The Crucial Role of Mindsets in Innovation Efforts: Opening the Black Box in the Context of Frugal Innovation

248 Pages·2022·1.666 MB·English

by  Malte Krohn

Forschungs-/ Entwicklungs-/
Innovations-Management
Hans Dietmar Bürgel (em.) · Diana Grosse
Cornelius Herstatt · Hans Koller · Christian Lüthje
Martin G. Möhrle Hrsg.
Malte Krohn
The Crucial Role
of Mindsets in
Innovation Efforts
Opening the Black Box in the Context
of Frugal Innovation
Forschungs-/Entwicklungs-/
Innovations-Management
Reiheherausgegebenvon
HansDietmarBürgel(em.),Stuttgart,Deutschland
DianaGrosse(em.),TechnischeUniversitätBergakademie,Freiberg,Deutschland
CorneliusHerstatt,InstituteofTechnology&InnovationManagement,Hamburg
UniversityofTechnology(TUHH),Hamburg,Deutschland
HansKoller,InstituteofTechnologyandInnovationManagement,Helmut
SchmidtUniversity,Hamburg,Schleswig-Holstein,Deutschland
ChristianLüthje,InstitutfürMarketingundInnovation,TUHamburg,Hamburg,
Deutschland
MartinG.Möhrle,UniversitätBremen,Bremen,Deutschland
DieReihestelltausintegrierterSichtvonBetriebswirtschaftundTechnikArbeit-
sergebnisse auf den Gebieten Forschung, Entwicklung und Innovation vor. Die
einzelnen Beiträge sollen dem wissenschaftlichen Fortschritt dienen und die
Forderungen der Praxis auf Umsetzbarkeit erfüllen.
Professor Dr. Hans Dietmar Bürgel (em.), Universität Stuttgart
ProfessorinDr.DianaGrossevorm.dePay,TechnischeUniversitätBergakademie
Freiberg
Professor Dr. Cornelius Herstatt, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg
Professor Dr. Hans Koller, Institute for Technology- & Innovation Management,
Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg
Professor Dr. Christian Lüthje, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg
Professor Dr. Martin G. Möhrle, Universität Bremen
Malte Krohn
The Crucial Role
of Mindsets
in Innovation Efforts
Opening the Black Box in the
Context of Frugal Innovation
MalteKrohn
InstituteforTechnologyandInnovationManagement
HamburgUniversityofTechnology
Hamburg,Germany
DissertationTechnischeUniversitätHamburg/2022
Forschungs-/Entwicklungs-/Innovations-Management
ISBN978-3-658-39969-6 ISBN978-3-658-39970-2 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-39970-2
©TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringer
FachmedienWiesbadenGmbH,partofSpringerNature2022
Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsaresolelyandexclusivelylicensedbythePublisher,
whetherthewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprint-
ing, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other
physicalway,andtransmissionorinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computer
software,orbysimilarordissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped.
Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthis
publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexempt
fromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
Thepublisher,theauthors,andtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformationinthis
bookarebelievedtobetrueandaccurateatthedateofpublication.Neitherthepublishernorthe
authorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressedorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontained
hereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.Thepublisherremainsneutralwith
regardtojurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations.
This Springer Gabler imprint is published by the registered company Springer Fachmedien
WiesbadenGmbH,partofSpringerNature.
Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Abraham-Lincoln-Str.46,65189Wiesbaden,Germany
Foreword
A considerable body of research has examined the importance of innovation for
businesscompetitivenessandtheroleofinnovationforsocialandeconomicwel-
fare. A central aspect of these studies has always been the innovative outcome
of innovation efforts by organizations and individuals in the form of products,
services, or entirely new business models. Accordingly, academic research and
innovation practice often emphasize the innovation processes that lead to the
desiredinnovativeoutcomes.However,theseinnovationprocessesmustbecarried
outbymotivatedindividualswhomustbesupportedbycommittedleaders.These
considerations bring innovators and their supporters into the focus of innovation
management research.
Academicliteratureincreasinglyadoptsanactor-basedperspectiveoninnova-
tion management and considers the mindsets of individuals. However, divergent
conceptualizations and a lack of empirical studies still limit our understanding
of the concept of mindset and the role of individuals’ mindset in organizational
innovationprocesses.Thisdissertation,therefore,aimstoopenthe“blackbox”of
innovation as a mindset. By combining theories of mindset from social psychol-
ogy with intention research and incorporating the context of frugal innovation,
Mr.Krohn’sdissertationdevelopsaconceptual,empiricallytestedworkoninno-
vation as a mindset. This conceptual work is supported by the results of two
empirical studies in the context of frugal innovation. The first action research
study shows how a non-supportive mindset of key people can lead to an organi-
zational innovation process that fails to deliver the desired innovative outcomes
intheformoffrugalinnovation.Basedonafour-yearcollaborationwithamajor
Germancompany,Dr.MalteKrohndetailsthedwindlingsupportofandcommit-
ment to the innovation process. This analysis provides the contextual framework
forhismainquantitativestudy.BasedontheTheoryofPlannedBehavior(TPB),
v
vi Foreword
the main study takes a closer look at the process of intention formation to par-
ticipate in and support frugal innovation projects. By surveying organizational
members in innovative German companies based on the main study’s research
model, more than 43% of the surveyed participants’ intentions can be explained.
The study shows, however, how a fundamentally positive assessment of frugal
innovation projects by participants is (negatively) influenced by a conflictual
bias, by the social environment, and by the perceived ability to contribute to
