A policy response to workplace innovation for the rail sector

The rail sector is a sector with a significant impact on European industry and it is therefore important that it follows the current innovative trends. We live in an increasingly digitised society but, until now, digitisation has not been a priority issue for the sector as the rules that apply to the entire value chain have hindered the digitisation process. Even so, technologies are not enough, and innovation must be implemented in companies at the organisational and employee level. The RailActivation project has experimented with workplace innovation to foster innovation capabilities in the railway sector, providing elements for companies to remain as innovative and competitive as possible, as well as to have additional tools to adapt to these challenges. In order to help in this process, this article proposes a series of recommendations based on the lessons learnt during the implementation of the project. These recommendations establish a link between policy and workplace innovation practices and could be a reference framework for further research and policy. The suggested policy recommendations are focused on companies and policy makers and are based on the results obtained from the different consultations with the stakeholders involved in this research.

Peran Pelatihan dan Pengembangan Dalam Menciptakan Perilaku Kerja Yang Inovatif dan Efektifitas Organisasi

This research uses descriptive qualitative research by creating a simple model in the development of training to create innovative and effective work in the workplace. Innovation is the development of work according to the skills of its employees. If the thoughts and actions of employees are creative and innovative, then innovation emerges. The need for innovation arises when a person tries to do cognitive work that is not routine. Learning and development is very important among various development resource practices that help employees to continuously update the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for innovation. It is important for the Organization to focus on eliciting innovative behavior among its employees to enable innovation. Non-routine work helps employees to be innovative and understand the importance of being innovative and learn the skills that are prerequisites for innovative behavior. This conceptual model tries to explore how non-routine work is carried out effectively through innovative work behaviors.

A policy response to workplace innovation for the rail sector

The rail sector is a sector with a significant impact on European industry and it is therefore important that it follows the current innovative trends. We live in an increasingly digitised society but, until now, digitisation has not been a priority issue for the sector as the rules that apply to the entire value chain have hindered the digitisation process. Even so, technologies are not enough, and innovation must be implemented in companies at the organisational and employee level. The RailActivation project has experimented with workplace innovation to foster innovation capabilities in the railway sector, providing elements for companies to remain as innovative and competitive as possible, as well as to have additional tools to adapt to these challenges. In order to help in this process, this article proposes a series of recommendations based on the lessons learnt during the implementation of the project. These recommendations establish a link between policy and workplace innovation practices and could be a reference framework for further research and policy. The suggested policy recommendations are focused on companies and policy makers and are based on the results obtained from the different consultations with the stakeholders involved in this research.

Indflydelse i arbejdslivet – status, muligheder, alternativer?

I de formende konflikter på arbejdsmarkedet i slutningen af det 19. århundrede var indfl ydelse i arbejdet et centralt konfliktpunkt, i Danmark og i den industrialiserede verden i øvrigt. Arbejdsgivere og fagforeninger var i konflikt om, hvem der havde retten til at lede og fordele arbejdet. Med Septemberforliget i 1899 blev Danmark det første land i verden, hvor der blev indgået et nationalt kompromis om indfl ydelse. Arbejdsgiverne vandt ledelsesretten, og fagforeningerne vandt retten til at forhandle løn og arbejdsvilkår og indgå overenskomster om disse spørgsmål (Galeson, 1955, Christensen et al., 2015). Dermed var spørgsmålet om indflydelse dog langt fra afklaret. I årtierne efter Septemberforliget tilkæmpede fagforeningerne sig gradvist mere indflydelse. Indflydelsen på løn og arbejdsforhold blev udbygget. Overenskomstsystemet blev mere omfattende. Medarbejderne fik ret til at vælge tillidsrepræsentanter, som arbejdsgiverne havde pligt til at inddrage i beslutningsprocesserne. Samarbejdsudvalg og senere arbejdsmiljøudvalg blev etableret. Endelig fik medarbejdere i aktieselskaber ret til at vælge repræsentanter til selskabernes bestyrelser. I tiden efter 2. verdenskrig voksede en anden mere konsensusorienteret strømning til udvikling af indflydelse i arbejdet frem. Denne strømning har siden forgrenet sig i variationer og antaget mange forskellige navne, bl.a. Human Relations og Human Resources, Socioteknik, High Performance Work Systems samt Workplace Innovation. En af grundlæggerne var Kurt Lewin, som allerede i 1940erne blev kendt for sin formulering af principper for en involverende arbejdsorganisation og demokratisk ledelse (Lewin et al., 1939). Socioteknikken, som blev udviklet i 1950erne, havde som målsætning at udvikle en arbejdsorganisation, hvor hensynet til det sociale system og det teknisk/økonomiske system var ligeværdigt (Trist & Bamforth, 1951). En sådan ligeværdighed kunne etableres i en arbejdsorganisation, hvor medarbejderne havde en stor grad af autonomi i et gruppeorganiseret arbejde, samtidig med at medarbejderne havde ansvar overfor virksomheden.

