Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

An Empirical Study on Innovation and Role of Demographic Variables


Affiliations
1 Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
2 Fore School of Management, New Delhi, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Purpose: The paper aims at looking at the influence of selected demographic variables on organisational innovation process.

Design/Methodology/Approach: As organisations face more globalised and fast paced competitive environment today than ever before, the need of the hour has become a concentrated effort by organisations to be innovative. Innovation has emerged as a mainstay of organisational sustenance and thus an empirical study was attempted at, to understand the relationships between innovation and demographic variables, if any. Literature review was done to generate a representative pool of factors influencing innovation. An accepted scale of innovation measurement seems to be missing especially in the Indian context. The study also aimed at understanding the efficacy of including demographic variables as an innovativeness measurement parameter in developing such a scale.

Based on the literature review a questionnaire was designed that was used to collect the data. A 7-point Likert scale was used to capture the data on the statements pertaining to innovation. The type of data obtained through the questionnaire was quantitative. Random and judgemental sampling techniques were used to identify the respondent pool for study. The study tried to gauge interrelationship between innovation and employee age, gender and length of service. Based on the findings, the study concludes that age and length of service seem to have strong influences on the innovation potential while gender did not seem to have a very significant impact on innovation process and thus age and length of service can be included as influencing measurement parameter for innovativeness in any innovation scale development.


Keywords

Innovation, Demographic Influencers.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Amara, N., Landry, R., & Doloreux, D. (2009). Pattern of innovation in knowledge intensive business services. The Service Industries Journal, 29(4), 407-430
  • Amabile, T. M. (1998). How to kill creativity. Harvard Business Review, 76, 231-251.
  • Amabile, T. M. (1990). A model of creativity and innovation in organizations. In Cummings, L.L. & Staw, B.M. (eds.). The evolution and adaptation of organizations. Jai Press Inc.
  • Baregheh, A., Rowley, J., & Sambrook, S. (2009). Towards a multidisciplinary definition of innovation. Management de decision.doi:10.1108/00251740910984578
  • Baer, M., Oldham, G. R., & Cummings, A. (2003). Rewarding creativity: when does it really matter? Leadership Quarterly. doi:10.1016/S1048-9843(03)00052-3
  • Bantel, K. A., & Jackson, S. E. (1989). Top management and innovations in banking: does the composition of the top team make a difference? Strategic Management Journal, 10. 107-124.
  • Bray, S. (1995). Total innovation: How to develop the products that your customers want. Pitman Publishing.
  • Damanpour, F. (1990). Innovation effectiveness, adoption and organizational performance. In. Farr, J.L. & West, M.A. (eds.) Innovation and creativity at work. Psychological and organizational strategies. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Delbecq, A. L., & Mills, P. K. (1985). Managerial practices that enhance innovation. Organisational Dynamics. No 14, Summer: 24-34.
  • Dombrowski, C., Kim, J. Y., Desouza, K. C., Braganza, A., Papagari, S., Baloh, P., & Sanjeev J. (2007). Elements of innovative cultures. Knowledge and Process Management, 14, 105-120.
  • Drucker, P. F. (1985). The discipline of innovation. Harvard Business Review.
  • Ettlie, J. E. (2006). Managing innovation. New technology, new products, and new services in a global economy. (2nd edition). Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
  • Farr, J. L. & West, M. A. (1990). Innovation and creativity at work. Psychological and organizational strategies. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Galbraith, J. R. (1982). Designing the innovating organisation. Organizational Dynamics. Winter: 5-25.
  • Goffin, K., & Mitchell, R. (2005). Innovation Management. strategy and implementation using the pentathlon framework. Palgrave Macmillan
  • Harhoff, D. (1999). Innovation objectives, managerial education and firm performance – an exploratory analysis. In Brockhoff, K., Chakrabarti, A.K., and Hauschildt, J. (eds.) The dynamics of innovation: strategic and managerial implications. Springer-Verlag.
  • Hage, J., & Meeus, M. (eds.). (2006). Innovation, science, an institutional change. A research handbook. Oxford University Press.
  • Harhoff, D. (1999). Innovation objectives, managerial education and firm performance – an exploratory analysis. In Brockhoff, K., Chakrabarti, A.K., and Hauschildt, J. (eds.) The dynamics of innovation: strategic and managerial implications. Springer-Verlag.
  • Isaksen, S., & Tidd, J. (2006). Meting the innovation challenge: Leadership for transformation and growth. New York. John wiley and sons
  • Janssen, O., Van De Vliert, E., & West, M. (2008). The bright and dark sides of individual and group innovation: A Special Issue introduction. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25.
  • Keld, L., & Ammon, J. S. (2006). Open for innovation: The role of openness in explaining innovation performance. Strategic Management Journal, 27, 131-150.
  • Kiernan, M. J. (1996). Get innovative or get dead. Business Quarterly. Autum, 51-58
  • Kuhn, H., & Wiener, J. (1967). The next thirty-three years: a framework for speculation”, (reprinted) as: The Year 2000, A Framework for Speculation in the Next Thirtythree Years, Macmillan, New York, NY).
  • Kanter, R. M. (1990). When a thousand flowers bloom: structural, collective, and social conditions for innovation in organizations. In: Cummings, L.L. & Staw, B.M. (eds.) The evolution and adaptation of organizations. Jai Press Inc.
  • Liyanage, S., Annerstedt, J., Gluckman, P., Hunyor, S., Jones, A. J., & Wilson, M. (2006). Serendipitous and strategic innovation. Praeger Publishers.
  • Marquis, D. G. (1969). The anatomy of successful innovations. Innovation.
  • Pieterse, A. N., & Knippenbeg, D. V. (2009). Transformational and transactional leadership and innovative bhaviour. Journal of Organisational behaviour, 31, 609-631
  • Reuvers, M., Van Engen, M. L., Vinkenburg, C. J., & WilsonEvered, E. (2008). Transformational leadership and innovative work behaviour: Exploring the relevance of gender differences. Leadership and Innovation, 17.
  • Storey, J., & Salaman, G. (2005). Managers of innovation: Insights into making innovation happen. Management, Organizations and Business Series. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.
  • Sussane, G. S., & Reginald, A. B. (1994). Determinants of innovative behaviour: A path model of individual innovation in the workplace. Journal Academy of management, 37, 580-607.
  • Utterback, J. M. (1994). Mastering the dynamics of innovation: How companies can seize opportunities in the face of technological change, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA.
  • Van De Ven, A.H. ( 1986). Central proble ms in the management of innovation. Managemenl Science, 32, 590.
  • Zaltman, G., Duncan, R., & Holbek, J. (1973). Innovations and organizations. John Wiley & Sons.

