Title: The interface of organisational slack with innovation: a study of a textile company

Authors: Franciele Beck; Ilse Maria Beuren

Addresses: Department of Accounting, Regional University of Blumenau – FURB, Blumenau/SC, Brazil ' Federal University of Santa Catarina – UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

Abstract: This research investigates how organisational slack is interrelated with innovation in a Brazilian company in the textile industry. A case study in an interpretative perspective was conducted gathering data through interviews and documents. We discuss the availability of qualified and experienced staff facilitated innovation. Slack of physical resources supported the company's expansion and innovation process. The financial slack enabled experimentation and allowed managers to assume the risk of failure involved in the innovation process. The slack of time contributed to completing tasks and building skills. The data also highlights that the company presents formal as well as informal mechanisms of control to plan, monitor and manage organisational slack to enable innovation. Those results should be analysed in the context of a growing company, and by a longitudinal process of slack creation.

Keywords: organisational behaviour; organisational slack; resources; management control system; MCS; formal controls; informal controls; innovation; case study; textile industry; Brazil.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2022.127182

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2022 Vol.29 No.3, pp.326 - 347

Received: 06 Apr 2020
Accepted: 05 Sep 2020
Published online: 25 Nov 2022 *

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