INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

SOCIETY

Innovation Lurking in Plain Sight - Routines Are Key to Change

Routines have been seen as a necessary evil—standard procedures that ensure consistency and accountability. Embedded in sectors like healthcare, education, and government agencies, the idea that routines can actually be the basis of innovation is often dismissed.

CBS Executive Education

Traditionally, routines are seen as rigid constraints which prevent flexibility and creativity in the public sector. Anne Reff Pedersen, a professor at the Department of Organisation, People and Organising (PnO), who specialises in organisation and health, challenges this view. She argues that routines are not obstacles but rather integral in the innovation process.

Pedersen researches everyday innovation, healthcare organisation, and public sector management. She is an expert in understanding how routines, coordination, and work relations influence innovation.

“Routines are not just repetitions - they are dynamic and performative. They are actually the foundation on which public value can be created.”

Her perspective offers a fresh approach to how routines can be utilised to drive innovation.

The shift to at-home chemotherapy treatment at Rigshospitalet

In collaboration with Rigshospitalet, one of Denmark’s largest and most specialised hospitals, Pedersen worked alongside postdoctoral researcher Vibeke Kirstine Scheller, who conducted the empirical work on chemotherapy treatment. Their research stemmed from a recognition that many patients were struggling with frequent hospital visits - not just physically, but also emotionally and logistically.

“Innovation doesn’t always come from the boardroom. It often happens on the front lines, in the daily negotiations of routine work.”

Anne Reff Pedersen

Professor and Vice-dean of Executive and Continuing Education at Copenhagen Business School, Department of Organisation (PnO), Specialising in Organisation and Health

Public sector organisations have long struggled with the challenge of fostering innovation while managing the demands of routine operations. But routines aren’t rigid - they evolve through daily interactions.

“This actually creates the perfect conditions for innovation. When adaptable, they’re not just useful but essential for driving change in public organisations."

In recent years, the shift of treatment from hospitals to patients’ homes has led to less stress and fatigue among cancer patients, who benefit from receiving care in a familiar environment. At the same time, hospitals have become more efficient, freeing up beds for critical cases and reducing strain on healthcare resources. Patients also report higher satisfaction, feeling more in control of their treatment and experiencing an improved quality of life.

“The treatments were delivered without compromising treatment effectiveness - this was remarkable.”

By piloting small-scale programmes and refining based on patient feedback, what is localised and successful can become widely implemented.

“Innovation is often driven by those closest to the work”

“Public value isn’t just about outcomes; it’s about how those outcomes are produced.”

Pedersen emphasises that value creation isn’t just about delivering services but also about the processes by which they are delivered and the collaboration that makes them possible. Nurses, doctors, and patients collaborated to adapt routines in a way that made home-based chemotherapy treatment feasible.

“This outcome wasn’t just a more efficient system but a model for how innovation is often driven by those closest to the work. This is where public value is created - through the reimagining of everyday tasks.”

Pedersen’s central thesis is that routines should not be viewed as restrictive.

Overhead view of audience at Behavioural Investing event networking

Picture of a laptop showing financial data

“Routines can evolve. They are not something imposed from above; they are negotiated, tested, and refined in everyday work.”

She highlights that meaningful change often comes from those who are closest to the work - not from senior leadership, but from nurses, teachers, caseworkers, and other professionals who engage with routines every day.

“Frontline workers are the first to notice when something isn’t working. They see the challenges and opportunities in real-time and often are the ones that develop the creative solutions.”

In the case of at-home chemotherapy, nurses and patients identified the need for a more flexible system and adapted existing routines to make it possible. By embedding these changes into daily practice, healthcare providers improved patient care without disrupting the entire system.

“When innovation becomes part of routine work, it doesn’t feel like an extra burden - it becomes second nature. That’s how real change takes root.”

Pedersen’s insights align with the leadership style seen in Nordic countries, where collaboration and trust are key. She points out that managers, researchers, and frontline staff work together to find solutions that work best for everyone.

“In Denmark, we really value teamwork over hierarchy. This makes it easier to experiment with new ideas and bring research into practice.”

By fostering open communication and shared decision-making, public organisations can test and implement ideas from the frontline workers – so they become real and lasting improvements – driving change from the ground up.

How can public leaders upskill to drive change?

“Higher education plays an essential role in equipping public sector leaders with the skills and perspectives to innovative change.”

Executive Education is designed not just to teach new tools but to help leaders rethink how they approach their organisations’ routines.

The programmes equip leaders with the skills to navigate today’s rapidly changing environments.

“Many healthcare professionals - doctors, nurses, and specialists - are highly skilled in their trade fields, but they haven’t necessarily had training in organisational strategy, leadership, or business processes. The CBS programmes bridge this big gap.”

Once CBS EE participants learn to see their organisations as dynamic environments, they can identify where innovation can grow from the existing structures and empower frontline workers… rather than leaning on top-down directives.

A key strength of the CBS Executive Education programmes and courses is the ability to bring together leaders from both the public and private sectors. The cross-sector exchange fosters collaboration.

Public sector managers learn about efficiency, strategy, and innovation from corporate leaders, while private sector executives gain insights into public service challenges, regulations, and societal impact. Private companies bring expertise in digital transformation and performance management, boosting public sector efficiency. In turn, public leaders offer valuable perspectives on governance, ethics, and the long-term societal impact of business decisions.

“CBS is the largest provider of executive education in Denmark, which means we can engage with a lot of public sector managers. I hope we can continue strengthening that engagement, especially since some of these research projects have emerged from connections made in our programmes.”

Master of Public Governance

With a Master of Public Governance you set the direction for your own master as well as you are equipped to set the direction for the entire public sector. This programme is taught in Danish 🇩🇰.

Learn more

Executive MBA

CBS EMBA’s unique programme design and real-world applicability provides the platform for you to navigate a turbulent global business environment and become a leader in business who can steer your organisation to sustainable impact and success.

Learn more

Mille Herskind has studied HD2 Organization and Management. She is sitting on a step and there are withered leaves on the ground.

Organisations in transition

Learn to understand and influence the development of today’s and tomorrow’s organisations. In the course, you will be introduced to current trends in society and analytical tools to understand how these trends can transform an organisation. This course is offered in Danish 🇩🇰.

Learn more

Did you find this content interesting? Sign up for our newsletter and gain access to more of our research findings and events.

With the world’s grand challenges awaiting us, we need to continuously evolve, gain new knowledge and insights, and upskill.

Dive into a world of knowledge by signing up below. You will get:

Personal event invitations
Pertinent research-based insights on business and society
Information about the next intakes of our Executive Education programmes and courses

Skyline of Copenhagen at sunset with windmills in the background

The Climate Crisis We Can’t Ignore: The Urgent Need for Leadership in Every Sector

Climate leadership: Create an innovation space where citizens can participate

CBS Associate Professor Abayomi Baiyere and Director of Digital Innovation at Lundbeck Sanne Thougaard at AI mindset event with play button

What's next? Developing an AI-agile mindset

Innovation Lurking in Plain Sight - Routines Are Key to Change

“Routines can evolve. They are not something imposed from above; they are negotiated, tested, and refined in everyday work.”

“In Denmark, we really value teamwork over hierarchy. This makes it easier to experiment with new ideas and bring research into practice.”

“CBS is the largest provider of executive education in Denmark, which means we can engage with a lot of public sector managers. I hope we can continue strengthening that engagement, especially since some of these research projects have emerged from connections made in our programmes.”

Keep learning

Your gateway to more knowledge

Keep Reading