Management of innovation in large established companies

Some of the factors which contribute to the effectiveness of innovation management in large (>1000 employees) established companies, i.e. those which have been in business at least ten years, have been investigated. Ten recipients of The Canada Awards for Business Excellence Program for invention and innovation in the past six years were compared to similar groups of companies. The investigation focused on the differences in managerial strategy, organizational structure, and organizational climate. The results showed that the innovative companies use, or have significantly more of the following than the less innovative ones: calculated risk taking, proactive approach, commitment to entrepareneurial activities, innovation, integration and intermingling of talent teams and task forces, group and collective orientation, and a reward system that reinforces entrepreneurial behavior