Use of information and communication technology to support employee-driven innovation in organizations: a knowledge management perspective

September 2, 2014 Editor 0

Abstract

Purpose – Employee-driven innovation (EDI) involves systematic exploitation of knowledge resources in organizations. The role of information and communication technologies (ICT) for efficient knowledge management is important in this respect, and the purpose of this paper is to investigate how organizations focusing on EDI use ICT-based tools in their innovation work.Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews with employees, managers, and union representatives from 20 organizations focusing on EDI were conducted. The sample included organizations from eight different industries, representing both private and public sectors.Findings – The results show that ICT-based tools can support the processes of acquisition, dissemination, and exploitation of knowledge, which are important aspects of EDI. However, use of ICT-based tools has to be aligned with organizational structures and professional role conduct to be efficient. Practical implications – The study contributes to practice by highlighting several factors that organizations should emphasize in order to succeed with application of external and internal knowledge in their innovation work.Originality/value – The study applies a knowledge management perspective on the role of ICT-based tools to support employee-driven innovation in organizations. The findings contribute to an improved understanding of organizational conditions for succeeding with use of ICT-based tools in innovation work, and emphasize that perspectives on knowledge management, technology management, and human resource management have to be combined to understand how employee-driven innovation can be promoted by use of ICT in organizations.
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Categories: Knowledge Management