Abstract:

This article explores how established firms can overcome internal barriers to innovation by engaging employees across organizational units, thereby collectively contributing to innovation outcomes. Research indicates that these firms often struggle to convert creativity into tangible results. A popular strategy involves separating radical innovation from core business through structural ambidexterity. However, this approach presents managerial challenges and may overlook the potential of broadly engaging employees within large firms. Therefore, this study focuses on an alternative: collective engagement. Scholars suggest that firms can cultivate this engagement, and Barrick et al. (2015) provide initial theorizing on how this could be achieved. While few studies have explored how this engagement is fostered in practice, we build on Barrick’s model and specifically target engagement for innovation. Our primary data source was 60 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which revealed key levers that management can strategically orchestrate to build collective engagement. The findings and theorization suggest that, while it is a viable alternative, managers need to make substantial investments in developing it. This study has implications for research on engagement, innovation, and ambidexterity, highlighting the potential for future research at these intersections.

Keywords: collective engagement, innovation management, ambidexterity, organizational adaptability, qualitative research