Innovation is defined as the “act of introducing something new” (American dictionary), but economic and organizational literature underline different aspects of this complex process. OECD and the yearly survey of European Union on innovation are also based on definition by experts. This study investigates if beliefs and representations of lay people about innovation is similar to experts’ definition; it also tests differences in beliefs of people of different gender, education and nationality. A survey was conducted on 237 university students (79 French, 80 Italian, 79 Spanish), enrolled in Science and in Liberal Arts faculties; 125 employees were also examined in France and Italy. The questionnaire included: a) open questions to define innovation, b) attitude to and c) beliefs about factors that promote or hinder innovation. Social representation of innovation in France, Italy and Spain is mainly related to the idea of Something New, Creative and Technology Related, which brings Good Results for the organization adopting it. This representation is accompanied by two emotional components: a positive, useful related, one, and worry for the perception of difficulties related to complexity and slowness. Innovating is facilitated by time and resources, investment in R&D activities and motivation, while it is believed to be hindered by difficulties in financing and in reorganizing productive processes. This representation is basically shared among students of the examined Countries, with limited effects of the type of faculty. Main limitations concerns the fact that Spain and Italy are countries with same level of innovativeness; it is an exploratory and descriptive study.
Beliefs and Social representations of Innovation: An empirical study with students and employees in three European countries.
ZAPPALA', SALVATORE
2013
Abstract
Innovation is defined as the “act of introducing something new” (American dictionary), but economic and organizational literature underline different aspects of this complex process. OECD and the yearly survey of European Union on innovation are also based on definition by experts. This study investigates if beliefs and representations of lay people about innovation is similar to experts’ definition; it also tests differences in beliefs of people of different gender, education and nationality. A survey was conducted on 237 university students (79 French, 80 Italian, 79 Spanish), enrolled in Science and in Liberal Arts faculties; 125 employees were also examined in France and Italy. The questionnaire included: a) open questions to define innovation, b) attitude to and c) beliefs about factors that promote or hinder innovation. Social representation of innovation in France, Italy and Spain is mainly related to the idea of Something New, Creative and Technology Related, which brings Good Results for the organization adopting it. This representation is accompanied by two emotional components: a positive, useful related, one, and worry for the perception of difficulties related to complexity and slowness. Innovating is facilitated by time and resources, investment in R&D activities and motivation, while it is believed to be hindered by difficulties in financing and in reorganizing productive processes. This representation is basically shared among students of the examined Countries, with limited effects of the type of faculty. Main limitations concerns the fact that Spain and Italy are countries with same level of innovativeness; it is an exploratory and descriptive study.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
