Enabling rather than managing innovation

Complementing and challenging classic innovation management approaches, this work aims to shed light on how innovations are initiated and realized in heterarchies and what can be learned from those. Through a multiple case study project, innovation practices are explored in the contexts of strategy and direction, processes and structure, and culture and leadership. Innovation is found to be coordinated more through cultural than formal organizational mechanisms. Companies may not be able to change their hierarchical-bureaucratic structures to more heterarchical types so as to be more innovative, yet innovation friendly lessons from heterarchicies are provided for the levels of the individual, project, and organisation. This helps extend and advance the theory and practical application of innovation by understanding innovation mechanisms in heterarchical organizations.