The Scent of Innovation: Towards an Integrated Management Framework for Innovation Communication

Abstract

Innovation is a broad range of new digital technologies, necessity for almost every organization involved in global business. In the age of information and digital technologies, the way of innovating, however, has changed and attaining a better understanding of communicating and informing for innovation is exceedingly decisive to strategic success. This chapter answers the question: How can companies re-think and re-design corporate communication to manage several new and traditional communication tools to successfully inform and communicate for innovation in the digital information age? After presenting a theoretical approach of innovation communication integrated into existing management concepts and frameworks, this book chapter introduces a new capability-based management framework of innovation communication. This framework is composed of three main phases: Phase 1. Re-/Design: Linking innovation communication management to a firm’s business model, organizational design & IT systems; Phase 2. Implementation: Implementing innovation communication planning, innovation communication tools, standards, and guidelines; and Phase 3. Controlling: Measuring & reporting innovation communication. In addition, the frame of this chapter Visual and Scent Communication will be described as a state-of-the-art communication tool to address stakeholder’s needs and desires for successful innovation in the information age.