CSR and Workplace Autonomy as Enablers of Workplace Innovation in SMEs through Employees: Extending the Boundary Conditions of Self-Determination Theory

The current business environment characterized by high uncertainty, volatility, and stiff situation of competitiveness that is evident in almost every sector has increased the importance of workplace innovation for contemporary businesses. In this regard, a considerable attention in realizing employees of an organization as a source of innovation is not evident from the existing literature. In this aspect, the current study is an attempt to foster workplace innovation through employees in the SME sector of an emerging economy. In doing so, the authors propose that corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of an SME, along with workplace autonomy, are helpful in creating an environment at the workplace that fosters innovative employee behavior (IEB). Furthermore, the current study also extends the boundary condition of the theory of self-determination by arguing that this theory provides a comprehensive framework to explain employees’ motivation for workplace innovation. The data of the current survey was obtained from the SME sector situated in two large cities of a developing country through a self-administered questionnaire which was then analyzed through structural-equation-modeling (SEM) using the AMOS software. The results confirmed that CSR directly relates to IEB and workplace autonomy mediates this relationship. The study also discusses the implications of this survey for theory and practice.

Workplace Innovation and Organizational Performance in the Hospitality Industry

Change has become continuous, and innovation is a primary approach for hospitality, i.e., hotel companies, to become or remain economic viable and sustainable. An increasing number of management researchers are paying more attention to workplace rather than technological innovation. This study investigates workplace innovation in the Dutch hotel industry, in three- and four-star hotels in the Netherlands, by comparing them to other industries. Two samples were questioned using the Workplace Innovation survey created by the Dutch Network of Social Innovation (NSI). The first was conducted in the hospitality industry, and these data were compared with data collected in a sample of other industries. Results suggest that greater strategic orientation on workplace innovation and talent development has a positive influence on four factors of organizational performance. Greater internal rates of change, the ability to self-organize, and investment in knowledge also had positive influences on three of the factors—growth in revenue, sustainability, and absenteeism. Results also suggest that the hospitality industry has lower workplace innovation than other industries. However, no recent research has assessed to what degree the hospitality industry fosters workplace innovation, especially in the Netherlands. However, few studies have examined management in the Dutch hotel industry, how workplace innovation is used there, and whether it improves practices.

Enhancing employee innovativeness and job performance through a culture of workplace innovation

PurposeThe creative employees with innovative ideas tend to engage with the latest technologies and the needed organizational processes for the survival of the companies. The culture of workplace innovation (WIP) causes, strengthens, sustains and incentivizes employee performance to enhance employee innovativeness. This paper explores as to what employees perceive on and how to go about WPI; the study of the perception of knowledge professionals about nature, extent, the association and the outcomes of workplace innovation, therefore, assumes importance.Design/methodology/approachKnowledge professionals were surveyed to collect data regarding workplace innovation. And 481 collected responses were analyzed to infer the results and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to validate the proposed research model. The results of the reliability and validity tests show that the proposed model has satisfactory psychometric properties.FindingsThe present study looked into how culture facilitates WPI and enhances employee innovativeness and performance. The level of trust between employees and organizations has to be very high, and the organization has to have a close-knit working environment to ensure that organizations remain in the market retaining their market standing. This is so particularly in the context of today's global scenario where organizations have access to technologies, and technologies have changed the way we live, consume and meet people. The success of an organization depends on the culture of the organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has certain constraints. Foremost, the sample collected comprises a good percentage of entry and middle managerial level employees while the proportion of senior managerial level employees is relatively less. In a way, it represents the actual population, as in general, the senior managers make a very less percentage in information technology (IT) organizations.Practical implicationsTo accomplish the goal of marinating high performing and innovative organizational workforce, the policymakers and the management of organizations should adopt an employee-centric approach by employing nontechnical innovation at the workplace, namely WPI. The results of this study pronounce the same. The more favorable the culture of an organization, the more likely the employee thrives and continues in it. Hence, the major step from the employer side could be to develop and maintain a supportive and constructive organizational culture.Originality/valueThe value of this original research lies in the understanding of the literature reviewed that it is the first survey of its kind done in India, and it helps the Indian IT organizations and knowledge professionals to understand that the WPI enhances employee innovativeness and job performance.

Exploring the firm’s influential determinants pertinent to workplace innovation

Significant changes in organizations with good human resources (HR) practices can transform the workplace to a great extent. Although there is a fair amount of research on workplace innovation, most firms even now act as barriers to personnel growth and workplace innovation. This study proposed to explore various influential factors of firms from a holistic perspective that affect workplace innovation by adopting the principal component analysis (PCA) method to reduce the dimensionalities and better emphasize firms’ development. The useful data were collected using a survey questionnaire from one hundred and ninety-five (195) respondents from different Indian organizations. Totally forty-six sub-factors were identified and developed into nine significant organizational factors influencing workplace improvement viz., organization culture and environment, innovation process, resources, organization structure, corporate strategy, employee, knowledge management, technology and management, and leadership. The study suggested that any firm must emphasize these core determinants at the workplace to motivate the employees towards innovation and organizations to be competitive in the industry. The study invites firm policymakers, HR managers, and top management to formulate the best organizational strategies to encourage an innovative culture in firms. AcknowledgmentThe author(s) of this study acknowledges all the respondents who contributed their quality opinion and made this study possible and helpful in contributing to the industry.