An action learning method for increased innovation capability in organisations
Author
Summary, in English
Product innovation in highly complex and technological areas, such as medical technology, puts high requirements on the innovation capability of an organisation. Previous research and publications have highlighted organisational issues and learning matters as important and necessary for the development of innovation capability. Action learning requires reflections of the ways things are carried out, changes in current actions, implementation and improvement and thereafter another round of reflections. This could be difficult for one organisation to carry out internally and so this research uses a learning network setup involving several organisations for inter-organisational action learning.
The purpose of this article is to describe the learning network setup used in a current action learning project in the med tech industry, and to discuss the initial experiences gained. The research project aims at increasing the innovation capability of the participating organisations. The method used is based on action learning and involves representatives from industrial partners, public health organisations and academic partners. The different organisations run innovation projects over a time period of three years, and meet three times a year in learning network sessions with the purpose of developing knowledge by action learning interaction between the different. During these learning network sessions the participants are facilitated to go through different phases: reflections, new concepts, new actions, implementations and new reflections.
The paper elaborates on theories of innovation capability and learning networks, and thereafter the methods of action research, experiential learning and action learning. The action learning network structure, the experiences gained in the initial phases of the project, and the experience of action learning and learning networks is then presented. The importance of trust building between partners in the network in order to facilitate action learning and development of innovation capability is experienced and discussed, as is the learning that takes place in the interaction between academics from different disciplines in their interaction with the practitioners.
The purpose of this article is to describe the learning network setup used in a current action learning project in the med tech industry, and to discuss the initial experiences gained. The research project aims at increasing the innovation capability of the participating organisations. The method used is based on action learning and involves representatives from industrial partners, public health organisations and academic partners. The different organisations run innovation projects over a time period of three years, and meet three times a year in learning network sessions with the purpose of developing knowledge by action learning interaction between the different. During these learning network sessions the participants are facilitated to go through different phases: reflections, new concepts, new actions, implementations and new reflections.
The paper elaborates on theories of innovation capability and learning networks, and thereafter the methods of action research, experiential learning and action learning. The action learning network structure, the experiences gained in the initial phases of the project, and the experience of action learning and learning networks is then presented. The importance of trust building between partners in the network in order to facilitate action learning and development of innovation capability is experienced and discussed, as is the learning that takes place in the interaction between academics from different disciplines in their interaction with the practitioners.
Publishing year
2010
Language
English
Pages
167-179
Publication/Series
Action Learning: Research and Practice
Volume
7
Issue
2
Full text
- Available as PDF - 223 kB
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Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Topic
- Other Mechanical Engineering
- Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
Keywords
- action learning
- product innovation
- innovation capability
- learning network
- inter-organisational learning
- trust-building
- organisation
- innovation
- packaging
- logistics
- packaging logistics
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1476-7341