PUBLIC SECTOR DYNAMICS: INNOVATIONS FOR ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

Abstract

This article examines the dynamics of public administration in a world driven by continuous and complex change. Public sector organizations worldwide face multi-dimensional challenges, including the technological and digital revolution that has reshaped citizens' lifestyles and expectations, recurring crises and uncertainties that have become the new normal, interconnected cross-sectoral problems, and resource constraints. Drawing on the conceptual frameworks of New Public Management and New Public Service, this article argues that the public sector must move beyond traditional mindsets and working methods by fostering innovation across five interrelated dimensions: cultivating a culture of experimentation and learning, leveraging data and technology intelligently, opening up to cross-sector collaboration, developing future-ready public servants, and reforming regulations to enable innovation. Concrete examples from Thailand, such as the One-Stop Service platform, the ThaID digital identity system, and the use of artificial intelligence for evidence-based policy decisions, illustrate these dimensions in practice. The article concludes that public sector innovation is not optional but an urgent imperative that enables government to adapt, remain resilient, and respond meaningfully to citizens' needs, ultimately guiding society toward a sustainable future with a better quality of life.