Can we still speak about the innovation process per se? : challenges for managers

In this article, we are analyzing an influence of various factors on the contents, structure and organization of the contemporary innovation process. The main hypothesis assumes that the contemporary innovation more and more often comes as a result of a quite loose set of dispersed processes and not of a put-in-order, several-phase innovation process. The article starts with a literature survey followed by four empirical illustrations. On the basis of this, the multi-process model of technological innovation is presented. Afterwards, we identify implications for practice, especially the main challenges to be faced by innovation managers in industrial firms.