Building the Innovative Organization: Management Systems That Encourage Innovation

Traditional management systems were designed to manage routine operations, not to manage innovation. The kinds of management systems we typically have in large companies throw up many roadblocks to innovation. This book compares the management systems of highly innovative companies with those of more typical companies to see how they are different. These are compared across different aspects of management including organization structure, communications systems, incentives, project funding systems, etc. The book contains detailed guidance on how to change management practices to be more innovative.

James A. Christiansen joined McKinsey & Company’s North American innovation management practice. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at INSEAD.