Paper 76
From Silent Thinkers to Visionary Engines: Ideal-type Analysis of Innovation Role Construction in Two Different Occupations
Soila Lemmetty, Ingunn Ness & Vlad Glăveanu, University of Eastern Finland | University of Bergen | Dublin City University
Abstract
In navigating the challenges of organizational change, it is crucial to harness the collective creative potential, occupational expertise, and knowledge of diverse employee groups across public and private sectors. Employees, like any organizational members, possess the ability to envision novel solutions and improvements. However, aligning employees' roles to recognize and pursue these creative possibilities remains a central challenge. Despite the recognition of role-playing as a foundational element for fostering innovation, our understanding of specific roles in diverse organizational contexts, especially in innovative development work, is limited. This study employs Giddens' structuration theory (1984) to explore innovation through individuals' role construction, considering the interplay between agency, organizational structures, and their shaping interaction. The resulting multiple roles serve as frameworks guiding employees to effect change and exploit creative opportunities. Examining the innovation roles of employees in technology and police work through 48 interviews, the study identifies four role types: visionary engines, practical advocates, evaluative ideators, and silent thinkers. Ideal-type analysis forms a typology revealing a) intricate relationships between agency and structure across roles, and b) comprehensive content within each role, with higher-level roles encompassing those at lower levels, indicating a hierarchical nature. By investigating the agency, structure, and evolution of roles across different types, the research contributes a comprehensive typology that delineates theoretical intricacies and reveals expansive content within each role. Ultimately, the study provides valuable insights for optimizing employees' innovation roles in diverse organizational settings.
Details
- Session: Paper session 21
- Scheduled: Thursday 11th, 10:30 – 12:00
- Room: 2S3
