Capturing passion and knowledge for innovation

Organisations survive and prosper through strategic focus and leadership (Hambrick & Pettigrew, 2001; Vera & Crossan 2004) and through the knowledge, energy, commitment and application of its employees. Central to the successes of the firm are firm-based systems, processes and practices related to the generation, use and reuse of knowledge (Skyrme, 1999). This theoretical paper addresses the research questions: how can organisations harness the passion for knowledge? Are there organizational arrangements and processes that support and foster the passion for knowledge? We review processes identified in managing knowledge across boundaries (Carlile, 2004) and the necessity for multiple processes of translation and transformation as well as transfer. We also review literature about knowledge in the context of both strategic and operational focus of a firm, examining the organizational arrangements and processes in an organization known for continuous new product development. We identify processes that support and foster the dynamic capabilities of continuous innovation based on knowledge creation and absorption, knowledge integration and knowledge reconfiguration (Verona & Ravasi, 2003). We apply these notions to a study of scientists engaged in public sector agriculture research in multiple dispersed locations and conclude with implications for the management of knowledge for innovation and recommendations for managers.