An action learning network method for increased innovation capability in organizations
Författare
Summary, in English
Product innovation in highly complex and technological areas, such as medical technology, puts high requirements on innovation capability of an organization. Previous research and publications have highlighted organizational issues and learning matters as important and necessary for the development of innovation capability. Action learning require reflections of the ways things are carried out, changes in the current actions, implementation and improvement and thereafter another round of reflections as in the learning cycle. This might be difficult for one organization to carry out internally and therefore this research use a learning network method with several organizations involved in the learning cycle.
The purpose of this article is to describe and discuss a learning network method used in a present research project carried out in the med tech industry. The research project aims at increasing the innovation capability of the participating organizations. The method used, is based on action learning and involves representatives from industrial partners, public health organizations, and academic partners. The different organizations run innovation projects over a time period of three years, and meet three times a year in learning network sessions with the purpose of developing knowledge by interaction between the projects and the different actors. During these learning network sessions the participants are facilitated to go through the different phases, reflections, new concepts, new actions, implementations and new reflections.
The paper elaborates on theories of innovation capability and learning network. Furthermore, the action learning network structure, the experiences gained in the initial phases of the project, and experience of action learning and learning networks is presented. The importance of trust building between partners in the network in order to facilitate action learning and development of innovation capability is experienced and discussed, as well as the learning that takes place in the interaction between academics from different disciplines in collaboration with practitioners.
The purpose of this article is to describe and discuss a learning network method used in a present research project carried out in the med tech industry. The research project aims at increasing the innovation capability of the participating organizations. The method used, is based on action learning and involves representatives from industrial partners, public health organizations, and academic partners. The different organizations run innovation projects over a time period of three years, and meet three times a year in learning network sessions with the purpose of developing knowledge by interaction between the projects and the different actors. During these learning network sessions the participants are facilitated to go through the different phases, reflections, new concepts, new actions, implementations and new reflections.
The paper elaborates on theories of innovation capability and learning network. Furthermore, the action learning network structure, the experiences gained in the initial phases of the project, and experience of action learning and learning networks is presented. The importance of trust building between partners in the network in order to facilitate action learning and development of innovation capability is experienced and discussed, as well as the learning that takes place in the interaction between academics from different disciplines in collaboration with practitioners.
Publiceringsår
2010
Språk
Engelska
Fulltext
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Dokumenttyp
Konferensbidrag
Ämne
- Other Mechanical Engineering
- Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
Nyckelord
- Learning Network
- Innovation Capability
- Innovation
- Packaging logistics
- Product Innovation
- Action Learning
Conference name
Action Learning: Assessing the Value
Conference date
2010-03-29 - 2010-03-31
Conference place
Henley, London, United Kingdom
Status
Published