Joint presentation by Jan Auernhammer and Hazel Hall delivered at Information: interactions and impact (i3) conference, Aberdeen, 25th June 2013. The abstract of the presentation is also available at http://www.iidi.napier.ac.uk/c/publications/publicationid/13374697. For a fuller article on the project discussed in this presentation, please see the pdf file at http://www.iidi.napier.ac.uk/c/publications/publicationid/13375533

1. New knowledge creation within manufacturing
A pattern analysis of behaviours and interactions that underpin
knowledge creation and innovation in a large German automotive
manufacturer
Paper presented at Information: interactions and impact (i3)
Aberdeen, 25th
June 2013 (#i3rgu)
By Dr Jan Auernhammer and Professor Hazel Hall, Edinburgh Napier University, UK
@janauernhammer, j.auernhammer@napier.ac.uk
@hazelh, h.hall@napier.ac.uk

2. Content
• Background
• Methodology
• Key findings quantitative data
• Key findings qualitative data
• Interpretation
• Model

3. Study background
Research Question:
“What are the main factors that underpin creativity and innovation in a
large, global manufacturing company?”
Investigation:
•Organisational context that facilitates innovation
•Individual and team context that facilitate creativity

4. Methodology
Quantitative data (Organisation)
•201 questionnaires
•96 variables to measure organisational conditions (for each category of
framework)
•10 variables to measure organisational innovation performance
Qualitative data (individuals and teams)
•Presentation of the key variables (survey analysis)
•Discussion of key variables
•Pre-existing groups responsible for development
•46 Interviews (Innovation management, Research, Development, Production,
After Sales, Marketing, Controlling)
•Open question of how is creativity and innovation facilitated within Daimler AG

5. Findings: Quantitative questionnaire
No. Determinant of innovation r p-value
1. Leadership style (D.I) 0.489 0.000
2. Organisational behaviour I (E.I)
(openness, motivation & values)
0.480 0.000
3. Interdisciplinary creative working (J.I) 0.479 0.000
4. Innovation information (B.I) 0.410 0.000
5. Organisational and team structure (F.II) 0.376 0.000
6. Learning – face-to-face discussions (I.III) 0.364 0.000
7. Learning processes (I.I) 0.342 0.000
8. Organisational behaviour II (E.II)
(mistakes & problem behaviour)
0.334 0.000
9. Management of implicit knowledge (C.I) 0.309 0.000
10. Creative work place (F.I) 0.293 0.000
11. Business support information (B.II) 0.265 0.002
12. Vision communication (D.II) 0.227 0.007
13. Information infrastructure (H.I) 0.212 0.009
14. Knowledge & time resources (G.II) 0.210 0.011
15. Learning – Information system (I.II) 0.134 0.114
16. Financial & information resources (G.I) 0.103 0.217

6. Findings: Organisational culture
Organisational
behaviour I
Organisational
behaviour II
Leadership style
Innovation capacity 0.458*
Organisational culture
0.593*
0.784*
0.642*
*Pearson’s correlation coefficient

7. Qualitative findings:
Leadership towards creativity
3.1 Challenge &
empowerment
3.5 Orientation
phase
3.4 Acceptance
of challenge
3.7 Freiraum
(time & social space)
Idea creation
3.2 Vision 3.6 Strategy
Social system
Creativity
Organisational system
3.3 Practice of
shared values
(-)(+)

8. Qualitative findings:
Individual innovation willingness
4.2 Intrinsic
motivation
Idea creation
4.6 Innovation
willingness
4.1 Openness to
change
Idea
expression
4.9 Social
reward
Creativity
Cognitive system
Social system
4.8 Appreciation
by leaders
4.10 No stress
4.3 Open
communication
4.11 Level of
freedom
4.7 Freiraum
(Social space)

9. Qualitative findings:
Collective innovation willingness
Idea
actualisation
4.1 Openness to
change
4.13 Reaction to
mistakes
Social system
Mistake
4.5 Risk taking
4.12 Innovation
willingness
Idea
development
Creativity
4.14 Acceptance
of mistakes
4.15 learning
from mistakes
4.3 Open
communication

10. Innovation in organisations requires
1. Structured routine working of experts (thick of the action)
2. Free exploration, creation and prototyping of ideas (Freiraum)
3. Innovation willingness
In the thick of the action Freiraum
Knowledge creation
within routines
Idea creation by
change in routines
Innovation willingness

11. Organisational model
Thick in the action
(actuality)
Freiraum
(possibility)
Organisational structure
(organisational culture, design and knowledge)
constrains
/enables
produces

12. Iterative creative process
Thick in the action
(actuality)
Freiraum
(possibility)
routine
working
exploring
idea
creating
proto-
typing
exploiting
releasing
reorganisingconserving
Collective innovation willingness
Individual/group innovation willingness

13. New knowledge creation within manufacturing
A pattern analysis of behaviours and interactions that underpin
knowledge creation and innovation in a large German automotive
manufacturer
Paper presented at Information: interactions and impact (i3)
Aberdeen, 25th
June 2013 (#i3rgu)
By Dr Jan Auernhammer and Professor Hazel Hall, Edinburgh Napier University, UK
@janauernhammer, j.auernhammer@napier.ac.uk
@hazelh, h.hall@napier.ac.uk