behavioral innovation
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Researching how to boost innovation - via human behavior

Having come back from practice to research in 2014, I strive to develop rigorously tested, relevant management insights from a behavioral perspective for successfully driving innovations - from the igniting idea via successful launch to scaling.

Ignition research
Acceleration research
Launch & Scaling research
How to...
...enhance creativity

...re-think business models
...become 'open' for innovation

How to...
...profit from using design practices
...master the identity - innovation paradox

...drive innovations across 'thought worlds'
How to...
...sell innovations (also internally)
...successfully scale the business
...e
scape the traps of innovation success


Program on Innovation, Identity & Categorization

Much of my current research focuses on the intersection of identity and innovation as well as categorization and self-categorization research.

Starting with my doctoral work, I discovered how important it is to consciously manage identity-related cognition, affect and behavior for innovation success. The analyses showed that within the same organizational context, members perceived product innovations in very different ways and how this had a crucial impact on the innovation's market performance. I found that identity-related factors could explain to a large extent how a member would make sense of the innovation - and thus, how executives could manage those identity-related factors in order to lead their employee's thinking and acting in a successful or unsuccessful way.

Since discovering the critical importance of identity for the success of product innovations, I have jointly with colleagues broadened its application to other non-social targets such as entrepreneurial or innovative ideas and opportunities. Through my work I developed the concept of identification with innovations (including ideas and opportunities) and have grounded it in the categorization literature in my dissertation, further working papers (below).

The relevance of moving identity and identification research forward in that direction is laid out with Blake and Jordana in the forthcoming chapter of the Oxford Handbook of Identities in Organizations:

Ashforth, B, Moser, J., Bubenzer, P., forthcoming. Identities and Identification: Beyond our Fixation on the Organization. Oxford Handbook of Identities in Organizations.

In this research program, the 'hottest' paper in-the-making is currently:

Bubenzer, P, Foreman, P. , Ashforth, B. Who are we becoming: Innovations, future identities and member identification. (working title). Stage: Data analysis completed.

(Find more related papers below)

Do you experience an interesting phenomenon in your organization or have a research interest related to the identity of firms, products or people - and innovations? I'd be glad to hear more!
Send a Message

Program on a Dynamic States Model of the Firm

Working with the European Commission, the aim of this program is to explore the viability for a model of dynamic states of the firm. Prior research on company 'lifecycles' has proven inconclusive by assuming a fixed sequence of predictable and progressive stages (Levie & Lichtenstein 2010 / Phelps, Adams, & Bessant 2007). The objective of this program is to explore whether configurations of internal and external conditions can be found which enable an understanding of 'dynamic states' which companies can be in - and how to best coach them to overcome the associated innovation challenges.

Do you experience an interesting growth-related phenomenon in a firm or have a research interest related to the growth or dynamic states models of firms ? I'd be glad to hear more!
Send a Message

Papers at peer-reviewed conferences (2014-19)

Foerster, S., Bubenzer, P., Brusoni, S. 2019. Chasing a moving target: Using design thinking to blend the rational and foolish aspects of problem-solving.
                                                        accepted at the AoM 2019, Academy of Management Conference, Boston.
Bubenzer, P., Stephan, A. 2019*. Ex tenebris: Challenges and strategies for surfacing and reintegrating secret innovation projects.
                                                        accepted at the AoM 2019, Academy of Management Conference, Boston.
                                                        (*authors contributed equally)
Bubenzer, P., 2019. Scaling Start-ups: Evidence-based Concept and Challenges
                                                        accepted at the BCERC 2019, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, Wellesley.
Stephan, A., Bubenzer, P. 2018*. Mastering transfer - Strategies of corporate entrepreneurs to surface and implement their secret radical innovation projects
                                                        presented at G-Forum18, Stuttgart. (*authors contributed equally)
Bubenzer, P. 2018. Outside the box - Exploring outsiders' organizational identification and idea generation in open innovation
                                                        presented at the AoM 2018, Academy of Management Conference, Chicago.
 Stephan, A., Bubenzer, P. 2018*. Bootlegging projects in a technology-driven organization - Overcoming internal challenges until surfacing and internal transfer.
                                                        presented at 34th EGOS Colloquium, Copenhagen. (*authors contributed equally)
 Stephan, A., Bubenzer, P. 2017*. Going rogue for the love of the firm - The paradox of organizational identification in hidden innovation projects.
                                                        presented at 33rd EGOS Colloquium, Copenhagen. (*authors contributed equally)
Stephan, A., Bubenzer, P. 2017*. Hidden innovation projects - When is the right time to surface?
                                                        presented at DRUID17, New York. (*authors contributed equally)
Bubenzer, P., Foreman, P. 2017. Revisiting the Identity Gap The effects of new product and organizational identities on organizational identification.
                                                        presented at MOC-TIM Conference, Academy of Management, Zurich.
Bubenzer, P. 2017. Rethinking open innovation: Outsiders’ organizational identification and creative outcomes.
                                                        presented at ETH Zurich, D-MTEC Seminar, Zurich.
Bubenzer, P. 2017. Your Idea Is Also Mine (Now)! Psychological Ownership and Identification with Ideas in Organizations.
                                                        presented at Micro meets Macro Conference, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
Bubenzer, P., Schueffel, P. 2017. The Stages Theory Is Dead, Long Live The Stages Theory! Reviewing the state of the art in organizational lifecycle research.
                                                        presented at
ISPIM Innovation Conference, Vienna.

