Successful innovation and the alignment of knowledge workers at the executive, management, and technical specialist levels

Production and Operations Management · 2022 · Volume 31 · Issue 12

Abstract

This paper focuses on the critical roles of knowledge workers when a firm pursues a major innovation project. In this context, we consider knowledge workers as those who contribute to a firm's performance at the executive, management, and technical specialist levels. Technical specialists include persons with advanced skills in engineering, analytics, statistics, science, and economics. By analyzing a series of case studies and personal interviews, we demonstrate that alignment (i.e., coordination, integration, and collaboration) among these knowledge workers is critical for the success of an innovation project. The paper concludes with a discussion of the responsibilities of knowledge workers at the executive, management, and technical specialist levels to ensure the necessary alignment occurs for successful innovation.

Keywords

innovation, knowledge management, knowledge worker, organizational alignment, project management

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