Styrning för innovation : En flerfallstudie på nätverkande i innovativa företag

Sammanfattning: Background: Historically, innovation has been an important factor in sustaining competitive in a constantly changing and dynamic market. Innovation comes about in different ways each time, but commonly so, innovation springs from different kinds of network. Control towards the promotion of networking should possibly be an approach where network and cooperations, indirectly, could foster innovation. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to new knowledge on how management control in innovative businesses can promote networking, within and outside of an organization and how networking can foster innovation. Method: The study is a multiple case study, based mainly on semi-structured interviews conducted with three different innovative companies. The study analyses how management control can promote networking from four Objects of Control’s point of view and how networking can contribute to innovation. Conclusion: This study concludes that management control that allows for some freedom of actions within certain boundaries, in combination with ambitious goals, in an open and transparent culture, could contribute to networking and collaborations within and outside of an organization. The control system should be built to make it possible for leaders to initiate projects in order to create room for different entities to meet and communicate. Employees should further on be involved in decision making processes to gain commitment in wanting to reach set goals and to initiate a networking culture, where solutions can arise and be communicated.