Chapter 4: Conceptualizing Developmental Space for Innovating Groups

According to several authors, organizations need to change and innovate rapidly (Drucker, 2001; Harrison & Kessels, 2004; Kessels, 2004; Senge et al., 1999; Wierdsma, 2007). Kessels (2004) and Gratton (2007) state that innovation requires new knowledge and new combinations of experience and knowledge. Most authors also focus on the process needed for innovation— cooperation among individuals in a group (see Gratton, 2007; Vroemen, 2009). Innovation requires new knowledge, or new combinations of knowledge, and a work environment in which individuals are able to collaborate.

This chapter focuses on the work environment of groups that is needed for innovation. We assume that a working environment should be stimulating and challenging in order to facilitate innovation. This premise is based on three insights. First, the idea of Coenders (2008) and Wenger (1998) that learning cannot be designed—it is not possible to force people to learn. It is possible, however, to design a stimulating environment that challenges and entices people to learn. Second, our idea is further endorsed by research showing that workers learn mainly in an informal way (Borghans, Golsteyn, & de Grip, 2007; Cross, 2007; Hager & Halliday, 2009; Ruijters, 2007). These authors claim that informal learning itself cannot be designed, but a stimulating and challenging environment to support informal learning can be. Last but not least, according to Arets and Heijnen (2008), in most cases, environmental factors, not a lack of competencies, cause performance problems.