Title: "I have ideas but I don't want to say them aloud." Employee-driven innovation discourses at a retail chain store

Authors: Esa Hiltunen; Kaisa Henttonen

Addresses: Business School, Kuopio Campus, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland ' Business School, Kuopio Campus, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

Abstract: This intensive case study explores employee-driven innovation discourses at a Finnish retail chain hypermarket. This study area is of importance because employee-driven innovation management has not been studied in-depth before in the retail sector. This single-case study focused on one individual who considered herself to be an innovator and possessed a special desire to develop and renew daily activities in a retail store. Discourse analysis, as a methodological approach, shows how innovation discourse is divided into two main repertoires: individualistic and realistic innovation repertoires. The study contributes to new contextualised knowledge on innovation management and employee-driven innovation research. It provides understanding of how leaders could support participation in innovation activity at the frontline level, especially in the ideation phase.

Keywords: retailing; employee-driven innovation; innovation management; discourse analysis; Finland; case study; retail stores; chain stores; hypermarkets; Finland; ideation; employee involvement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2016.080003

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2016 Vol.20 No.5/6, pp.349 - 359

Received: 12 Mar 2016
Accepted: 27 Mar 2016
Published online: 27 Oct 2016 *

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