The urgency to innovate for organisational survival has become increasingly recognized, with the result that
innovation has conquered a position high on the management agenda. However, the unfamiliarity around innovation pose a challenge for innovation management. No unique solution exists to building a successful innovation approach, such that firms are forced to experiment with innovation approaches. In analysing the innovation approaches of four large international organisations we find that these organisations share an essential common element: the presence of one or more ‘visionary innovators’ who are determined to lead a movement towards organisational change. We present a theoretical framework to illustrate four core characteristics of a visionary innovator, based on empirical evidence. The visionary innovators possesses traits to discover and realise innovations, business and political know-how, the ability to create and share a vision and space to realise that vision. We propose that a visionary innovator determined to spread such a mindset is indispensable to successfully achieve innovation.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-de-lille-8039372/