Abstract

This technical report describes research that considers the process of routine innovation, looking at those individuals and organizations that are constantly engaged in designing solutions for problems they have not faced before. The authors introduce a process theory of innovation called knowledge brokering. Knowledge brokers routinely innovate by creating new combinations of existing ideas. They do this by exploiting a network position between otherwise isolated groups to recognize ideas in one domain that may have value but are unknown to others, and by combining and adapting these ideas to fit the needs of new audiences. This research was inductive and qualitative, looking at eight firms ranging from engineering consultants to management consultants to internal consultants within large manufacturing organizations.
sutton_hargadon_0598.pdf