The Innovation Journey / Edition 1

by Andrew Van de Ven, Douglas Polley, Raghu Garud, Sankaran Venkataraman

Overview

The Innovation Journey presents the results of a major longitudinal study that examined the process of innovation from concept to implementation of new technologies, products, processes, and administrative arrangements. Its findings call into question most of the explanations of the innovation process that have been proposed in the past.

The Minnesota Innovation Research Program, on which this book is based, involved over 30 researchers who undertook longitudinal studies that tracked the development of 14 diverse innovations in real time and in their natural field settings. Studying its results, the authors find that the innovation journey is neither sequential and orderly, nor is it a matter of random trial and error; rather it is best characterized as a nonlinear dynamic system.

The system consists of a cycle of divergent and convergent activities that may be repeated over time and at different organizational levels if enabling and constraining conditions are present. This divergent-convergent cycle is found to be the underlying dynamic that explains the development of corporate cultures for innovation, learning among innovation team members, leadership behaviors of top managers or investors, building relationships and joint ventures with other organizations, and developing an industrial infrastructure for innovation. Resource investments and organizational structure enable this innovation cycle, while external institutional rules and internal focus draw the boundaries of the journey.

The authors conclude with advice for innovation managers and entrepreneurs: learn to "go with the flow," because while they can learn to maneuver through the innovation journey, they cannot control its flow.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195341003
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	01/29/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Andrew H. Van de Ven is Vernon H. Heath Professor of Organizational Innovation and Change in the Carlson School of Management of the University of Minnesota. He was 2000-2001 President of the Academy of Management and is a Fellow of the Academy of Management.

Douglas E. Polley is Professor of Management at St. Cloud State University.

Raghu Garud is Alvin H. Clemens Professor of Management & Organization at Smeal College of Business and Research Director of the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, both at Pennsylvania State University.

S. Venkataraman is MasterCard Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, and Research Director of The Batten Institute.

Table of Contents

Foreword William E. Coyne vii

Preface ix

1 Introduction and Overview 3

Part I The Process Model

2 Mapping the Innovation Journey 21

3 Learning the Innovation Journey 67

4 Leading the Innovation Journey 95

5 Managing Relationships during the Innovation Journey 125

6 Building an Infrastructure for the Innovation Journey 149

7 Cycling the Innovation Journey 181

Part II Cases in Different Organizational Settings

8 The Innovation Journey within an Internal Corporate Structure: The 3M Cochlear Implant Case 223

9 The Innovation Journey in an Interorganizational Joint Venture: The Therapeutic Apheresis Case 291

10 The Innovation Journey in a New Company Start-Up: The Qnetics Case 335

Bibliography 383

Index 403