On how work environments influence innovation: A case study from a large ICT company

The assessment of a company's innovation effort is often reduced to comparing product related measures or in better instances to considering process related measures as well. However, as is known from organizational theory and from studies in innovation management, organizing for innovation is more than the management of the new product development process. There is indeed an enterprise level when it comes to innovation. Simultaneously, research in the area of work sciences indicates that working environments and work organization itself have an impact on the performance of knowledge workers and their ability to focus on creativity and innovation. This impact of organizational settings can be exerted in a number of ways. The theoretical part of the paper will outline how work environments are interrelated with the concept of innovation. To elucidate how environments can influence innovation, a case company will be studied in some detail and presented: A large ICT-based company has recently implemented a strategic plan for increased innovation, instituted through major changes in the way the corporate units work and cooperate, including issues such as collocation, new ways of working, and changes in the physical layout of the corporate headquarters - and the company has reported increased innovation after these changes. Aspects discussed in this paper include the following: - the organizational environment, particularly the hybrid infrastructure for work, and the collocation of activities may be a strategy to further collaboration and innovation; - a changed competitive environment will value formalized measures of innovation; - a new organizational structure, with allocated responsibility for patenting, can meet the demand for formalized measures; - a new culture for cooperation is needed to further innovation. One goal of the research presented in this paper has been to explore different mechanisms through which changes in the work environment may affect the level of innovation. The case study is performed through the presentation and evaluation of statistical data, qualitative interviews with key informants in the company as well as internally and publicly available company information