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Corporate ethnographpy [i.e. ethnography]: an analysis of organizational and technological innovation

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dc.contributor.authorRoe, Amanda Annen
dc.contributor.committeechairAsche, F. Marionen
dc.contributor.committeechairSanders, Mark E.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBuffer, James J. Jr.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBurton, John K.en
dc.contributor.committeememberDickey, John W.en
dc.contributor.departmentVocational and Technical Educationen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:09:13Zen
dc.date.adate2004-02-03en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:09:13Zen
dc.date.issued1993en
dc.date.rdate2004-02-03en
dc.date.sdate2004-02-03en
dc.description.abstractOrganizations are seeking ways to become more innovative to renew their business and ward off foreign competition. The perceived weakening of this process in U.S. firms is viewed as a contributing factor in the steady decline of productivity growth vital to our nation's stability. The specific purpose of this study was to analyze the organizational and technological innovation process used by a specific organization to foster corporate renewal. Data were gathered to answer related research questions by conducting an ethnographic study (the disciplined study of the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and generate behavior) of the innovation process developed and implemented by an international Fortune 100 chemical manufacturer. A structured method of analytical induction was used to analyze the textual content of the data. Findings indicated that the corporation believed that innovation was a matter of corporate survival. To change the direction the corporation was taking, a systematic process to create future business value and new businesses was designed and implemented. A conceptual "innovation" model was developed to identify and to serve as a vision for the corporation and guide the process. A management plan was created to administer the process. Most development activity was conducted by means of a "stage-gate" process. The advantages and disadvantages of innovation were intertwined and overlapped. The greatest advantages to innovation were identified as follows: 1) the Office of Innovation, 2) innovation training programs, 3) management and the formal process, and 4) the environment/culture. The greatest disadvantages cited were: 1) management, 2) environment/culture 3) conflicting missions between core business and the strategic business development division, and 4) the formal process. Recommendations were given for making the environment/climate more innovative, expanding the innovation training, improving core business and the strategic business development division's relationship, and improving the innovation process.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.format.extentx, 204 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-02032004-161708en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02032004-161708/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/37301en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartRoe,A.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 29968641en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectethnographyen
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V856 1993.R63en
dc.subject.lcshBusiness anthropologyen
dc.subject.lcshChemical industry -- Technological innovations -- United Statesen
dc.subject.lcshCreative ability in businessen
dc.subject.lcshOrganizational effectivenessen
dc.subject.lcshTechnological innovations -- Managementen
dc.titleCorporate ethnographpy [i.e. ethnography]: an analysis of organizational and technological innovationen
dc.typeDissertationen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineVocational and Technical Educationen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

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