Organizational routines for understanding innovations in local governments

The study focuses on ostensive and performative aspects of an organizational routine, i.e. the process of formulation of the Executive Management Plan (EMP) in the context of local governments, with the aim to offer an understanding of why failures occur during the introduction of managerial innovations. The research studies the organizational routine and the implications of managerial innovations that have affected it, adopting the theoretical approach of organizational routines defined by Pentland and Feldman (2005). It has been conducted an explanatory case study in the context of Italian local governments following a longitudinal approach. The analysis of the gap between the ostensive and the performative aspect of routine allows us to identify some critical issues of managerial innovations. That could help understand the failure or the lack of implementation of some innovative management practices. The work offers an interpretation of an organizational routine dynamics, which can support practitioners to identify critical issues that can only emerge if the actors of organizational routine are encouraged to observe, deriving some relevant implications for managerial action. The paper contributes to enrich the interpretation of the theoretical approach of routine, less investigated in the context of local governments.