Digital innovation is different from traditional innovation

Research on digital innovation argues that innovation in digital context is governed by organizing logic that is diferent from traditional innovation. Whereas established theories of innovation often draw on a metaphor of industrial production where products are stable, digital products evolve dynamically. Traditional products can be decomposed into parts whereas digital products are better understood as reusable patterns. Digital innovation is governed by distinct organizing logic which challenges both practice and the theories we use to make sense of how innovation unfolds.

Digital materiality makes digital innovation different

Digital artefacts are at the core of digital innovation and considering them is helpful in theory-building. Digital artefacts are objects like profiles on social networks, databases or software-based products. They represent an unusual type of materiality because they do not occupy space and can be distributed freely. Such properties give rise to novel organizational phenomena. Chief of all, they can be recombined to achieve seemingly endless potential of configurations. The process of recombining digital artefacts is digital innovation, which I research. 

Fully digital companies are the natural habitat of digital innovation

I study digital innovation in fully digital organizations, which are organizations built around digital artefacts. I accept the position that digital innovation is governed by its own logic, which should be on display it its pure form in fully digital firms. Managerial approaches for software development (e.g. agile development) are a way to manage development of digital innovation. This is how my software on research engineering (scrum) relates to the research on digital innovation. Software engineering provides clues for how to understand and manage digital innovation.

Theories of digital innovation can be developed by problematising existing theories

Despite the novelty of digital innovation, existing corpus of research on management of technology and innovation offers perspectives that provide suitable starting points. It is however necessary to update those theories by carefully scrutinising their assumptions. By doing so, we can show how digital materiality specifically upends older perspectives. In other words, we can reach understanding of digital innovation by problematisation of earlier insights. I think this is stronger than blank slate theorizing because it is cumulative and forces us to be explicit about what is new.

My dissertation explores the organizational and managerial challenges that arise from systematic involvement of digital technologies in innovation using case studies. It contributes to the literature on digital innovation, which identified systematic involvement of digital technologies as an occasion to revise or problematize existing theoretical perspectives on management of technology and innovation.

Innovation Drift

Hron, Michal, Nikolaus Obwegeser, and Sune Dueholm Müller. “Innovation drift: the influence of digital artefacts on organising for innovation.” Innovation (2021): 1-33

Scrum adaptations

Hron, Michal, and Nikolaus Obwegeser. “Why and how is Scrum being adapted in practice: A systematic review.” Journal of Systems and Software (2021): 111110.

Being and becoming yourself

Learning happens throughout life as a space for reflection and self-formation. Where we come from and where we want to go is unique. I start from the premise that during learning we bring our own perspective, history, and ambitions. I try to provide learning opportunities with sufficient space for relating the learning experience to shaping of individual identity.

Good citizenship

Classrooms as communities of inquiry are co-created by all participants. By basing learning on group work, discussion or peer-to-peer activities, each class can be unique. The quality of the experience however also derives from what each participant brings as insight, preparation and collegial behaviour. I hope for participation that makes the experience both pleasant and meaningful.

Research as tool for thinking

Being able to drive a structured analysis and form well-grounded arguments is a key skill for life. To structure an insightful analysis, leaning on developed theories is helpful as they can become tools that allow to go beyond our intuition. To be robust, an analysis or an argument is strengthened by research methods. In teaching, I draw on academic skills of theory and methods because they strengthen the key skills of analysis and argumentation.

Making your own connections

In business and social sciences, many angles for approach a situation are available. While working with arguments grounded in data is a key skill, forming creative insights on top of the data is sometimes even more valued. Any original insight comes from making connections between different data points and abstract concepts. I aim for each of us to leave the learning experience with a shared core of understanding but a slightly different network of concepts. That way, we can discuss a shared topic but contribute with a unique angle.

•   Introduction to planning, presentation techniques and teaching, Mandatory teaching course for PhD students, 2019
•   Teaching with simulations seminar with Rob Austin from Ivey business school , 2019
• Case method in teaching seminar with Rob Austin from Harvard Business School, 2020