Ideation Capabilities for Continuous Innovation

Abstract

This paper explores ideation capabilities in large organizations. Based on the dynamic capabilities framework, it is seen that ideation capabilities are managerial and organizational processes for the stimulation, identification, selection and implementation of ideas. In order to explore how these capabilities are manifested and used in firms, case studies of four Swedish companies have been performed. The results of the study show that there are different approaches to ideation. In terms of the nature of innovative ideas, the observations lead to the suggestion that ideation presents some seemingly paradoxical issues to management. Firms with an explicit focus on building ideation practices experience that there are some negative consequences of the resultant formalization. Furthermore, the extent to which many employees should be involved in ideation is a difficult aspect, even though new technologies make this more viable. Also the degree to which the search for ideas should be directed is a non-trivial question, as the ideation processes can be facilitated by both freedom and limitations. It is nevertheless seen that firms can benefit from more deliberate approaches to ideation, in particular if these are broad and balanced and focus on both building capabilities that formalize the informal, in terms of establishing explicit processes, roles and systems, and building capabilities needed to manage informal structures in new ways.

Barreiras e facilitadores para a geração de ideias

“…Geração de ideias é o processo sistemático de criar e captar ideias de acordo com os requisitos definidos pela organização, e compreende elementos relativos à criatividade e elementos relativos à estrutura organizacional para apoiar o processo (FLYNN BJÖRK, 2010;COOPER, 2011). Girota, Terwiesch e Ulrich (2010) afirmam que praticamente todos os processos de inovação incluem a geração de ideias e a seleção de oportunidades ou ideias.…”

Ideias para a inovação: um mapeamento sistemático da literatura

“…It was also found that many authors represented on the chart publish together, for example: E. F. Rietzschel, B. A. Nijstad and W. Stroebe (Nijstad et al, 2002;Rietzschel et al, 2006Rietzschel et al, , 2009Rietzschel et al, , 2010; J. Björk and M. G. Magnunsson (Björk & Magnunsson, 2009;Björk et al, 2010;; and J. S. Linsey and K. L. Wood (Hey et al, 2008;Linsey et al, 2008;Linsey et al, 2011).…”

“…Based on the concept of ideation capabilities as managerial and organizational processes for stimulation, identification, selection and implementation of ideas, Björk et al (2010) study four Swedish companies with a focus on the ideation approach used by them. The authors found out that different approaches are used, and pointed out the difficulties encountered by companies with respect to: the degree of formalization of the process; the extent of involvement of employees; and the degree of deliberate pursuit of ideas.…”

Estilo de liderança e desempenho criativo em equipes de telejornalismo: um estudo em emissoras de TV cearenses

“…Se a empresa impuser uma direção em excesso, pode estreitar a busca por inovações. Se deixar a geração de novas idéias depender de um processo mais informal de trabalho, correrá o risco da ineficiência pela falta de controle (Björk, Boccardelli, & Magnusson, 2010).…”