Uncovering Covert Innovation - Bootlegging, Illegitimacy, and Management's Attitude

It is of central importance for companies to be innovative. To maximize their innovation potential, companies often rely on formal systems and processes for innovation management. It has been shown that such attempts have the side effect of inhibiting a number of valuable innovations. Some employees proceed informally and smuggle their innovations past formal barriers. Stephan Eicher analyses the interaction between bootleggers and their management. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, he answers three primary research questions. What is the current state of research on bootlegging in R&D? How do bootleggers overcome illegitimacy upon disclosing their covert projects to decision-makers? How do different management styles and approaches affect the incidence of bootlegging? The results of this research paint a vivid picture of the relationship between covert innovation projects and the official management world of companies.

List of contents

What the literature tells us about bootlegging in R&D.- How bootleg researchers uncover their underground innovation projects.- The relationship between bootlegging and management practices. 

About the author

The Author 

Dr. Stephan Eicher received his PhD in economic sciences from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg.

Product details

• Authors: Stephan Eicher
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2020
• EAN: 9783658316198
• ISBN: 978-3-658-31619-8
• No. of pages: 225
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 13 mm x 210 mm
• Weight: 326 g
• Illustrations: XXII, 225 p. 1 illus.
• Series: Markt- und Unternehmensentwicklung Markets and Organisations; Markt- und Unternehmensentwicklung / Markets and Organisations
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Management