Organizational innovation: the role of leadership and organizational culture

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjing Li ◽  
Tahseen Ahmed Bhutto ◽  
Ali Reza Nasiri ◽  
Hamid Ali Shaikh ◽  
Fayaz Ali Samo
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Knowledge Creation ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Institutes ◽  
The World ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to approach the issue of how organizational innovation can be accelerated with the support of leadership structures and the organizational climate, specifically taking into account the top innovative universities of the world, which has not been found in previous empirical studies. Design/methodology/approach A survey, based on a deductive approach, is adopted since the questionnaire for organizational innovation is designed for organizations in order to measure organizational innovation, widely used by experienced employees from senior managers to all kind of employees (Caird et al., 2013) facilitating the European Commission work, whereas for transformational leadership, a Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Bass and Avolio, 1994) is utilized. A complete online questionnaire was developed for collecting data, and the PLS-SEM statistical technique is used for analysis and results. Findings Top innovative universities of the world mostly have a transformational leadership style directly triggering organizational innovation which is consistent with the previous studies, while transactional leadership is having a positive relationship with organizational culture and innovation, but the results were statistically insignificant. Research limitations/implications Based on this research and other previous studies, it is suggested that universities across the world ought to imply transformational leadership traits and style which have fostered organizational innovation in the top-ranked innovative universities in developed nations, whereas more factors needed to be studied so that comprehensive guidelines should be provided to universities and research institutes where innovation is stagnant and passive. Practical implications The finding has practical implications, suggesting that universities and research institutes should draft and implement guidelines where leaders with certain traits and norms can play a role to nourish an environment where stakeholders think outside the box, with learning and knowledge creation, and proactive contribution beyond responsibilities, obligations, and compulsion. Social implications This study has suggested that less innovative universities should draft and design leadership and cultural enriching plans so that society, organizations, and commercial firms could foster innovation, ultimately benefiting general public and society. Originality/value Very few of the scholars have investigated from the perspective of innovative universities, where knowledge is created and flows into organizations, either governmental or private, and society in general. As a result, this study aims to investigate how leadership has impacted the culture of knowledge creation and innovativeness in the top 100 innovative universities. So, this is among rare studies where universities are suggested to adopt innovation supporting culture and leadership.

Enhancing organizational innovation in Indian automobile industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akriti Chaubey ◽  
Chandan Kumar Sahoo
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Employee Creativity ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to focus on examining the impact of transformational leadership on employee creativity to enhance organizational innovation through mediating effect of intrinsic motivation and the moderating effect of organizational culture on the relationship between employee creativity and organizational innovation in Indian automobile industries. Design/methodology/approach Responses were collected from engineers, managers and R&D professionals from car manufacturing and R&D units from southern India through a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. The validity of the constructs and the theoretical model were confirmed by applying structural equation modeling approach using IBM SPSS Amos version 20. Findings Empirical findings proved that transformational leadership has a positive effect on employee creativity, as mediated by intrinsic motivation. Studies also revealed that employees tend to exhibit higher creative potential when they are exposed to a higher degree of distinct shared assumptions, values and beliefs, which governs their behavior in an organization. Research limitations/implications As research was carried out in Indian automobile manufacturing and R&D units, it cannot be generalized across the broader range of sectors and international environment. Originality/value This research is unique in its attempt to empirically test the moderating effect of organizational culture in enhancing organizational innovation in Indian automobile industry.

Aligning organizational culture and operations strategy to improve innovation outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Fan Wu ◽  
Ing-Chung Huang ◽  
Wei-Chang Huang ◽  
Pey-Lan Du
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Manufacturing Industries ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Operations Strategy ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Innovation is a key factor in assessing organizational success. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the organizational culture and operations strategy impact organizational innovation. It explores the influence of various combinations of organizational cultures and operations strategies on a firm’s ability to innovate both in process and product. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed which attempts to explain how the reciprocal and dynamic interactive relationship between organizational culture and operations strategy and innovation is structured. In total, 233 valid questionnaires were collected from 17 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the direction and strengths of the relationships and develop a comprehensive picture to illustrate the drivers of successful innovation. Findings The analysis and conclusions confirm the suitability of Culture–Strategy–Innovation Model and the detailed results demonstrate that a combination of innovative organizational culture and flexibility-oriented operations strategy has the strongest influence on a firm’s innovation process thereby improving their innovative organizational outcomes. Practical implications Although based on Taiwanese manufacturing industries these results provide useful insights for manufacturing industries in general. In alternative contexts, the combination of different dimensions of culture and strategy can be expected to cause different levels of success in innovation. This study provides robust evidence to explain the organizational climate needed to guide the innovative and flexibility considerations needed for SMEs in the manufacturing industry. Originality/value This is an empirical study which specifically investigates the activities of SMEs in the metal/plastic manufacturing industry in Taiwan and in particular examines organizational culture, operations strategies and innovation. The research model proposed and confirmed offers a new multi-dimensional structure of culture and strategy linked with their various related dynamic interrelationships and the drivers that impact organizational innovation.

