Session 1: Group 5

The discussion began with the problem of emergence and, relatedly, the issue of innovation versus non-innovation. More specifically, counterfactual thinking of failure or absence of innovation, or why and how we failure to recognize innovation, and the imbalance of paying extensive attention to successful innovation but little to unsuccessful ones were discussed. The group then moved on to discussion of risks involved in the innovation process. For instance, the contrast of aspiration and survival point, and their relation to risk-approach or risk-avoidance behavior were discussed.

Also, the group took a critical stance by considering the question of “do we really need innovation”, and “is innovation all about material updating”, instead of accepting innovation is always good. The complexity of innovation was also a resonating topic, as well as the related issue of organizational design, the various existing organization forms, and the codifiability and measurability issues of the innovation process. A few more practical questions were also raised, such as how we may access organizations to really understand their inner working, and how we may teach (if at all possible) or study innovation and emergence.

Lastly, the group also discussed tools and methods we may use to study innovation. Is it always good to use the most up-to-date new methods? What is the value of the more traditional approaches, such as ethnography, for us to tacitly understand firms? Also, how can other types of organizations, even negative ones such as terrorists groups, tell us things about firms and innovations?