What key elements are missing through the phases of the innovation process? : - A study of the manufacturing industry in Sweden

Abstract: Innovation is what makes a business sustainable. For an organization to progress in their realization of innovations, a vital aspect is the process from where innovations transfer from ideas to valuable realities. Recent studies have addressed the capabilities required in order for an organization to innovate. This paper aims to investigate what key elements that are missing through the different phases of the innovation process, in terms of different capabilities and personas within an organization. Not many studies have previously done this connection to each phase of the process. We would like to address this fact and as such contribute to the scientific research by directing all missing elements to the phase in which they are of importance. This is done by quantitative measures through data supplied by the company Innovation360, combined with qualitative interviews of organizations within the manufacturing industry. The main findings suggest that organizations struggle with customer insights in the ideation phase, and a structured selection phase before conducting almost functional prototypes. Mostly, this is a result of too close relationships and collaborations with current customers and a short term focus on innovation to reassure return on investment.