Innovative leadership against corruption in the public sector : the case for South Africa

Abstract

The article will identify and analyse the significance of creativity and innovation as essential aspects of innovative leadership in the public sector. Innovation denotes the synthesis of different leadership styles that influence employees to produce creative ideas, products, services and solutions. In this process the role of the innovative leader and his/her creative planning and initiatives is indispensable as he/she shapes the nature and success of creative efforts within the organisation. The article posits that innovation has some similarities with creativity, a concept that denotes a new synthesis of ideas that might or not be put in practice. Innovation leadership is quite a complex concept that denotes the strategic and visionary role of the leader in shaping organisational roles and different modes of planning, design, decision-making, implementation, assessment and monitoring of outputs that aspire to be innovative both in theory and practice. Innovation leadership’s connection to creativity is directly related in many ways to organisational encouragement that allows strategic tactical and organisational renewal based on well-thought plans that permeate the whole spectrum of the organisation. The article further pinpoints the significance for an innovative leader to guide a public organisation in shaping, adjusting strategies and tactics against corruption at all operational levels.