Developing Capacity for Innovation in Complex Systems

12 Leadership

Introduction

Bringing innovation, as Van de Ven et al. (1986) point out, requires managers at all different levels to be involved. Innovation needs to be not only sanctioned but also led from the top.

There is a growing interest in understanding and increasing competence in the ability to lead innovation, and capacity building for innovation has resulted in different orientations on behalf of organisations. One way this has manifested is in a fairly new role that is emerging in organisations: Chief Innovation Officer. This, more than anything, is the recognition that (1) innovation is important and (2) someone must be responsible for and prioritise it. The question of how to lead innovation inevitably depends on so many different ...