the implementation of frugal innovation projects.
Malte Krohn’s dissertation makes an important contribution to the theory
and practice of frugal innovation. For academic research, by providing more
conceptual clarity about innovation as a mindset (way of thinking) and by pro-
vidingsupportingempiricalevidence.Forinnovationpractice,byshowinghowa
more detailed understanding of individual mindsets can support evidence-based
changeinterventions.Thequalityoftheresearchfindings,combinedwiththevery
knowledgeableapplicationofscientificmethods,aswellastheinterpretationand
concise presentation of the results, validate the research approach chosen by Mr.
Krohn. For me, the essential contribution of the work lies in the well-founded
discussion and expansion of theory beyond one’s own discipline, as well as the
reappraisal of a significant phenomenon of theoretical as well as practical rel-
evance. In my view, Mr. Krohn is doing pioneering work in this area and is
making a clearly recognizable scientific contribution that is highly relevant for
both innovation researchers and practitioners.
Hamburg Prof. Dr. oec. publ. Dr. h. c. Cornelius Herstatt
October 2022
Acknowledgements
In my eyes, innovation is more than merely an organization’s means to increase
revenuesthroughnewproductsandservices,improvethebottomlinebyoptimiz-
ingprocesses,oraccessuntappedmarketswithnovelbusinessmodels.Allofthe
before mentioned outcomes are crucial for organizations and a valid motivation
to engage in innovation efforts.
More than that, however, I see innovation as a means for society to continu-
ously reinvent itself. Today, the world is more connected through media, global
markets, and personal mobility than ever before—this also makes the prevalence
ofenvironmentalissues,economicinequalities,andsocialchallengesmorevisible
to many of us. I view innovation as a crucial discipline in tackling these global
challenges like climate change, systemic racism, gender equality, and poverty.
The diversity of challenges we have to approach with innovation also implies
that we have to apply a diverse set of approaches to innovation. Social innova-
tion,openinnovation,frugalinnovation,andinnovationforthecirculareconomy
arejustafewoftheapproachesthatemergedthroughouttheyears—allofwhich
come along with sophisticated and context-specific innovation processes.
Asinnovationitselfbecomesmorecomplex,diversehumanperspectivesneed
to be incorporated into the innovation process to increase its chance of success.
In this context, academic literature has suggested that organizational stakehold-
ers need the right mindset for any particular approach to innovation. However,
various conceptual, measurement, and empirical questions remain unanswered.
In the specific context of frugal innovation, this thesis provides conceptual work
and two empirical studies to advance the discussion about the right mindset for
innovation. Hence, it aims to provide more clarity to researchers and practition-
ersaboutindividuals’willingnessandabilitytoengageinandsupportinnovation
processes(i.e.theirinnovationmindset).Thisdissertationprojectwouldnothave
vii
viii Acknowledgements
been possible without the support of many people, and I would like to express
my heartfelt gratitude to
(cid:129) Prof. Dr. oec. publ. Dr. h. c. Cornelius Herstatt for taking the role of my
supervisor and, more often than never, supporting me as a “Doktorvater” in
the life that continued to happen around the actual dissertation project;
(cid:129) Prof. Dr. Tim Schweisfurth for assuming the role of my second examiner and
providing me with critical feedback along the way;
(cid:129) Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Wolfgang Kersten for providing a fair and secure
environment as the examination committee’s chairman;
(cid:129) Dr. Stephan Buse for integrating me into the TIM team during my master’s
degree and being the most supportive supervisor I could have wished for;
(cid:129) The TIM team for being amazing academic sparing partners and becoming
invaluable friends over the years at the TIM institute;
(cid:129) My master’s students Jan Teckentrupp, Dustin Hochmuth, and Finn Peterson
for inspiring me with their ideas and research;
(cid:129) Myfamilyandfriendswhocontinuetobeasourceoflove,support,andfaith
in humanity.
Youkeptmegoingforward,andyoukeepmegoingforwardinfindingsolutions
for the many challenges we face.
Hamburg Malte Krohn
October 2022
Contents
1 Introduction .................................................. 1
1.1 Research Motivation and Objective .......................... 3
1.2 Research Approach and Contribution ........................ 4
1.3 Structure of the Dissertation ................................ 7
2 ConceptualandTheoreticalFoundation ......................... 9
2.1 Mindsets—Mapping the Field .............................. 10
2.1.1 Mindsets in Social Psychology ....................... 11
2.1.2 Mindsets in Educational Psychology .................. 13
2.1.3 Mindsets in Organizational Leadership ................ 15
2.1.4 Mindsets in Entrepreneurship ........................ 16
2.1.5 Mindsets in Innovation Management .................. 18
2.1.6 A Taxonomy of Mindsets ............................ 22
2.1.7 Innovative Behavior and Innovation Promoters ......... 27
2.2 Theory of Planned Behavior ................................ 30
2.2.1 The Link of Mindset and Intention Research ........... 31
2.2.2 Attitudes .......................................... 32
2.2.3 Subjective Norms ................................... 34
2.2.4 Perceived Behavioral Control ........................ 34
2.2.5 Background Factors ................................. 35
2.2.6 Intention .......................................... 36
2.2.7 Behavior .......................................... 36
2.3 Frugal Innovation ......................................... 38
2.3.1 Innovation for the Bottom of the Economic Pyramid .... 38
2.3.2 Innovation for the Global Middle Class ............... 39
2.3.3 Frugal Innovation—Outcome, Process, and Mindset .... 40
ix