Measuring and diagnosing innovation excellence – simple contra advanced approaches: a Danish study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine two approaches to measure and diagnose innovation excellence. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a conceptual model for innovation excellence and a measurement system is developed. A Danish survey forms the empirical basis for the study, where a simple approach (by using stated importance of different innovation activities) and an advanced approach (by using derived importance based on structural equation modelling and PLS estimation) are demonstrated, discussed and compared. Findings – The findings in this paper indicate good support for the developed model. When comparing the two approaches for identifying and prioritising improvements, both equalities and differences are found and discussed. Research limitations/implications – This study in this paper is limited to one Danish manufacturing company, which is considered to be one of the most innovative and excellent companies in Denmark. However, it is desirable to apply the model in other companies and industries. Practical implications – This paper offers a model to understand and measure innovation results and its enablers, and the application of the model will give companies a better chance of attaining innovative excellence. Originality/value – The paper provides a novel model for innovation excellence, which is based on a solid theoretical foundation, has been proven in practice, and can be an effective framework for identifying and prioritising improvements within innovation.