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Innovation Midwives: Sustaining Innovation Streams in Established Companies

Innovation Midwives: Sustaining Innovation Streams in Established Companies OVERVIEW:The study of innovation management in established companies has led to the enunciation of process tools that, if not widely used, are well known and documented. These tools are necessary but not sufficient to create and sustain a reliable stream of innovations. The companies studied here are using networks of “innovation midwives” that nurture, develop and integrate innovations that may otherwise be rejected by the organization's core. These innovation midwives act as translators between the language and culture of the established business and the language and culture of innovation. In so doing, they focus their actions to resolve four fundamental challenges: 1) justifying the innovation, 2) finding relevance to the core business, 3) reducing risks, and 4) resolving conflicts. Although there were only a few companies involved, the study suggests that finding and cultivating these innovation midwives may prove to be an essential factor for established companies to sustain a stream of innovations. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Research Technology Management Taylor & Francis

Innovation Midwives: Sustaining Innovation Streams in Established Companies

Vincent, Lanny
Research Technology Management , Volume 48 (1): 9 – Jan 1, 2005
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References (2)

Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
Copyright Taylor & Francis
ISSN
1930-0166
eISSN
0895-6308
DOI
10.1080/08956308.2005.11657294
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

OVERVIEW:The study of innovation management in established companies has led to the enunciation of process tools that, if not widely used, are well known and documented. These tools are necessary but not sufficient to create and sustain a reliable stream of innovations. The companies studied here are using networks of “innovation midwives” that nurture, develop and integrate innovations that may otherwise be rejected by the organization's core. These innovation midwives act as translators between the language and culture of the established business and the language and culture of innovation. In so doing, they focus their actions to resolve four fundamental challenges: 1) justifying the innovation, 2) finding relevance to the core business, 3) reducing risks, and 4) resolving conflicts. Although there were only a few companies involved, the study suggests that finding and cultivating these innovation midwives may prove to be an essential factor for established companies to sustain a stream of innovations.

Journal

Research Technology Management – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jan 1, 2005

Keywords: innovators; innovation management; sponsors; translators; organizational culture

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