Managing Research, Development, and Innovation: Managing the Unmanageable, Third Edition

4.6. KEEPING THE RESEARCHER AT THE INNOVATION STAGE

An individual goes through a number of stages in a given position. One first goes through a socialization stage, then an innovation stage, and, finally, the stabilization stage. In the stabilization stage the individual is less creative, less risk-taking, and less productive. While individual differences exist, the stabilization stage is normally reached by an individual after being in a given position six to eight years. How a person is socialized into an organization makes a lasting impression.

Thompson and Dalton (1976) have presented a suggestion that might be helpful in keeping a researcher at the innovation stage and minimizing the stabilization process. The idea is to limit the tenure ...