How Phillips saw the light

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 29-31
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Business World ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Freak Show ◽  
The World ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The problem with developing a reputation of being something of an oracle in the business world is that all of a sudden, everyone expects you to pull off the trick of interpreting the future on a daily basis. Like a freak show circus act or one-hit wonder pop singer, people expect you to perform when they see you, and they expect you to perform the thing that made you famous, even if it is the one thing in the world you don’t want to do. And when you fail to deliver on these heightened expectations, you are dismissed as a one trick pony, however good that trick is in the first place. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

How to do business in Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 36-38
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business People ◽  
The World ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Specific Culture ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings It is said that Latin America is one of the hardest places in which to do business, and within Latin America as well as considering the differing challenges that Argentina or Columbia may present, Brazil is perhaps the most difficult place to go to in order to develop trade and commercial agreements. In addition to the different language as compared to the rest of the region, there is a very specific culture and life view that will be wholly alien to many business people, whether they are from developed or developing countries around the world. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The impact of self-development on the tendency toward organizational innovation in higher education institutions with the mediating role of human resource agility

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Narenji Thani ◽  
Ebrahim Mazari ◽  
Somaye Asadi ◽  
Maryam Mashayekhikhi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
The Self ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nonacademic Staff ◽  
Self Development ◽  
Development Approach ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeConsidering innovation and its improvement as an essential strategy to enable organizations to continue their lives in the new competitive environment leads to a focus on employees' self-development as a factor that affects human resource agility (HRA) and the tendency toward organizational innovation. Consequently, the purpose of the study was to explain the impact of self-development on the tendency toward organizational innovation with the role of the mediator, HRA in higher education institutions as one of the most important and vital organizations in any society.Design/methodology/approachThe study was an applicable one with the quantitative approach using the descriptive–correlative method. The population consisted of 477 nonacademic employees of Kharazmi University among whom 214 ones were selected as the sample group, using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through the self-development, HRA and the tendency toward organizational innovation questionnaires and then analyzed using the structural equation modeling approach.FindingsThe study findings revealed a positive impact of self-development on the HRA (γ = 0/79) and HRA on the tendency toward organizational innovation (β = 0/6). Also, self-development with mediating HRA impacts the tendency toward organizational innovation (β = 0/58). Finally, self-development had no direct impact on the tendency toward organizational innovation.Research limitations/implicationsTaking the circumstances of doing this research into consideration, if there were the opportunity to do the research on the staffs of more than one university simultaneously and categorize the university staff into executives, managers and experts, more favorable results could be achieved. Also, considering group and organizational factors with the attention to the self-development approach and its factors would provide more awareness-training information on the higher education system in Iran. For future researches, both the individual and group factors are suggested to be surveyed and compared, to assess the weight and impact of these factors all together and to provide an adequate clarification of the role of the group and the organization. Finally, in future studies, it is also recommended that a qualitative approach be used to reach deeper clarifications on the aspects of these variables in the context of higher education.Practical implicationsThese findings have major practical implications concerning the higher educational settings. The findings of this study must give significant and practical insights for policymakers of universities and other higher education stakeholders, as well as recommendations to the academic community for further research in this area. First, they should recognize that nonacademic staff members are professional employees who contribute to improving organizational innovation. Higher education must focus on designing and implementing successful mechanisms and a well-planned self-development program that can help and promote the self-development approach among all staff. If the above-mentioned programs are designed based on the employees' needs analysis, they will get trained in a way to enhance mental and behavioral flexibility. The programs with such an approach can result in the proactive, adaptive, resilient behavior and agility of HR.Originality/valueThe model for this study has integrated and prioritized the key innovation drivers that would help universities design, adopt and implement policies and practices that facilitate and encourage improvements and adaptation to a fast-paced environment. Furthermore, the convincing reason for the significance of the current research is that although several types of research have been carried out on each of these three variables in different contexts separately, very few studies, like this, have directly examined the correlation between these three variables among the non-academic staff in higher education institutes. So, given the importance of the issue and rare availability of evidence in this regard, the authors were intrigued to discover whether the self-development through the mediation of HRA could reinforce and strengthen the tendency toward organizational innovation and whether HRA could be an appropriate mediator of the relationship between self-development and the tendency toward organizational innovation among the nonacademic staff of Kharazmi University as one of the most prestigious and celebrated universities in Iran.

