Overcoming Organizational Fixation: Creating and Sustaining an Innovation Culture

Fixation on established paradigms and practices can severely limit the capability of organizations to change, thereby jeopardizing the ability of organizations to keep up with changes in their environment and new technological developments. Overcoming organizational fixation is therefore a requirement for any organization that strives to achieve sustained success. Based on a discussion of individual, social and organizational causes of organizational fixation, a framework for overcoming organizational fixation and establishing an innovation culture is presented. Elaborating on the important role of leaders in creating an innovation culture, competencies and behaviors of innovation leaders are discussed, and a comprehensive leadership development strategy is outlined.