Unveiling the role of risk‐taking in innovation: antecedents and effects

Abstract

This study addresses innovation development with a focus on risk‐taking, widely considered a relevant driver for the exploration and exploitation of new ideas. The study empirically examines the effects of risk‐taking propensity on innovation performance and its antecedents. We consider the role of several key antecedents related to the organizational structure and the activities of firms aimed at encouraging employees to take risks in innovation. We performed an empirical survey within a global and innovation‐oriented Swedish company to test our hypotheses. Correlation and linear regression analyses were used to analyze the collected data. The results highlight the significant effect of risk‐taking on innovation performance and show that the availability of organizational resources, innovation support activities, clear innovation goals, and collaboration have a significant positive effect on risk‐taking. However, contrary to the hypothesis, well‐established innovation processes have a significant but negative effect on risk‐taking and innovation performance. This study contributes to existing knowledge on the role of risk‐taking for innovation, providing insights into designing organizational contexts that encourage an appropriate risk appetite in employees.