Innovation and Sustainability: An Exploratory Study of Intrapreneurship Among Human Service Organizations

Changes in the social, economic, and political environment have led to an increasing focus on sustainability and innovation for human service organizations. Interviews with 23 human service leaders found that changes in the needs of target populations along with financial pressures were primary motivators for innovation. The interviewees' reported that their orientation to sustainability guided them as they developed and implemented innovative programs, services to new populations, and improvements to existing services. The dynamic relationship between innovation and sustainability suggests the need for a recalibration of organizational effectiveness that includes capacities for redesigning programs and re-engineering organizational practices for innovation.