Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The “Edisons” behind radical innovations

Beckeman, Märit LU (2008) In International Journal of Management Practice 3(2). p.164-178
Abstract
This paper focuses on the special individuals, called “Edisons”, who contributed to the development and acceptance of two major radical innovations, frozen food and self-service, in Sweden after 1945. The “Edisons” were passionate enthusiasts, making extraordinary efforts and doing more than their jobs, and they could also be contributing from outside the innovative organisations. At times people within organisations appear similar to champions, entrepreneurs etc, as described in innovation literature, but “Edisons” from outside have not been previously described. As few radical or really new food innovations are being successfully launched today, one lesson from the past could be to find ways to involve and motivate a wider circle of... (More)
This paper focuses on the special individuals, called “Edisons”, who contributed to the development and acceptance of two major radical innovations, frozen food and self-service, in Sweden after 1945. The “Edisons” were passionate enthusiasts, making extraordinary efforts and doing more than their jobs, and they could also be contributing from outside the innovative organisations. At times people within organisations appear similar to champions, entrepreneurs etc, as described in innovation literature, but “Edisons” from outside have not been previously described. As few radical or really new food innovations are being successfully launched today, one lesson from the past could be to find ways to involve and motivate a wider circle of interested people early. This would help to “humanize” technology and to develop consumer-focused “information/marketing”, which should be done at the very inception of new technology or products, if they can offer and publicize real benefits to the consumers. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
self-service, cluster, frozen food, food, outside contribution, radical/incremental innovations, network, participants from the outside, packaging logistics
in
International Journal of Management Practice
volume
3
issue
2
pages
164 - 178
publisher
Inderscience Publishers
external identifiers
  • scopus:43949120126
ISSN
1477-9064
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d6679436-87c3-4ea3-bbeb-2b218ef31fda (old id 753362)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:49:27
date last changed
2022-01-30 00:56:38
@article{d6679436-87c3-4ea3-bbeb-2b218ef31fda,
  abstract     = {{This paper focuses on the special individuals, called “Edisons”, who contributed to the development and acceptance of two major radical innovations, frozen food and self-service, in Sweden after 1945. The “Edisons” were passionate enthusiasts, making extraordinary efforts and doing more than their jobs, and they could also be contributing from outside the innovative organisations. At times people within organisations appear similar to champions, entrepreneurs etc, as described in innovation literature, but “Edisons” from outside have not been previously described. As few radical or really new food innovations are being successfully launched today, one lesson from the past could be to find ways to involve and motivate a wider circle of interested people early. This would help to “humanize” technology and to develop consumer-focused “information/marketing”, which should be done at the very inception of new technology or products, if they can offer and publicize real benefits to the consumers.}},
  author       = {{Beckeman, Märit}},
  issn         = {{1477-9064}},
  keywords     = {{self-service; cluster; frozen food; food; outside contribution; radical/incremental innovations; network; participants from the outside; packaging logistics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{164--178}},
  publisher    = {{Inderscience Publishers}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Management Practice}},
  title        = {{The “Edisons” behind radical innovations}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/6213694/2732536.pdf}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}