Narrow Results

The purpose of this study is to investigate the type of factors that facilitate two key aspects of the innovation process, idea generation and idea implementation. It is common in innovation research to collapse the two together which in some cases may lead to erroneous conclusions if the two aspects relate differently to organizational antecedents. Employing a mixed-method approach using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews the study examined and further explored whether individual, group and organizational level factors relate differently to the two innovation aspects. The questionnaire findings showed that individual level factors had a stronger influence on idea generation than idea implementation and vice versa for group and organizational factors. A similar pattern emerged in the interview findings where the factors that influenced idea implementation fell mainly into group and organizational typologies. The implications of these findings for organizations and research are considered.

The article argues for greater attention to be given to discursive approaches to the leadership of innovation through proposing a variant of Potter and Wetherell's concept of interpretative repertoires. Drawing upon empirical material from a case study of managers engaged in R&D activities at a multimedia company, the study illustrates how the talk and thought of leadership reveals the contrasting discursive resources and interpretative repertoires underpinning the leadership of innovation. The article proposes, illustrates and develops six interpretative repertoires for leading the practices and processes of innovation. These are informed by six images or root metaphors: creating, challenging, focusing, selling, linking and travelling. In turn, these prompt leadership practices that either encourage variety, secure agreement or a combination of the two.