During the last decades the environment of most companies has become increasingly dynamic and competitive due to the globalisation and internationalisation of markets. The intense competition leads to reinforced campaigns to win customers with new, unique products or services defending or improving market positions. Consequently, based on the increased variety, customers’ expectations are rising while the time to market as well as the duration ot the product life cycle are decreasing. [Cum1997, p. 22] [Jon2002, p. 24, p. 31] [Yuk2002, p. 294]
The increased velocity and complexity of global business competition demand innovative, flexible and responsive solutions to emerge. Companies, especially those competing on the global scale, have to consider innovations as a key goal, a powerful influence on organisational performance and a strategy which creates a sustainable competitive advantage against a growing number of new, efficient and focused competitors. [Hal2003, p. 434] [Mum2002, p. 705] “Innovation is the source of increasing value and differentiation in an evermore crowded and homogeneous marketplace [Jon2002, p. 31].” Innovation is crucial in times of economic growth, remaining the source of increasing revenues and profitability, but more than ever in times of recession representing the survival in an increasingly selective market. [Jon2002, p. 12]
However, innovation can be much more than this – it is the impulse of continuous advancement of the humankind. The fact that our world is moving towards the age of total mobility, in which not only all people and organisations are part of a global network, but in which access to information shall be available independently on the place and time, is leading to the increased importance and rapid growth of wireless communications possibilities. Companies within the telecommunications industry are therefore confronted with a fast growing demand for wireless solutions by end-customers and other high-tech industries (e.g. computer industry) to create the portability of a connected world. Hence, telecommunications as the key player within this field is one of the fastest growing and dynamic global businesses. [Bou2001, p. 168] [God2000, p. 1034] [Sun2005, p. 107]
[...]
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Field of study
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Choosing the topic
1.5 Delimitations
1.6 Outline
2 Innovation, telecommunications, and leadership
2.1 Innovation process, creativity and change
2.2 The telecommunications industry
2.2.1 Innovative developments of wireless technology
2.2.2 The need for commitment to innovation
2.2.3 Summary
2.3 Leading the innovation
2.3.1 Leadership for an innovative environment
2.3.2 Favourable competences of leaders
2.3.3 Leaders’ possibilities of influence
2.3.3.1 People-oriented influencing possibilities
2.3.3.2 Work-oriented influencing possibilities
2.3.4 Summary
2.4 Implications for the research
2.5 Research model
3 Methodology
3.1 Research problem
3.2 Preparation of the study
3.2.1 Research approach
3.2.2 Research strategy
3.2.3 Screening the cases
3.2.4 Secondary data collection
3.2.5 Primary data collection
3.3 Execution of the study
3.4 Processing the data
3.5 Evaluating the data
3.6 Limitations
3.6.1 General limitations
3.6.2 Objectivity
3.6.3 Validity
3.6.3.1 Internal validity
3.6.3.2 Construct validity
3.6.3.3 External validity
3.6.4 Reliability
4 Presenting the empirical findings
4.1 Introducing the company: Siemens
4.2 Leader’s influence
4.3 Innovator’s perception
5 Analyzing the leader’s situation within the company
5.1 Leader’s competences
5.2 Creative people
5.3 Top management support
5.4 Resources
5.5 Work situation
5.6 Summary
6 Discussion
6.1 Leader’s competences
6.2 Creative people
6.3 Top management support
6.4 Resources
6.5 Work situation
6.6 The complex structure is the leader’s challenge
6.7 Chances within the examined industry and beyond
6.8 Review of the findings
7 Conclusions
7.1 Summary
7.2 Personal reflections
7.3 Further developments
Objectives & Core Topics
This thesis examines the role of leadership in the initial stages of the innovation process, specifically focusing on how leaders can enhance a company's ability to generate innovations within the highly dynamic wireless telecommunications industry. The research explores the specific requirements, competencies, and influence tactics that leaders must employ to manage creative work, overcome internal resistance, and foster an innovative culture effectively.
- Theoretical framework for leadership in creative and innovative ventures.
