Towards a contextual theory of innovation

Abstract

A contextual theoretical strategy should be pursued to overcome past deficiencies in the study of organizational innovation. The strategy is likely to lead to greater success in efforts to promote innovation. The heart of this strategy is to define the types of innovation processes at work and the contexts in which they operate. There are at least three innovation processes at work which operate in contexts defined by organizational and environmental characteristics and by the type of innovation under consideration.

Economic Development Policy Adoption in a Regional Context: A Study of the Industrial Revenue Bond

“…Policy adoption and participation is further tempered by compatibility of the policy and community environments. If the political philosophy of local administrators disagrees with that underlying authorship of a specific policy, these administrators should be less likely to adopt the policy, and once it has been adopted, less likely to implement it (see Elkin, 1983). Other elements of the policy environment include its complexity and linkages to other policy instruments.…”

Enseignements pour les collectivités locales françaises des pratiques et techniques de planification et de gestion prévisionnelle appliquées à l'étranger

“…Selon Stephen Elkin (13), il existe trois principaux cas de figure d'adoption d'une innovation dans une organisation : 1) certains membres de l'organisation y sont personnellement favorables, 2) des membres de l'organisation considèrent qu'elle est susceptible de résoudre un problème organisationnel, ou 3) des membres de l'organisation la soutiennent sous l'influence d'acteurs extérieurs. Il apparaft que, par rapport au secteur public local, ces derniers sont le plus souvent des administrations étatiques, des universités et centres de recherche ou des associations de collectivités territoriales.…”

Innovative Policy For Governance Development: Analysis Of Indonesian Civilian State Apparatus Policy

“…It means that innovation depends on demands for urgent circumstances or because it is made to anticipate future events. When associated with the needs of the effectiveness of implementation of an organization, Elkin (1983) stated that three separate impulses to innovation can be observed operating in organizations. Organizations consider innovations: (1) because some number of organizational members finds it personally advantageous to support an innovation and attempts to induced a sufficient number of their colleagues to go along; (2) because organizational members are subject to influence by an outside actor (s); (3) or because members believe that it will solve an organizational problem to alter the manner in which the organization conducts its business.…”