From Planning to Emergence: Innovations in Product Innovation Models

Abstract

This article argues that the conceptual development of product innovation models is accompanying the more general field of organization science. Remarkable similarities on the change of organizational paradigms and product innovation models can be noticed. To illustrate these changes, the sequential, compression, flexible and improvisational models of product innovation are presented. The evolution of product innovation management shows a move from planned and production-oriented, to emergent and knowledge-based models. Such a reorientation poses many theoretical and practical problems and challenges to product innovation scholars and practitioners. The article discusses them.