities?
• What are the impacts of innovations in the area of public services delivery in the regions/localities on development outcomes?
• Have democratization and decentralization produced innovative local/regional development actors, including political leaders, and if so, to what extent?
• To what extent do political leaders or public figures play a role in the innovation of public services delivery in the regions/localities?
• To what extent can bureaucracy be transformed to create innovation in public services delivery in the regions/localities?
• Are there any examples of best practice in the regions/localities related to local government innovations that can be replicated in other areas?

Who can apply?

Indonesian researchers in any science discipline who are willing to present their research findings at the 14th IRSA conference in Surakarta in July 2018.

Timelines

Announcement: 15 January 2018
Deadline of proposal submissions: 28 February 2018
Notification of the winner: 31 March 2018
Presentation of the findings: 23-24 July 2018
Final paper submissions: 31 August 2018

Submission

The proposal needs to be made via the following downloadable form and submitted via email to heriyaldi@fe.unpad.ac.id

The Indonesian Regional Science Association (IRSA) in collaboration with Sebelas Maret University will conduct in the 14th IRSA International Conference. The theme of the conference is Strengthening Regional and Local Economies, and it will be held in Surakarta (also known as Solo), Central Java on 23-⁠24 July 2018. All are welcome to participate.
Visit: http://surakarta2018.irsa.or.id/ for more information

Download PDF version.

Call for Papers
Maritime Infrastructure and Regional Development

The Indonesian Regional Science Association (IRSA) in collaboration with Sam Ratulangi University invites scholars, practitioners and graduate students to submit papers to be presented in the 6th IRSA International Institute. The theme of the conference is Maritime Infrastructure and Regional Development, and it will be held in Manado, North Sulawesi on 17-18 July 2017.

Extended paper abstract of about 250-500 words should be submitted online via http://manado2017.irsa-indonesia.org/abstract-submission by 14 April 2017. Abstract should consist of background, data and methodology, potential contribution to knowledge, and keywords. Abstracts must be submitted in English, as also the full paper.

Paper sessions are seminar-style for each paper and ample time for discussion and for participants to provide constructive feedback to authors. Paper presentations will be in English.