Heading for the Next Innovation Archetype

The purpose of this paper is to show that innovation success builds on consistency between a firm's innovation DNA, its innovation strategy framework, and the alignment of operational elements. In order to identify a future innovation strategy, it is vital to check each individual element and develop a roadmap for change. The literature relating to different innovation strategies and coordination mechanisms is reviewed to identify four different ambidextrous designs in support of implementing innovation. These build on organizational and individual approaches and match them with different types of coordination. Case vignettes are used to illustrate the different designs. The discussion shows that firms have an innate propensity to adhere to specific types of innovation, which compose their archetypes. While change between archetypes is possible, it only yields success if both innovation strategy and operational elements are consistently readjusted to the new archetype design. Like every change process, this is not an easy undertaking. This paper addresses the need to examine innovation from a holistic perspective and helps to overcome pitfalls arising from coordination deficits. These pitfalls may relate to an overemphasis on personal qualities, a disconnected or detached approach to other organizational members, or a misperception of reality