Managing the Fuzzy Front-End of Public Procurement of Innovation

Public procurement of innovation can be challenging, as procurers often need to purchase products and services yet to be created. Despite the complexities of managing the 'fuzzy front-end' of public procurement, the literature remains underdeveloped. This paper draws on two in-depth cases to explore the challenges and associated strategies for managing the complexities, ambiguities and uncertainties linked with the fuzzy front-end. The paper contributes to the literature by identifying different strategies used for managing the 'fuzzy front-end' and the underlying assumptions behind the strategies and critically reflecting on these strategies' implications for public procurers to yield innovative outcomes. By critically reflecting on the application of these strategies, the capability of public procurers to manage the range of fuzziness encountered can be improved.