How to develop innovation capability through employees in a large organization
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Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Management and economics of innovation (MPMEI), MSc
Publicerad
2019
Författare
Gabrielsson, Jonathan
Svenstam, Alexander
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
In a global market where competition is fierce a competitive advantage to leverage is key to
ensure growth. Many firms rely on innovation capability as a vital resource to gain competitive
advantage. As of today, several of the largest global firms, small firms and startups are by nature
forced to be creative and innovative while larger firms struggle to pursue their
employees’ creativity. With innovation as an important factor for success in the
current environment it then becomes important to find ways for large firms to increase their
innovation capability. Various methods, such as different types of innovation events,
workshops and presentation have been proposed as tools for large firms to leverage the
competence and experience held in-house to explore new ways of working and delivering innovation
to stay relevant. As of today, a consensus for how, and if, large firms can become truly innovative
is lacking.
This thesis sets out to strengthen the academic perspective and bring insights for how large firms
could go about to strengthen their innovation muscles. The study has been conducted in close
relation to a global industrial company with a long and prominent heritage. To pursue innovation
the firm has made an active decision to involve the employees at an early stage in the journey to
become innovative rather than relying on managerial and structural means to invoke innovation. To
support the individuals in their journey to become innovative various activities are initiated.
Amongst the activities are innovation events where employees are invited to participate in
new ways of working. The events are designed and carried out to inspire and support the invited
employees to explore new ways of working.
From the held events it became clear that the employees appreciated and recognized the efforts. The
events proved to work as a ground for networking and to drive insights and new ways of working.
In-between and after the series of three events new networks were formed by the participants
who enthusiastically continued to discuss and develop their
ideas/concepts/solutions and taking action to move positions forward outside of the events.
Insights gained from observations throughout the events indicate that the method as such could
serve as a powerful mean to support innovators in an organization. The initiatives
must however not be an anomaly but rather a reoccurring element amongst other activities to ensure
that employees are continuously supported and embraced to pursue their creativity and allow
ideas to grow into opportunities and captures.