Free Access
| Issue |
E.J.E.S.S.
Volume 13, Number 1, 1999
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 41 - 58 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/ejess:1999102 | |
DOI: 10.1051/ejess:1999102
Copyright EDP Sciences
European Journal of Economic and Social Systems 13 N
1 (1999) pp. 41-58
Methods for studying innovation processes: Towards a complementarity between organizational and cognitive perspectives
Valérie Chanal
Université de Savoie, BP 1104, 73011 Chambéry Cedex, France;
E-mail: Valerie.Chanal@univ-savoie.fr
Abstract:
This paper describes two methods designed to study and
diagnose innovation processes. The first one adopts a systems perspective and
focuses on information flows and decision-making during a project, whereas the
second one privileges a cognitive approach and is aimed at highlighting actors'
representations of innovation processes and new products. A comparison of the
research results obtained in different industrial firms using these two methods
introduces a discussion of the complementarity of both perspectives. These obser-vations
lead to an assessment of the collective learning mechanisms initiated
during the field studies.
Keywords: Innovation management, methodology, system theory, cognitive representations, organizational learning.
Copyright EDP Sciences