Innovation cultural models: review & next steps proposal

Abstract

An abundant literature suggest the strong link between organization, culture, and innovation. These three concepts cannot be understood separately. Since eighties, when culture began to be valued as a crucial factor by managers and scholars, several Innovation Cultural Models have been developed to apprehend this link. The aim of this paper is to review the most commonly used and applied theoretical models, analyze them, and propose several new elements that must be integrated in future models. Through an intensive literature review from 1970 to 2016 we find the seven main models which we examine to know their internal mechanism. Then we analyze them together to find some gaps that must be filled. As a result, our Next Steps Proposals propound to integrate concepts such as plurality, dynamism, and complexity in order to broaden the definition of organization, culture and innovation. New and far-better Innovation Cultural Models are still to come.