Page 77 - The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership

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‘Managing innovation’ is a

‘challenge to management...

especially top management

and a touchstone of its

competence’ Peter Drucker

Organisations need to work at the main ingredients for success at
managing innovation and apply themselves to the five hallmarks listed
above.

1 Top level commitment
This must be visible and audible and top management must ensure
that blocks are removed and that inhibiting bureaucracy/individuals
does not foul up the process. Chief executives and senior managers
must value new ideas and innovation and participate actively to
ensure that all know of their commitment to positive and useful
change. Sometimes the need for short-term profits can dull the edge
of creativity and innovation. Only top management can prevent this
happening – taking the long not the short-term view.

2 Flexible in organisational structure

The antithesis of the innovative organisation is the bureaucratic one
and Weber’s characteristics of bureaucratic organisations are as
follows:

• authority is impersonal and formal
• strong emphasis on functional specialisation
• a rule for every eventuality
• strong emphasis on hierarchy and status

Chapter 4: Creativity and innovation 67