Factors affecting indivual innovation: An examination within a Japanese subsidiary in Singapore

Abstract

This exploratory study aims to identify those internal and external organizational characteristics that significantly affect individual innovation in an organization. The sample was drawn from a subsidiary of a Japanese company manufacturing consumer electronics products in Singapore. A total sample of 190 was obtained, which is made up of 34 top-level employees, 54 middle level employees and 102 operational level employees. Results from the study showed that individual innovation does not significantly differ across the three levels of employees. Nine internal characteristics were hypothesized to affect the innovation propensity of individuals: (1) communication structure, (2) knowledge structure, (3) individual interaction, (4) integration, (5) project identification, (6) project facilitation, (7) leadership, (8) organizational support and (9) task. Only knowledge structure was found to be significantly related to individual innovation. The external organizational characteristic, which is represented by environmental dynamism in this study, is also found not to have any significant relationship with individual innovation. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.