Organizational climate and capabilities for innovation: a study of nine forest-based Nordic manufacturing firms
Journal article, 2011

Forest-based manufacturing firms are currently under pressure to achieve higher margins and increased profits. Many firms have tried to maintain profits by cutting costs, however, the effects of this, in markets suffering from overcapacity and declining demand, are temporary. Instead, innovation is seen as being the key to firm growth and sustained profit. This article presents a study of nine large Nordic (Swedish and Norwegian) forest-based manufacturing firms, with operations ranging from pulp and paper chemicals, pulp production, packaging boards, packaging paper, and specialty paper to food processing and packaging solutions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prerequisites for innovation at firm level in terms of firms' organizational climate and capabilities for innovation, and how these firms could improve their innovation processes. The paper draws on data from a collaborative research project that includes these nine firms, derived from interviews and questionnaires. The results show that forest-based firms are creative and have the potential to be innovative. However, the capabilities for innovation, that is the capabilities to do things differently and to exploit ideas, differ among firms. The study highlights two capabilities that may be obvious but are critical for innovation - management willingness and awareness, and the implementation of a strategy for innovation - and that the potential exists for increased output through appropriate managerial action. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

innovation capabilities

innovation

Creative climate

forest-based manufacturing

Author

Joakim Björkdahl

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Innovation and R&D Management

Sofia Börjesson

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Innovation and R&D Management

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

0282-7581 (ISSN)

Vol. 26 5 488-500

Subject Categories

Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

DOI

10.1080/02827581.2011.585997

More information

Created

10/6/2017