Yet another virtual event was held in partnership with Tatarklubben where Harvard Business School professor Mitchell Weiss explored ways for harnessing public entrepreneurship to solve our most urgent problems.

The Covid-19 pandemic is testing the ability of government and the public sector like never before. Many people don't believe government can do new things or solve tough challenges—it's too big, too slow, too bureaucratic, and most of all too risk-averse.

 

In his new book, We the Possibility Harvard Business School professor Mitchell Weiss describes a renewed entrepreneurial spirit that can transform the public sector's response to big problems at all levels. Although many new (and especially technology-based) efforts frequently fail, the ones that succeed have the potential to transform our lives and our societies.

 

Mitch draws from his own experience as Chief of Staff to Boston's Mayor Thomas Menino and from examples around the world to make a robust case for a new mindset - that of 'Possibility Government,' characterised as:

 

- Government that can imagine - Seeing problems as opportunities, and designing solutions with input from citizens.

- Government that can try new things - Testing and experimentation as a regular part of solving public problems.

- Government that can serve the many - Harnessing platform techniques for innovation and growth; and how public entrepreneurship can reinvigorate democracy.

 

Mitch has compelling examples including how Airbnb and Amsterdam finally came to an agreement over short-term rentals; to a 'hackathon' creating solutions for an opioid-ravaged Cincinnati, to Singapore’s eight-week race to deploy a contact-tracing app to help rein in Covid-19.