Developing Parallel Routines for Radical Product Innovation

A paradox in innovation management is that firms deploying what is generally recognised 'good practice' can find themselves under threat through disruption caused by some form of discontinuity in their operating environment. Routines suited to dealing with 'steady state' innovation differ from and may even conflict with those needed to explore and exploit discontinuous shifts in technology or markets. This paper explores this 'innovator's dilemma' and reviews the experience of a case study firm working in the medical products field. It argues that firms need to learn to manage innovation but that two complementary learning approaches - adaptive and generative - are needed.