Employee Empowerment and Motivation in Innovative Companies: A qualitative case study of practices driving successful innovation in three firms

Abstract

In today's global business environment, innovation is a keystone for organisational success. In this thesis, we have researched how organisational commitment practices empower employees for innovation. Our study draws on empowerment and motivation theories as our orienting frameworks, and explores organisational case studies of three different companies. The organisations have different innovation goals and methods that we illustrate as potential long-term commitment practices that empower employees for innovation. Our findings indicate three types of organisational commitment practices that empower employees for innovation in contrasting ways: (1) empowerment through employee training, (2) empowerment through commissioning employees’ agency and (3) empowerment through ways of communicating. These organisations practise long-term commitment that empowers employees for innovation through both direct and indirect investments, by providing training, freedom to play and giving space for individuality, and through both consistent and transparent communication. We have discovered that these long-term commitment practices empower employees to be self-driven for innovation, provided they are given the training, the resources and the support. These powerful commitment practices illustrate that employees are a vital resource, and by involving the ideas, energy, knowledge and creativity of all employees, organisations can establish a foundation for more innovation.