Organizational innovation killers: elucidating what diminishes innovation potency in organizations

Purpose The purpose of this research work was to illustrate what nature of organizational processes and initiatives were detrimental to the fructification of technology innovation in organizations. The authors examined the set of organizational practice processes which caused organizational technology-based innovation actions to fail. Design/methodology/approach The authors of this research article undertook a multi-method study. They conducted personal interviews (PIs) with various stakeholders who undertook innovation initiatives in organizations that failed. The PI data was content analyzed for themes regarding comprehending the factors that contributed to organizational innovation initiatives’ failure. Further, the authors conducted focus group discussions with executives involved in innovation projects. The data collected was again content analyzed for themes. Findings The authors found that organizational technology innovation initiatives failed for multiple reasons. These reasons were because of lack of voice to key employees in innovation teams, poor allotment and rationing of firm slack resources toward innovation initiatives, lack of organizational vision from innovation expectation, poor assessment parameters for judging innovation outcome, improper feedback during innovation process to team members, lack of awareness of macro and industry level changes, lack of open and interactive communication, poor team selection and such others. Research limitations/implications The authors in this research study explored the failure of managing technology innovation initiatives in organizations based upon the integrated theoretical perspective of strategy as a process and practice, and dynamic management capabilities. The theoretical contribution was achieved by addressing only the elements wherein innovation failures accrued. This was both in the structural organizational hard processes as well as the cultural soft aspects in organizations. These were inherent in the formal rules and informal norms and values of organizations. Practical implications The authors in the literature found substantive insights regarding what managers needed to do to make technology innovation work in organizations. However, there was paucity of literature regarding what managers ought not to do toward killing organizational technology innovation initiatives. The findings of this study could help managers comprehend what managers should refrain from doing to make good of organizational technology-based innovation practices happen. Social implications The world requires more technological innovation, especially when it is focused on addressing the social needs of the economically and socially disadvantaged. Generally, most technological innovation initiatives fail. Given this context, it was important to study innovation management failures so that the lessons learned from this could benefit organizations and the broader society they serve. Originality/value This was one of the first empirical, multi-method studies to investigate the failure of organizational technology-based innovation initiatives. This research thus integrated the perspective of organizational innovation and strategy as a process and practice. Accordingly, this study offered an integrated perspective on technology-based innovation and strategic management in firms, conceptualized through a process and practice framework.