The Leader–Member Relationship at the Core of Innovation Development: Member Perceptions, Positions, and Expectations

Abstract

This chapter looks into the specific issue of managing leader-member exchange in the context of innovation development. Starting out on the basis of topic-centered literature content, we aimed to pinpoint the drivers and challenges involved in the leader–member relationship in innovation-oriented settings at a high-tech firm in the semiconductors industry. Our assertions are organized into three sections. Part one begins with a review of the innovation management literature before honing in on relational management as a factor of innovation success. Part two sets out the research problem, contours the context, and details the methodology employed. Part three presents our analysis of the results.

Annex 1 “Regnier abacus” – the questionnaire

The items analyzed in this research are reported in boldtype

A	Managing time/scheduling/deadlines
1	A project group should consider the time factor as a stone-cold imperative
2	A task schedule is always flexible and rebaselinable
3	The individual members making up our company share an identical perception of time
4	The perception of time stays identical, whatever the project
B	Managing the corporate group
5	The group’s talent capital stems from complementarity between the individual member profiles
6	Choice of team members is important leverage for program success
7	A project team needs the authority of a manager in order to tick
8	The strength of the corporate group lies in the principle of synergy (2  +  2  =  5)
9	In a team, individual ambitions are outweighed by the net performance of the group
C	Management of the member-individual
10	Managing an individual means understanding how to listen to them
11	Managing an individual means knowing how to guide them forward and coach them through
12	Managing an individual means exerting control (on performance and operations)
13	Managing an individual means knowing how to give recognition and reward
14	Management of the individual will be led differently in different situations (baseline output, incremental innovation, breakthrough innovation, etc.)
D	Handling line management
15	A firm needs a high number of line management levels
16	Line management is core to any project
17	In a project, the project leader has totally free latitude within a budget package and a timeframe
18	A project leader needs to know how to get the team involved in decision making
19	Line management’s role will be different in different situations (baseline output, incremental innovation, breakthrough innovation, etc.)
E	Handling performance
20	Performance also means achievement of an ultimate aim
21	Performance also means the right mix of resources deployed
22	Performance also means achieving results without social cost
23	A successful project is an innovation that gets to see daylight
24	Failure can sometimes be seen as a source of progress
F	Handling reward
25	Rewarding a team member means giving them financial reward
26	Rewarding a team member means giving them recognition (attention, greater independence, promotion, time, etc.)
27	Reward needs to be the same for all team members
28	If a firm wants to get performance, it continually needs to have both carrots and sticks
29	Not all individuals are receptive to the same forms of recognition
G	Handling workflow organization/procedures
30	Work organization starts by setting operating rules
31	Group work requires harmonized method sets
32	Work should be organized via a scientific approach
33	Giving greater responsibility to unqualified staff is a risky, dangerous business
34	It takes innovative organizations to conclude an innovative program
H	Handling informational exchange
35	Communication is not really necessary, given that all the information is there
36	Circulating strategic information will end up sapping the morale of the troops
37	Information is a source of power
38	Information should be handled like a flow
39	High-performing companies centralize the management of their information content
I	Customer relations management
40	Customers need to be satisfied on several criteria at the same time
41	You have to be firm with customers
42	All of my contacts (internal and external) are process customers
43	I am the first customer to all of my contacts
J	Environmental management
44	The only factors that can hold us back are technical
45	The top-down rules laid down by line management have now been ousted and replaced by agreements co-constructed bottom up by the agents involved
46	There are always options for bypassing environmental (=  ecological) regulations
K	Innovation management
47	Innovating means taking a technological leap forward
48	Innovation starts with fully understanding the full set of customer expectations
49	Innovation also means organizational transformation (line management structure, management, culture, behaviors, etc.)
50	Innovation means ushering in just the right dose of change
51	Only creative people can innovate
52	Innovation hinges on the method (framed design cycle)
53	The original idea is always a one-person creation
54	Innovation has to keep going faster and faster
55	Innovation means destruction
56	Innovation means risk
57	Innovation means taking a gamble
58	Innovation means creating value