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How Does Innovation Differ across Business Functions? Employee-level Analysis of a Multinational Company

Author

Listed:
  • Fulvio Castellacci

    (TIK Centre, University of Oslo)

  • Magnus Gulbrandsen

    (TIK Centre, University of Oslo)

  • Jarle Hildrum

    (Telenor Research)

  • E. Martinkenaite

    (Telenor Research)

  • Erlend Simensen

    (TIK Centre, University of Oslo)

  • Vegard Tveito

    (TIK Centre, University of Oslo)

Abstract

This paper investigates how innovation differs across a company’s business functions. We argue that employees working in different functions of a corporation (e.g. marketing, R&D, top management) differ in terms of the types of innovation they are engaged in, the strategies they adopt to organize their innovative activities, and the factors that spur or hamper their innovation performance. Little is known about this issue, however, which we investigate by making use of a rich novel dataset at the employee-level for the multinational company Telenor. We combine a large survey among nearly 16,000 Telenor employees with an extensive qualitative data collection through interviews in different business units and functions. The empirical results point out the relevance of climate and culture, quality-oriented tasks and external interactions as the key factors supporting employees’ innovation activities. The effects of these factors on innovation are substantially different across business functions of the company.

Suggested Citation

  • Fulvio Castellacci & Magnus Gulbrandsen & Jarle Hildrum & E. Martinkenaite & Erlend Simensen & Vegard Tveito, 2016. "How Does Innovation Differ across Business Functions? Employee-level Analysis of a Multinational Company," Working Papers on Innovation Studies 20160321, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo.
    • Handle: RePEc:tik:inowpp:20160321
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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