Modeling the Role of a Manager to Motivate and Foster Innovator for Organizational Self-Renewal: A Theoretical Framework

Abstract

To survive in the environment of severe competition, an organization depends on innovation. Creative and innovative ideas in the multiple areas of operation from organizational strategy to product conceptualization, design, development, manufacturing and even marketing initiated by innovators are the genesis or centre of gravity of the process of innovation comprising of identification, acquisition and diffusion of knowledge. Innovators may exist at all levels of organizational hierarchy. Appropriate role played by the superior managers towards the innovators and the process of innovation leads the self-renewal of that organization. The process of identification of individual innovators and motivating them to be productive in a team is very much critical for an organization's success in the market. The manager responsible for motivating and fostering the innovators has to keep one of his eyes open to the objective, mission and goals of the organization and the other exploring the needs of the innovators. An innovator should resonate with zeal in phase with the business strategy of the organization. A mathematical model based on the concepts from Physics has been proposed to get a clear insight of the ideal role that a manager should play in his relationship with individual innovator.