The Management of Accountability for Innovation in an Organization

Abstract

The suggested comprehensive three-step method for management of the employees’ accountability for innovation is aimed at intensification of the innovation activity in an organization. The innovation process is characterized by suitability, feasibility, and applicability of the ideas. It is performed by the phases: finding new ideas, evaluation of ideas, development of ideas including their experimentation and implementation. Change of the innovation process characteristics causes the need of the accountability management. As a result of the management, the accountability characteristics such as a sphere, a level, and a measure of the employees’ accountability for innovation are changed. The method is realized by sequence of the steps: setting accountability, evaluating accountability, and managing accountability. The steps are aligned with the innovative process phases. At the first step, the spheres and the levels of employees’ accountability for generating ideas are set. At the second step, the spheres, levels, and measures of employees’ accountability for development of the ideas are determined. The measure of accountability characterizes accountability of the members of the dynamic and heterogeneous group which is self-formed by employees as a result of the idea assessment. It is set equal to the idea value. The idea value is calculated by summation of assessments of the innovative process characteristics. At the third step, the spheres, levels, and measures of employees’ accountability while development of the ideas are guided. Sharing accountability among the group members is based on their knowledge and skills. The preferable innovation direction and the key idea are revealed.