Role of team work during the entreprenural/innovative process

Citing from different authors, it is noted that innovative companies or organisations are very much focused on teamwork. Being innovative is everybody’s business and it is not only for the top and senior management (Ramsey, 2003). In order to create a situation where everybody is obliged to be innovative, it is required that a shared definition is being established. Developing a shared definition and clear expectation is the first step in creating a climate of originality and creativity (Ramsey 2003). In addition to this it is also necessary that leaders enable everybody to be active and give the employees the permission to be creative. Ramsey (2003) opines that it is important that everybody in the company is aware of the fact that nobody has a monopoly on imagination.

The employees should be able to make improvements, come up with ideas and pass them on to other employees (Hargadon and Sutton 2000). Through this atmosphere in the companies the employees are encouraged to contribute something during the innovations process. Rees (2007) suggests that for the team to work effectively, it is important to create a good organisational climate. To make innovation processes successful Rees is in favour of focus groups, which is tantamount to hiring selected individuals in order to get fresh input from them. Hiring “professionals” can be a successful way for the company. So they can benefit from the mentioned above selected individuals. In the short run this solution can be very successful because they may provide the companies with fresh ideas and so forth. However, in the long run this possibility can be dangerous because the companies do not involve their own employees.

In the article “Let go to grow – get people to collaborate” (Sanford 2006) it can be seen that teamwork is by far the most important issue. According to Sanford, it is very important to ex-change ideas, collaborate, as well as discuss the ideas. Only with these important “ingredients” for teamwork it is possible to overcome the barriers of creative thinking and this will lead companies more or less to innovations. Teamwork is very important within the innovation process and this necessary issue fosters innovations as well (Sanford 2006). Moreover the author discusses that it is not easy to find people to collaborate with and also that it is not easy to work within a team. However, most of the literature states that teamwork is one essential characteristic for organisations to be innovative, vital and also likely to overcome the organisational changes, which can occur during the innovation process.

After reading different views from the various authors, I strongly believe that teamwork is one of the most important ingredients for creating a favourable microclimate. Although some employees work independent, they will be still monitored by the top management without much pressure within the teams. The climate within the teams can be more vital and the process of generating ideas is therefore much easier. As mentioned before, everybody within the companies or the teams should be able to add something to the ideas or to improve them. Through the atmosphere within the teams, it is easier to pass on the ideas and to let them emerge, grow and develop. Hence the above clearly explains the importance of team work during the process of innovation. According to Amabile, Hadley and Kramer (2002), one disadvantage or a negative aspect regarding the teamwork could be that because the team members work very independent if they need to come up with ideas and in the long run with innovations, they may find themselves working around the clock, which means almost all day long. It is not all the time such a pressure, but for a better understanding and awareness of teamwork this aspect should be mentioned.

Birkinshaw, Crainer and Mol (2007) state that the employees should come first which means that management should focus more on the employees. If management does not follow this approach it could be according the case that all the innovative activities will fail. During the innovation process the companies are often too much focused on the products or the services, where they would like to come up with innovations. According to Birkinshaw, Crainer and Mol, the employees have to realize that the companies, where they are working are the best. If they show their commitment, they will come up with great ideas and the symbioses between the management level and the employees is valuable. The companies or organisations have to create a comfortable environment for the employees so that they may feel comfortable and willing to show their commitment.

Another perspective comes from Pearson’s (2002) “Tough-minded ways to get innovative” The author’s view provides some more information regarding the microclimate. If the companies require innovations, and they do, the CEO is supposed to spread the word, set up goals, measure the progress and so forth. According to Pearson, innovations need specific people for specific tasks where by every employee is important.

References

Amabile, Teresa M., Constance N. Hadley, and Steven J. Kramer. “Creativity under the gun.” Harvard Business Review 80 (2002): 52-61

Birkinshaw, J, Stuart Crainer, and Michael Mol. “Special report on management innovation.” Business Strategy Review 18 (Spring 2007): 62-87

Hargadon, Andrew, and Robert I. Sutton. “Building an innovation factory.” Harvard Business Re-view 78 (2000): 157-167

Ramsey, Robert D. “The supervision of innovation.” Supervision 67 (2006): 3-6

Rees, Richard T. “The role of HR in organisational development and innovation.” Employment Relations Today 33 (2007): 29-35

Pearson, Andrall E. “Tough-minded ways to get innovative.” Harvard Business Review 80 (2002): 117-126

Sanford, Linda. “Let go to grow – get people to collaborate.” Leadership Excellence 23 (2006): 17-17