University of Twente Student Theses
The effects of lean management on organizational structure and the type of innovations influenced by this structure
Siemerink, M.G.J. (2014) The effects of lean management on organizational structure and the type of innovations influenced by this structure.
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| Abstract: | Through the fast changing pace of today’s environment, organizations are challenged to innovate more than ever, to adequately respond and adapt to these changing conditions. It has become increasingly important for firms to be able to balance exploitation with exploration, to achieve sustained organizational performance. So, how do organizations organize their innovations? Earlier research has mainly focus on larger firms and how these firms organize innovations, through their structure. However, still little is known on how SME structure the organization of innovation. Above all, this research did not focus on randomly selected SMEs but on SMEs engaged in lean management. This, because it is suggested that SMEs engaged in lean management will focus on increasing efficiency within the organization by pursuing exploitative innovations. The aim of this research was therefore to investigate and explore the organization of innovation in SMEs, after implementing lean. So, how is lean management influencing the organizational structure and if this organizational structure has an impact on the balance between exploitation an exploration. The findings of this research suggest that current literature is incomplete in its assumptions about positive and negative relations between different organizational variables and the types of innovation. In addition, this research shows that there is not only a one-to-one relationship between organizational structure and innovation, but also a reversed causality between the two, indicating that current literature might not be completely right about generalizing innovation as being dependent on organizational structure. Furthermore, this research indicates that there is an insignificant influence of organizational structure in SMEs, which are engaged in lean management, on the organization of innovation. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | International Business Administration BSc (50952) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/65325 |
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