Innovation Governance: How Top Management Organizes and Mobilizes for Innovation

CHAPTER 4

Why Focus on Innovation Governance Models?

Companies that have a commitment to ongoing innovation also have, whether explicit or implicit, a governance model by which they allocate authority and responsibility for innovation within the organization. Our research has shown that even though they may not talk about “innovation governance,” most companies manage innovation according to a governance model that senior managers can describe. The mission to promote and oversee innovation might be entrusted to a particular person – who may or may not be fully dedicated to the task – or it can be taken on by a group of managers working together in the context of different types of organizational mechanisms. Our respondents' experience also shows ...