The innovative potential of small municipalities: From theory to practice

Abstract

Located in a context of increasing complexity, small municipalities must take advantage of their innovative potential. Starting from this premise, this article provides an empirical analysis of 6 municipalities in the Spanish province of Girona, and asks up to what point small municipalities, despite the fragility of their executive powers, can be privileged spaces for fostering innovative public policies. The cases analysed reveal the desire of small municipalities to respond to the challenges of the recent economic crisis, but from the perspective of innovation their responses were limited, this potential unreached.