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Enabling radical and potentially disruptive innovations through interdisciplinarity: challenges and practices in industrial companies

Author

Listed:
  • Sven Schimpf

    (Pforzheim University
    Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research)

  • Hanno Weber

    (Pforzheim University)

  • Thomas Gerlach

    (Pforzheim University)

Abstract

The motivation behind this paper and the underlying research is to shed light on how companies deal with interdisciplinary innovation activities, especially looking at the development of radical and potentially disruptive innovations. This includes the analysis of methods, processes, and organizational structures applied to support interdisciplinary innovation activities as well as challenges faced. Whereas this thematic field has been widely investigated for academic institutions and, in companies on a team level, there is only a little information on industrial companies’ current state. This understanding is especially important as shortening development cycles, and technological convergence combined with intersectoral innovations might lead to increases in radical and potentially disruptive innovations and thereby create the need for improved methods and structures throughout the innovation process. To gain insights into challenges and current practices of interdisciplinary collaboration in innovation activities, semi-structured exploratory interviews were carried out with representatives from seven industrial companies. Among others, the results of the study revealed that whereas many methodologies are said to support interdisciplinary innovation activities, a wide majority of these methodologies are applied for other reasons which make supporting interdisciplinarity seem like a kind of byproduct.

Suggested Citation

  • Sven Schimpf & Hanno Weber & Thomas Gerlach, 2024. "Enabling radical and potentially disruptive innovations through interdisciplinarity: challenges and practices in industrial companies," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joiaen:v:13:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1186_s13731-024-00402-7
    DOI: 10.1186/s13731-024-00402-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Huutoniemi, Katri & Klein, Julie Thompson & Bruun, Henrik & Hukkinen, Janne, 2010. "Analyzing interdisciplinarity: Typology and indicators," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 79-88, February.
    2. Rebecca Henderson, 1993. "Underinvestment and Incompetence as Responses to Radical Innovation: Evidence from the Photolithographic Alignment Equipment Industry," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 24(2), pages 248-270, Summer.
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