Underground Innovation: Missionary, User and Lifestyle projects

23 Pages Posted: 27 Mar 2022 Last revised: 10 Jul 2022

See all articles by Jeroen P.J. de Jong

Jeroen P.J. de Jong

Utrecht University - School of Economics

Max Mulhuijzen

Utrecht University

Brita Schemmann

Utrecht University

Date Written: July 9, 2022

Abstract

Underground innovation has been known to exist already for decades, but its full scope has not yet been mapped. Evidence from unconnected literatures (bootlegging, creative deviance, user innovation, open-source) suggest that multiple types of underground innovation exist, and not always done with organizational benefit as primary driver. We apply a mixed-method approach (interviews, surveys) in the context of a multinational organization concerned with R&D and product development. Three types of underground innovation are identified: missionary (marked by high diffusion persistency to change a company product or practice), user (initiated to solve personal problems at work) and lifestyle (driven by passion for innovation). Comparing these types we detect differences in objects of innovation, involvement of others, employed resources, and diffusion efforts. We discuss that underground innovation includes previously unconnected literatures, and emerges from employees driven by organizational adoption, personal use value, or benefits derived from the innovation process itself.

Keywords: Underground innovation, Bootlegging, Creative deviance, User innovation, Innovation process benefits, Open-source.

JEL Classification: O31, O32

Suggested Citation

de Jong, Jeroen P.J. and Mulhuijzen, Max and Schemmann, Brita, