Negative Organizations and [Negative] Powerful Relationships and How They Work against Innovation—Perspectives from Millennials, Generation Z and Other Experts

Abstract

Negative organizations, where powerful people manage to keep a negative strategy in place, one which does not benefit the firm but perpetuates their power, is a reality discussed herein. Positive organizations, led by positive leaders who do not feel threatened by brilliant employees who have brilliant ideas, may be less prominent than we think and should not be taken for granted. Following thirty years of working in organizations, both large and small, the author has come to realize that the status quo tends to be very strong, and that innovating and disrupting that balance is not only dangerous but seldom succeeds. More research is necessary in this field to prove this theory right. This article aims to point readers and researchers in the right direction and to challenge one to think just how negative organizations may be. The article is based on the experience of the author; on a look at the case of Nokia (the former handheld mobile phone division), seen to be a negative organization; as well as on in-depth personal interviews with three experts (a purposive sample) on the topic of positive versus negative organizations; and, finally, the results of two surveys (n = 116—millennials; and n = 115—Generation Z) are shared. A total of 94.8% of the Generation Z respondents (109 respondents in total) believe negative organizations to exist (where the status quo may prevail over innovative individuals and innovation to the detriment of the global organizational strategy), which is seen to be very encouraging for this research study.

Factors Influencing Innovation Performance in Portugal: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis Based on the Global Innovation Index and on the European Innovation Scoreboard

“…On this specific point, we should learn from the example of Ireland, which was first in the world ranking in knowledge diffusion. Finally, a negative note for the decrease in labor productivity, which should be of special concern in a country with an aging population and the departure of highly qualified young people (though there are policies in place to bring back emigrants, apparently little is being done to avoid emigration in the first place-with perhaps more positive organisations, led by positive leaders, who encourage young talent and innovative ideas [31], promoting brilliant minds instead of maintaining the status quo and existing relationships [32]).…”

“…An upcoming wave of research focuses on negative organizations and is dedicated to the explanation of how the status quo may triumph over the implementation of innovation in firms of all sizes and in all sectors [32,34]. If it is the case that Portugal has a considerable number of negative organizations, where talented young people will not want to work for a dearth of growth opportunities, then government policy may be needed to increase the existence of a meritocracy in firms, much as it already exists in academia (comparatively and to a certain extent).…”