Title: Determinants of innovation as a competence: an empirical study

Authors: Pradeep Waychal, R.P. Mohanty, Ajit Verma

Addresses: Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, India. ' ITM Group of Institutions, B.S.E.L. Tech Park, 704-712, Sector 30 A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai 400 705, India. ' Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, India

Abstract: This paper posits that innovation as a competence generic from individuals and the environment in which they are engaged. It focuses on individuals by proposing a method for measuring innovation as a competence. It is postulated here that innovation as a competence involves a set of competencies such as: visioning, ability to generate ideas, internal and external networking relationship, ownership to the organisation, stretch mindset, focus on tasks and decision making. However, these competencies are determined by gender, age, reading habits and educational background of individuals, etc. It is attempted here to construct an empirical model and analyse the impacts of the determining parameters on innovation as a competence. The empirical analysis suggests significant differentiating determinants. The study has been carried out in an Indian information technology company. The findings may facilitate human resource decision making relating to competency management.

Keywords: competence; ICT; information technology; communications technology; HRD; human resource development; empirical research; ordinal logistic regression; individuals; competencies; visioning; idea generation; external networking; internal networking; relationships; ownership; stretch mindsets; task focusing; decision making; gender; age; reading habits; educational backgrounds; parameters; differentiating determinants; India; competency management; business innovation; R&D; research and development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2011.038781

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2011 Vol.5 No.2, pp.192 - 211

Published online: 07 Mar 2015 *

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