Bubenzer, P. 2016. Identifying with the firm: Effects on creative outcomes in open innovation.
                                                        presented at
ISPIM Innovation Forum, Boston.

Bubenzer, P.& Sluss, D. 2016. Shared leadership in teams: Exploring the effect of relational identification on in-role performance.
                                                        presented at
AoM 2016, Academy of Management Conference, Anaheim.
Stephan, A., Bubenzer, P., Fauchart, E. 2016. Bootlegging in a technology driven organization – Overcoming internal challenges.
                                                       presented at EGOS 2016, Naples

                                                       presented at AIMS 2015, University Paris-Dauphine, Paris

Bubenzer, P., Wales, W.J., & Baldegger, R. 2016. Reconsidering the performance effects of employee autonomy in the pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities.
                                                        presented at
BCERC 2016, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference,
BODØ.
Gregoire, D., Bergmann, H., Bubenzer, P., 2015. A better measure of early-stage opportunity beliefs?
                                                        presented at BCERC 2016, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, BODØ.
Ji Fiona, Bubenzer P., Wales, W.J., & Baldegger, R. 2016. Exploring International Growth of Swiss SMEs: The Role of Product Knowledge and Network.
                                                       presented at AIB 2016, Academy of International Business, New Orleans.
Bubenzer, P. 2016. Identifying with the firm: Effects on creativity in open innovation.
                                                        presented at ISPIM Innovation Forum
,
March 2016, Boston.
Bubenzer, P. 2016. Managing creativity for strategic renewal: The path to the best idea!
                                                        presented at EHL 2016, Strategic Renewal Workshop, March 2016, Lausanne.
Bubenzer, P., Rouse, B., & Gregoire, D. 2015. Your Idea Is Also Mine (Now)! Psychological Ownership and Identification with Ideas in Organizations,
                                                        presented at Llorg seminar, HEC, Université de Lausanne, February 2015
                                                        presented at
AoM 2015, Academy of Management Conference, Vancouver.
                                                        presented at D-MTEC TIM Seminar, ETH, Zurich, October 2015

Bubenzer, P., Gregoire, D. & Nyffeler, N. 2015. Opportunity identification and identification with opportunities: Expanding the motivational dynamics of entrepreneurial action.
                                                        presented at BCERC 2015, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference
, Boston.

Bubenzer, P. and Foreman, P. 2014. Exploring the Effects of Hybrid Product and Organizational Identities on Organizational Identification. 
                                                       presented at Academy of Management Conference 2014, Philadelphia.


Paper pipeline - Coming soon...

Bubenzer, P, Foreman, P. , Ashforth, B. Who are we becoming: Innovations, future identities and member identification. Stage: Data analysis completed.
Bubenzer, P. Identifying with innovations: Antecedents, mechanisms, outcomes. Stage: Working paper.
Bubenzer P. Organizations as Cognitive Categories. Towards an Organizational Categorization Theory with Implications for Identity, Strategy and Innovation. Stage: Working paper.
Bubenzer, P. Innovation and Identity: Micro-foundations of an identity-based categorization of innovations. Stage: Working paper.
Ji Fiona, Bubenzer P., Wales, W.J., & Baldegger, R. 2016. Pushing the Limits of International Scope Expansion within SMEs: Ambidexterity and Exploitation Considerations. Stage: Working paper.

Other publications

Bubenzer, P. 2009. Innovation, Identity and Identification, WHU, Vallendar, Dissertation
Sytch, M. & Bubenzer, P. 2008. Research on Strategic Alliances in Biotechnology: An Assessment and Review. Handbook of Bioentrepreneurship, H. Patzelt and T. Brenner, eds., pp. 105-131, Springer, New York, 2008. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1370757

Service, reviewing & memberships

Ad-hoc reviewing for the Academy of Management Review
Reviewing for and chairing sessions at the Academy of Management
Organized the 2017 MOC-TIM conference for the Academy of Management

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