An Interdisciplinary Journal on Humans in ICT Environments
www.humantechnology.jyu.fi
ISSN: 1795-6889
Volume 8 (1), May 2012, 7-23

Added Value of Intangibles for Organizational Innovation

Vilma Luoma-aho
Department of Communication
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
Marita Vos
Department of Communication
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
Raimo Lappalainen
Department of Psychology
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
Anna-Maija Lämsä
School of Business and Economics
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
Outi Uusitalo
School of Business and Economics
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
Petri Maaranen
Department of Computer Science and Information Systems
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
Aleksi Koski
Department of Communication
University of Jyväskylä
Finland

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present the theoretical basis for a measurement and improvement system that will help organizations create a more innovative climate. The role of intangible assets in contributing to organizational innovativeness is clarified within six hypotheses on the basis of a cross-disciplinary literature review combining studies from psychology, human resources management, communication, information technology, and marketing. These factors range from the individual level to interaction with the environment surrounding the organization, and involve (a) individual psychological flexibility, (b) institutional and interpersonal trust, (c) diverse human resources, (d) strategic transformational leadership, (e) agile information and communication technology systems, and (f) coproduction of the brand with customers. The critical factors point out areas for organizational innovation, and we advocate a cross-disciplinary approach to ensure that diverse aspects of organizational life are considered. These hypotheses require testing in order to assist organizations in improving their innovativeness.
Keywords: innovation, intangibles, flexibility, organizational trust, transformational leadership.