The role of intangible human capital in innovation diversification: linking behavioral competencies with different types of innovation
Abstract This article advances the literature that has recently drawn attention to the intangible elements of human capital for innovation, investigating the relationship between behavioral competencies and the ability to attain different types of innovation, namely product, process, marketing, and organizational. Through a study of a sample of managers performing key roles in the innovation process within the luxury high-fashion footwear industry in the Italian context, we found that the ability to attain diversification of innovation depends on the use of a broad portfolio of behavioral competencies. Adopting a multimethod analysis, we also open the black box of the relationship between innovation typology and behavioral competencies, demonstrating how different combinations of competencies explain the achievement of particular types of innovation. Managerial insights on how to improve the innovation capacity of managers in the workplace are provided.