Leading innovation ecosystems - authority collaboration against organized crime

Important results from the project

The project has developed the ability to innovate in the Swedish agency-joint initiative against organized crime. This has taken place through a general competence development and increased awareness of the need to develop working methods that support the management of high complexity and great uncertainty. The project has also contributed with a practice-oriented innovation platform with recommendations for the initiative and a theoretical model on the importance of "innovation spaces" to combat and prevent crime, with general validity for handling "grand challenges".

Expected long term effects

The long-term effect of the project is reduced organized crime in Sweden and thus increased security for citizens, which is based on the project being part of a larger effort. The project has used different methods to develop cooperation and innovative capacity in complex and uncertain government projects and it has created a model for how innovation in networks of public organizations should be led. The project has also resulted in a number of recommendations for continued work and the change work with a focus on radical innovation continues after project completion.

Approach and implementation

The research has been organized with an action-based approach where interventions are developed and tested to be implemented in the ongoing innovation work in the joint government initiative against organized crime. Data have been collected through interviews, surveys and participatory observations, which have been analyzed and compiled into reports and a scientific article. Another article is planned. The project has required a high degree of flexibility, a sustained effort to develop new ways of working and close communication with the investment management.