Innovating as chains of interrelated situations

Abstract

Even though the practice perspective on innovation acknowledges that ambiguity is a key defining characteristic of innovating, it has rarely been considered conceptually. This paper argues that to fully consider ambiguity, it is necessary to focus on the situations in which those practices are enacted. Building on the work of Lucy Suchman, thus, this paper conceptualizes the innovation process as a chain of interrelated situations. Each situation is (partially) ambiguous at first and requires actors to define it. The paper elaborates on two mechanisms—focusing on matters of concern and drawing on formal procedures—that may be utilized to achieve this. The paper contributes to prior research by (a) shedding new light on the barriers to innovation, (b) reframing the meaning of ‘context’ in innovation research, and (c) emphasizing the role of ‘the mundane’ in innovating.