Improving innovation culture by demonstrator design

In this paper, we present a case study from a high-tech manufacturing company in Norway. The project was a close collaboration between managers and engineers from the R&D department in an industrial tool manufacturer and a cross disciplinary team of researchers from an independent research institute and a university. The overall aim of the project was to revitalize and improve the manufacturer's innovation culture by focusing on real design challenges the R&D department had to solve. Throughout an action research project, new innovation approaches and tools for collaboration and knowledge sharing were introduced to the company. The participants' reflections on their own individual and collective praxis were point of departure for a digital demonstrator of innovation culture. The overall aim of the research project was to a) investigate critical elements of what constitutes innovation culture in a Norwegian manufacturing company and b) to develop and distribute these elements as ICT-based learning histories in a web-based demonstrator. The evaluation of the research project concludes that innovation tools and approaches implemented in the company through the action research project increased the momentum in the development work. Still, disruptive innovation can easily be slowed down by practical challenges and changes in priorities. In addition, developing a digital demonstrator was a resource demanding process. It was evaluated by the company, but could not be implemented. Nevertheless, by developing the demonstrator the researchers analyzed the company's innovation culture from diverse perspectives and discussed a broad range of topics with company representatives.