  The use of the open innovation paradigm has been, over the past years,
getting special attention in the public sector. Motivated by an urban
environment that is increasingly more complex and challenging, several
government agencies have been allocating financial resources and efforts to
promote open and participative government initiatives. As a way to try and
understand this scenario, a systematic review of the literature was conducted,
to provide a comprehensive analysis of the scientific papers that were
published, seeking to capture, classify, evaluate and synthesize how the use of
this paradigm has been put into practice in the public sector. In total, 4,741
preliminary studies were analyzed. From this number, only 37 articles were
classified as potentially relevant and moved forward, going through the process
of data extraction and analysis. From the data obtained, it was possible to
verify that the use of this paradigm started to be reported with a higher
frequency in the literature since 2013 and, among the main findings, we
highlight the reports of experiences, approach propositions, of understanding
how the phenomenon occurs and theoretical reflections. It was also possible to
verify that the use of open innovation through social media was one of the
pioneer techniques of engagement between the public sector and citizens. In
conclusion, the reports confirm that the main challenges of this paradigm
applied to the public sector are associated with their respective bureaucratic
aspects, therefore lacking a bigger reflection on the procedures and methods to
be used in the public sphere.