- Empirical analysis of leadership practices within the R&D department of Siemens.
- Identification of critical influence factors: leader competences, top management support, and work situation.
- Challenges of balancing structure, formal requirements, and the need for creative freedom.
- Strategies for navigating the complexities of innovation in a large, global organization.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.3 Leaders’ possibilities of influence
Besides the leaders’ favourable skills, leaders have to influence the actors of the innovation process to increase the ability of innovation generation. However, in terms of leading for innovations different sets of apparently contradictory demands appear. Leaders have to reduce stress and ambiguity to enhance idea generation, but simultaneously they have to maximize challenge and risk taking, avoiding only ineffectual solutions. Additionally, they should encourage exploration, but they ought to ensure timely production of viable products. Finally, leaders must also encourage individual initiative, while integrating the different group activities. [Mum2002, p. 719] [Ahm1998, p.39]
Since innovations can be considered as quite radical changes, they require a wide range of leadership actions to be implemented in organisations. According to Yukl, these actions can be grouped into people-oriented actions and organisational actions, building two distinct but also overlapping categories. [Yuk2002, pp. 289] This addresses, on the one hand, the rather direct influencing of creative people as the source of innovations and of further involved groups (cross-functional responsibility), including top management as support and resource donors. On the other hand, a leader’s influence should also be seen in the light of changing and arranging work situation and climate which represents the organisational level. In a similar manner Mumford distinguishes between the influencing process of leading people and leading the work – a two-fold strategy which successful leaders have applied. [Mum2002, p.719]
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides background information, defines the research question, the purpose of the study, and identifies the scope and limitations of the thesis.
2 Innovation, telecommunications, and leadership: Clarifies essential concepts regarding innovation, the industry landscape, and leadership, while establishing a theoretical framework and research model.
3 Methodology: Explains the research design, the selection of the case study, and the methods used for data collection and evaluation.
4 Presenting the empirical findings: Describes the case company (Siemens) and summarizes the findings from interviews with a leader and an innovator.
5 Analyzing the leader’s situation within the company: Abstracting and categorizing empirical results based on the factors of the research model, such as leader competences, work with creative people, and management support.
6 Discussion: Provides a deeper analysis of the factors to answer the research question, considering industry-specific aspects and transferability to other sectors.
7 Conclusions: Summarizes the thesis, reflects on the research process, and offers suggestions for further study in this field.
Keywords
Innovation, Leadership, Wireless Telecommunications, Research and Development, Innovation Process, Creative People, Leader Competences, Innovation Management, Organizational Climate, Technology, Siemens, Influence Tactics, Strategy, Case Study, Organizational Culture
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work focuses on the role of leaders in the starting phase of the innovation process and how their specific actions and competences can improve a company's ability to generate new ideas.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The central fields include innovation management, leadership styles in creative environments, the telecommunications industry, and the influence of organizational climate and structure on R&D outcomes.
What is the primary research question?
The study primarily seeks to answer: "How can leaders improve companies’ ability to generate innovations?"
Which scientific method was applied?
The author conducted a qualitative case study within the R&D department of Siemens, utilizing semi-structured interviews with a leader and an innovator to gain profound insights.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body integrates theoretical literature on leadership and innovation with empirical findings, analyzing competences, support structures, resources, and the work situation.
Which keywords best characterize the thesis?
The thesis is characterized by keywords such as Innovation, Leadership, Wireless Telecommunications, R&D, and Organizational Climate.
Why was the telecommunications industry chosen for the case study?
The telecommunications industry was chosen because of its high level of innovativeness, rapid technological development, and the vital importance of innovation for survival in this competitive global sector.
What role does the "pyramid model" play in this research?
The pyramid model serves as the theoretical framework developed by the author, illustrating the complex interplay between leadership, organizational environment, and industry type in enabling the ability to innovate.
- Quote paper
- Andreas Mothes (Author), 2006, Leading Innovation - How can leaders improve companies ability to generate innovations?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/58267
