The Propensity to Innovate in a Company: From Theoretical Models to Case Studies to Simulation

The purpose of the paper is to describe a set of variables able to show the level of propensity to innovate. In order to evaluate innovation, the authors built a model with different variables that can help management to measure the level of innovation in their company. The model is based both on theories about innovation and on the authorspsila expertise. A questionnaire was prepared with the aim of validating the model that measures the level of innovation. The questionnaire was sent to 100 companies belonging to different Piedmont industries. Because of the lack of further data and more detailed analysis, future studies will be carried on, in which data will be examined with the support of a simulation through which it will be possible to compare different companies and compare the values of each company with those of the ldquoaverage companyrdquo and evaluate the existent gap.