Leading Innovators in Large Organisations : Enablers and Barriers for Intrapreneurship

Abstract:

Innovation is considered by many to be a driver of organisational performance and growth. A key factor to consider for competitive edge is the utilization of the companies’ innovative capabilities. The bureaucracy often involved with large companies could limit the utilization of the inherent innovative ability and new business development.

The commissioner for this study, a large Swedish multinational technology company, has in a previous study raised the importance of innovators to be properly recognised and rewarded. Moreover, they have identified a need to better identify, track and train their innovators in order to utilise their full potential. With this in mind, the research question, "How can the company’s innovative capabilities be further utilised?" was formulated. The research question was further complemented with sub-questions narrowing the field of study and allowed for a more systematic approach.

Three methods were used in this study, interviews, a questionnaire and a workshop. The interviews were conducted in order to capture the company specific context and factors influencing the company’s innovators to verify and complement the literature study. Secondly, the questionnaire was done to add an additional perspective on the topic including quantitative data verifying the extent of the found factors and exploring their importance throughout the organisation. Finally, the aim of the workshop was to let innovators in the company form specific actions targeting the most pressing issues discovered from the questionnaire.

The findings suggest recommendations regarding what obstacles that are most important to address, how to motivate innovation efforts, identify innovators and how to enhance the utilisation of the company’s innovative capabilities. The proposed actions from the workshop, concluding the preceding data collections were to implement a strategy facilitating innovation execution, create an incubation team supporting innovators in realising innovations, and to foster an experimental culture.

Keywords: Intrapreneurship, Innovation Enabler, Innovation Barrier, Innovator Motivation, Innovative Capability