COVID-19 driven innovations in the city of Auckland: exploring innovation and inter-organisational collaboration in times of crisis

The study of the intricate link between inter-organisational collaboration and innovation at the city level under distinct crisis scenarios demands further exploration. The covid-19 context provides a uniquely interesting environment to study the creation, introduction and implementation of innovations that result from inter-organisational collaborations at the national and city levels. This chapter conducts a review of secondary data from government and private websites, social media, digital and printed newspapers, as well as Auckland City Library content to provide an accurate account of the innovations introduced in the city of Auckland during the first and second wave of the covid-19 pandemic in New Zealand. Findings indicate the surfacing of decentralised covid-19 driven inter-organisational collaborations that result in innovations that target specific challenges generated by the pandemic. Implications for managers and public policy makers are discussed.