“In times of crisis we are better at thinking in new ways and adapting, but generally speaking public organisations struggle to change,” says Carl Heath, who, as part of his doctoral studies in Applied IT, investigates how municipalities manage the digital transformation.
“I’m interested in how innovation and transformation processes are led and organised in different ways within the public sector. My thesis focuses on the organisational structures that influence the ability to change and innovate,” says Carl Heath.
Part of two worlds
Carl Heath is employed by RISE, a state-owned research institute, where he has spent fifteen years helping companies, municipalities, and public authorities benefit from research. As an externally positioned doctoral student, he now combines his work at RISE with academic research. His PhD studies have offered him an opportunity to try something new, while also gaining fresh insights into his own professional practice.
“Being a doctoral student means being immersed in learning that gives me new perspectives, ideas, theories, grounding in the research field, and a broader academic network. There are of course challenges in combining long-term research with a more operational role that has shorter timeframes, but the two experiences strengthen each other.”
According to Carl Heath, the challenges and benefits are similar for all externally employed doctoral students at the department, and together they form their own doctoral culture where they support each other.
“Most of us have many years of work experience and chose to pursue a PhD as a consequence of the work we have done elsewhere. It means we have experience of the things we study, which influences our choice of research area, methods, and ways of working,” says Carl Heath.
A commitment to society at the centre
Carl Heath’s interest in organisation and leadership within the public sector is rooted in a long-standing commitment to democracy and social justice issues, an interest that has been with him since childhood. His studies in political science, education, and technology, combined with professional experience in public-sector development, have equipped him with a broad foundation. Over time, this has provided the basis from which his more specific research interests have emerged.
“When you spend a lot of time on something, you become interested in it, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about these issues. I don’t think one should be afraid to try an academic career, but I do think it’s important to have a commitment to the broader context that the research is part of.”
For Carl Heath, that commitment also takes the form of active engagement in public debate. He is frequently invited by media to participate as an expert on digitalisation and regularly contributes his own opinion pieces.
“My view is that researchers take up far too little space in public debate. If we want to build a strong democracy and a strong society, we need a shared understanding of facts, and I believe researchers play a crucial role in bringing those facts forward. Researchers may of course enter debates from a particular standpoint or value perspective, as long as they are transparent about it, but they also have a duty to contribute the scientific perspective.”
Text: Natalija Sako
