Collaborative Innovation as an Occasion for User Reflection: The Meaning of Relational Tactics

Abstract

The literature on interorganizational innovation integrates various actors in a collaborative innovation effort to increase the capabilities relevant to the innovation. In terms of innovative organizations’ user involvement in the innovation process, the aim is mainly to learn about user’s needs, so the innovative solution can be tailored to meet these and thus have superior performance. The user innovation literature and the collaborative innovation literature in general are mostly focused on the motivation of the users to participate and on the performance of the innovation as such, which may also include the learning for the innovating organization. However, collaborative innovation processes are likely to have implications for other than the innovating organization and the performance output. Thus, in analyzing a collaborative innovation process between a digital solution provider and three hospital units, we find that clinical users’ participation results in their profound self-reflection. The paper identifies a set of relational learning tactic used by the digital solution provider, which are central to clinical users’ reflection on their own practice. Other than contributing to a better innovation output, these tactics foster professional users’ reflection over their own communication practices with patients.