"I have ideas but I don't want to say them aloud." Employee-driven innovation discourses at a retail chain store. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hiltunen, Esa; Henttonen, Kaisa
• Is Part Of: International journal of entrepreneurship and innovation management. Volume 20:Number 5/6(2016)
• Page Start: 349
• Page End: 359
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: retailing -- employee-driven innovation -- innovation management -- discourse analysis -- Finland -- case study -- retail stores -- chain stores -- hypermarkets -- Finland -- ideation -- employee involvement; Entrepreneurship -- Periodicals; 338.0405
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-275X

Abstract

This intensive case study explores employee-driven innovation discourses at a Finnish retail chain hypermarket. This study area is of importance because employee-driven innovation management has not been studied in-depth before in the retail sector. This single-case study focused on one individual who considered herself to be an innovator and possessed a special desire to develop and renew daily activities in a retail store. Discourse analysis, as a methodological approach, shows how innovation discourse is divided into two main repertoires: individualistic and realistic innovation repertoires. The study contributes to new contextualised knowledge on innovation management and employee-driven innovation research. It provides understanding of how leaders could support participation in innovation activity at the frontline level, especially in the ideation phase.