Measuring the impacts of welfare service innovations
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
ISSN: 1741-0401
Article publication date: 22 July 2013
Abstract
Purpose
Earlier research highlights the need for the welfare service sector to measure the impacts of their services. However, it seems that the welfare services lack measures to show their long-term effects and impacts. This paper aims to present a framework to measure the multidimensional impacts of welfare service innovations and report the empirical results from two case studies.
Design/methodology/approach
In the first part of the paper, the impact measurement literature is reviewed and a framework for measuring the impacts of welfare services is presented. The empirical part of the paper reports the application of the framework in two cases for measuring the impacts of interventions in welfare services in Finland. The aim of the case studies was to assess and illustrate the usefulness of the framework designed.
Findings
The framework proposed in the research may serve as a practical tool for decision-makers for assessing the impacts of different services and service innovations in the welfare service sector. This type of assessment is needed, for example, when new service innovations are designed and budgeted for.
Originality/value
This research introduces a framework for measuring the impacts of welfare services at different levels. In addition, the paper provides information about the measurement process and challenges related to the implementation of impact measurement.
Keywords
Citation
Sillanpää, V. (2013), "Measuring the impacts of welfare service innovations", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 62 No. 5, pp. 474-489. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-08-2012-0094
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited