Title: How can HR practices support front-end innovation and increase the innovativeness of companies?

Authors: Annabeth Aagaard; Torben Andersen

Addresses: Department of Leadership and Corporate Strategy, University of Southern Denmark, Søndre Stationsvej 28, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark ' Department of Leadership and Corporate Strategy, University of Southern Denmark, Søndre Stationsvej 28, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark

Abstract: This theoretical review is investigating how selected HR practices can help overcome the challenges companies face in establishing a basis for continuous innovation and thereby economic performance. In particular, the front end of innovation is being emphasised as a key element in companies' innovativeness. If HR is to support these activities, focus should be on broader issues such as team-based organising, founded on a questioning attitude and a management style with a high level of empowerment. In addition, traditional HR themes such as recruitment, training and development have to be reinterpreted in a context of heterogeneity and polyvalence. Finally performance management and talent management should play a greater role in emphasising exclusive values and rational goal-oriented behaviour among employees, compared to the more inclusive mainstream values that characterise much HRM literature. A number of propositions for further research are presented.

Keywords: HR practices; front-end innovation; innovativeness; human resource management; HRM; human capital; human resources; economic performance; employee empowerment; performance management; talent management.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2014.064601

European Journal of International Management, 2014 Vol.8 No.5, pp.488 - 505

Published online: 21 Oct 2014 *

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