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The digital footprint of innovators: Using email to detect the most creative people in your organization

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  • Gloor, Peter A.
  • Fronzetti Colladon, Andrea
  • Grippa, Francesca

Abstract

We propose a novel method for finding the most innovative people in an organization, using email to analyze structure and dynamics of the organization’s online communication. To illustrate our approach, we analyzed the email archive of 2000 members of the R&D department of a US multinational company. We use metrics of social network analysis extended with meta-data of interaction dynamics to calculate features for individual employees: their network positions, messages sent and received, pings to others and response times. We find a distinction between innovation group leaders and subject matter experts focused on publishing papers and patents. Innovation administrators have a higher number of direct contacts, are more committed in conversations and receive more messages than they send. We also found significant differences between innovators oriented towards internal awards and innovators more concerned with external recognition of their work.

Suggested Citation

  • Gloor, Peter A. & Fronzetti Colladon, Andrea & Grippa, Francesca, 2020. "The digital footprint of innovators: Using email to detect the most creative people in your organization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 254-264.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:114:y:2020:i:c:p:254-264
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.04.025
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesca Greco & Ken Riopelle & Francesca Grippa & Andrea Fronzetti Colladon & Julia Gluesing, 2021. "Linguistic sleuthing for innovators," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 1027-1045, June.
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    3. Fronzetti Colladon, Andrea & Toschi, Laura & Ughetto, Elisa & Greco, Francesca, 2023. "The language and social behavior of innovators," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).

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