An evaluation of public policy student placements: outcomes of a Malta-based study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Marie Thake
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Mandatory Requirement ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate short-term, unpaid placements offered to students reading for a degree in public policy. They provide added value to their tertiary education experience. Elective placements were offered in 2012 and became a mandatory requirement for students reading for a three-year bachelor of commerce degree in public policy in 2018. To date, no research has been carried out on these placements and this may serve as a model for a post-evaluation assessment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from students who undertook placements, embedded in the public policy undergraduate programme. A document analysis of selected student and placement provider's reports was carried out to complement the students' responses to an online questionnaire.FindingsPlacements are of value to students as they served as an introduction to the working world. They enable students to establish connections with the course content and carry out research. They were exposed to real-life situations, developing their knowledge, acquiring soft skills and learning new tools, sought after by employers. These placements were valued as a route to graduate employment tailor-made to the degree's requirements. Students were able to embark on a soul-searching, introspective discovery and journey which made them mature and shed light in the direction of future work prospects.Research limitations/implicationsPlacements give students the opportunity to gain insights into real-work environments and are able to link theories learnt in the class-room with real-life situations. Placements have positive implications on students adjusting to their work life easily after graduation. The limitations are that the sample size was small and that the reflective reports which were randomly selected may not have necessarily been representative of the full complement.Practical implicationsThe practical implications are that the placements system and process can easily be implemented and replicated in other academic disciplines and universities as a compulsory component of their studies.Social implicationsPlacements gave students the opportunity to reflect on their learning, develop non-technical skills and enhance their confidence levels. They were also able to network and communicate with different employees.Originality/valuePlacements provided exposure to relevant organisations and personal enrichment in terms of acquiring skills, autonomy and independence. Students with placement experience are also more likely to secure future employment, relevant to their undergraduate degree.

The fierce urgency to create safe spaces for the heart in relation to sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Livingstone
Keyword(s):  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safe Spaces ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
The World ◽  
Moral Superiority ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Made In

Purpose The paper aims to rediscover the subtle heart and discuss its importance in relation to conversations regarding sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Based on the imaginal approach of the author’s doctoral research, this paper is informed by the discourse of transpersonal psychology, attempting to open a space through which it becomes possible to perceive the heart differently. Findings This paper discusses the idea that knowledge as generated through the heart has been rendered subservient to knowledge generated through the mind/brain through a dominant/medical narrative (Bound Alberti, 2012). This means that the heart’s wisdom and the heart’s benevolent qualities cannot gain traction at the level at which decisions are made in society. Research limitations/implications While the heart is not unproblematic, and can carry notions of moral superiority, this paper is written as an appeal to create safe enough spaces to bring the heart back into conversation at the level of political discourse. Practical implications This paper suggests that it is the approach of the heart, the qualities and characteristics that the heart embodies, and the different way of being in the world that the heart makes possible, which could play an important role in guiding us towards a more sustainable world. When taken seriously, the heart offers a way of engaging with, and thinking about, ideas of relationship, wholeness and interconnection – all of which have been identified as important by numerous scholars in relation to engaging with global challenges (de Witt, 2016). Social implications This paper suggests that it is the approach of the heart and the different way of being in the world that the heart makes possible, which could play an important role in guiding humanity towards a more sustainable world. Originality/value Since the late 1900s, scholars have been calling for creative thinking in relation to engaging with the myriad of issues facing our planet, and this paper is written as a response to that call – creating a platform for the heart to speak and making a case for its importance in conversations relating to sustainability.

