Challenges in building creativity and innovation into NPD process – results from a case study

Research in NPD has identified a number of organisational practices associated with supporting organisational creativity and innovation including frequent and open communication, cross functional work, building organisational slack, the implementation of high involvement schemes, attitude to risk and top management commitment. Using a single case study approach, this paper explores the challenges associated with the implementation of such organisational practices in the R&D department of a large telecommunication company. Challenges include sequential involvement of functions in the team, broken communication between different teams, management attitude to resource constraints, short term pressures due to dynamic market, and limited management support for the implementation of idea generation schemes.