Exploring Differences between Inventors, Champions, Implementers and Innovators in Creating and Developing New Products in Large, Mature Firms

Abstract

This exploratory research investigates nine individuals participating as specialists in different phases of the invention and new product development (NPD) process in one organization. In‐depth interviews were conducted with these individuals, as well as with 17 of their managers and co‐workers, adding an external perspective about them. These nine individuals participated in four different divisions of labour in the innovation process: inventors who focus on scientific and technical invention prior to concept development, champions who are most adept at selling acceptance of projects into the organization, implementers who focus on facilitating the project through the firm's formal development process, and innovators who operate across all three phases of invention, acceptance and implementation. The research finds differences in personality, perspective, knowledge base, motivation, and attitude toward politics that seem to be associated with these different specialist types. These differences lead to implications for the types of projects for which they might best be suited, as well as for how they might best be managed.