Abstract Views: 447

PDF Views: 0




  • An Empirical Study on Innovation and Role of Demographic Variables

Abstract Views: 447  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Anindita Bhatacharya
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
K. L. Chawla
Fore School of Management, New Delhi, India
N. Ravichandran
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India

Abstract


Purpose: The paper aims at looking at the influence of selected demographic variables on organisational innovation process.

Design/Methodology/Approach: As organisations face more globalised and fast paced competitive environment today than ever before, the need of the hour has become a concentrated effort by organisations to be innovative. Innovation has emerged as a mainstay of organisational sustenance and thus an empirical study was attempted at, to understand the relationships between innovation and demographic variables, if any. Literature review was done to generate a representative pool of factors influencing innovation. An accepted scale of innovation measurement seems to be missing especially in the Indian context. The study also aimed at understanding the efficacy of including demographic variables as an innovativeness measurement parameter in developing such a scale.

Based on the literature review a questionnaire was designed that was used to collect the data. A 7-point Likert scale was used to capture the data on the statements pertaining to innovation. The type of data obtained through the questionnaire was quantitative. Random and judgemental sampling techniques were used to identify the respondent pool for study. The study tried to gauge interrelationship between innovation and employee age, gender and length of service. Based on the findings, the study concludes that age and length of service seem to have strong influences on the innovation potential while gender did not seem to have a very significant impact on innovation process and thus age and length of service can be included as influencing measurement parameter for innovativeness in any innovation scale development.


Keywords


Innovation, Demographic Influencers.

References