Validation of organizational innovation as a creative learning process

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 643-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nishant Kumar ◽  
Ali Yakhlef ◽  
Fredrik Nordin
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Organizational Legitimacy ◽  
Management Innovation ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Validation Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Creative Learning ◽  
Successful Innovation ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Previous studies on innovation tend to view innovation as consisting of a creative phase of novel and useful ideas, and a non-creative, or at least a less creative phase, as this considered to be the mere implementation and validation of the initially created ideas. In contrast, this paper aims to stress on the significance of the process of validating a new idea as being a creative, learning, exploratory process that shapes the degree of novelty of the innovation as a whole. Design/methodology/approach In driving this argument, this study deductively builds on a theoretical pre-understanding derived from extant literature related to management innovation and organizational legitimacy, and inductively draws on information gleaned from three in-depth case studies. Findings The study shows that the validation phase in the innovation process is a creative process, rather than just being a set of activities that relate to the mere execution of the created ideas. Viewing the validation process as an exploratory search for new knowledge, this study establishes a relationship between the form of knowledge mobilized, vertically within an organization or horizontally from outside, and the form of legitimation required. Validation based on internally generated knowledge is effective in terms of achieving pragmatic (efficiency-driven) objectives. Inter-organizational knowledge inflows are associated with cognitive legitimacy – a form of legitimacy that leads to changes in the stakeholders’ beliefs about a the product. In contradistinction, horizontal, socio–cultural inflows of knowledge are likely to improve on the product itself, thereby generating more traction for validation. Research limitations/implications This research is based on data collected from three firms only. Practical implications The idea developed here can provide business organizations a better understanding of the validation process of management innovations. This study suggests that successful innovation often requires managers to be prepared to seek knowledge beyond the confines of their own organizations. Originality/value This study contributes in three ways: it submits that there is a dynamic interplay between the moments of creation and validation, which is largely shaped by the novelty of the mobilized knowledge, depending on whether it is internal top–down or external horizontal; relatedly, the effectiveness of validation is shaped by the novelty of the knowledge garnered to justify the initial ideas; and the present paper has extended Suchman’s (1995) framework by linking the effectiveness of the various forms of legitimacy to the source of knowledge mobilized in the validation process.

The big bath of demonetization in India: strike on black money for corporate governance

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 594-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Goel
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Corporate World ◽  
The World ◽  
Future Improvement ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
The Government ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the concept of abolition of black money and the demonetization movement started in India for cleaning black money and its impact on corporate world and Indian economy. It discusses the corporate governance effect of the demonetization scheme and various policy measures taken by the government to unearth and curb the black money in the country. It also states the challenges in its process of implementation and implications for future. Design/methodology/approach It appraises and reviews the concept of demonetization and its process in India since its implementation on November 8, 2016. Findings The biggest positive effects of this move were eradication of stocked and staked up money, cleansing of the financial system and improving governance in India. But its implementation had mix outcomes with its own challenges for future improvement. Practical implications The lessons drawn from the experience are expected to pave way for the countries at large. Originality/value It is an original paper on demonetization in India, and it is hoped that the lessons learnt thereof will pave the way for the world at large.

How leadership matters in organizational innovation: a perspective of openness

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Jia ◽  
Jin Chen ◽  
Liang Mei ◽  
Qian Wu
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
Transactional Leadership ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Top Managers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to answer the following two questions: What are the influences of the top managers’ different leadership styles on organizational innovation? What is the mechanism by which the different leaderships exert different effects on organizational innovation? Design/methodology/approach To test the hypothesized model, a data set based on 133 MBA part-time students from Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University in China was built, after interviewing several top managers as a pilot study. With the help of SPSS macro, hierarchical regression and bootstrapping analysis, the paper analyzes the effects of two leadership styles on innovation performance, through the mediation mechanism of openness involving open breadth and open depth. Findings The results indicate that transformational leadership enhances, while transactional leadership reduces, the organizational innovation performance. The openness breadth and openness depth not only mediate the beneficial effect of transformational leadership on innovation, but also mediate the deleterious effect of transactional leadership on innovation. Originality/value This study empirically explores the different functions of transformational leadership and transactional leadership for leading organizational innovation performance. Furthermore, a new form of organization is an open design or strategy that allows more external knowledge and resources to be absorbed, which is claimed as a new paradigm for organization innovation. This study integrates the concepts of breadth of openness and depth of openness on the basis of open innovation literature, as an intermediate mechanism to explain the different effects of the two forms of top managers’ leadership.

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