ISPIM 2012 - Developing grounded theory on organizational innovation
- 1. Developing grounded theory on organizational innovation Maria Larraza Malkorra Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness & Deusto Business School XXIII ISPIM Conference I Barcelona, 17-20 june 2012
- 2. Organizational innovation - multiple challenges ahead (1) • Organizational innovation is an 1st Definition challenge ambiguous concept • Both in terms of content The implementation of new methods in a firm’s business practices, workplace organization or external relations (OECD, 2005). • And in terms of process (Van de Ven, 1992) Life cycle sequence of programmed stages Intentional vision formulation, implementation, evaluation, Organizational modification change processes Dialectical continuous confrontation and conflict Evolutionary events happening as an outcome of ongoing competition for scarce resources 2
- 3. Organizational innovation - multiple challenges ahead (2) 2nd 3rd Relevance Methodology challenge challenge • Not recognized by Oslo Manual • Lack of reliable scales until 2005 • Intangibility of goals • Though increasingly important for: • Different aggregation levels – Firms’ competitive advantage • Long life cycles – Knowledge development in • Extent of implementation companies • Multidimensional relationship: – Enabling other forms of process <>outcomes innovation (Kirner et al, 2008) Can Grounded Theory help? 3
- 4. Purpose of research around organizational innovation (OI) Understand organizational innovation: – How is the process initiated, developed and evaluated? – How is the content defined? New organizational methods in… • … business practices? • … workplace organization? • and/or external relationships? Design and apply Grounded Theory as a suitable method for research on organizational innovation and building theory about it 4
- 5. Introduction to Grounded Theory (GT) • Develop theories about barely known phemomenon Purpose • Based on data directly collected on the field Difference From mere description to theory Focus on Behaviours - the engine of the meanings Use on business Elusive and misunderstood research • NO deep initial literature review • NO hypotheses Features • NO linearity: constant comparative cycle • Fieldwork and data analysis: in paralell • Ends with saturation, confirmability & final theory 5
- 6. Developing GT on organizational innovation Research design: Inductive, longitudinal, field based multiple case study Field settings: - Industrial SMEs from the Basque Country - Theoretical sampling 6
- 7. Data sources – Ennera’s OI 7
- 8. Analytical process – Ennera’s OI 8
- 9. Ennera’s OI – emerging initial theory CONTENT PROCESS New organizational methods Intentional type: applied since end 2010: • Driven by a strong and common vision • Workplace organization – Departments division • Strong: coming from a – Functional directors assigned clear leader – Bonus system first applied • Business practices • Common: thanks to a shared corporate – Own work and collaboration culture (values and dynamics established practices) – New communication forum: Board of Directors • Developed through constant • External relationships: no action and evaluation, evidence shown formalization comes later 9
- 10. Next steps and… challenges addressed? • Next steps on the road towards a grounded theory: – Go back to literature review – Look for confirmability: • Contrast with opposite case study (ongoing) • Interview with experts • Peer review on Grounded Theory method • Contribution to initial challenges? To be continued… Methodology How to facilitate its transfer? Identifying competitive advantages derived from Relevance organizational innovation? Definition Broadening with organizational culture, behaviours or participation, processes…? 10
- 11. Thank you for your attention! Maria Larraza Malkorra Blog: www.mktinbasque.com E-mail: maria.larraza@orkestra.deusto.es Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness & Deusto Business School Strategy Department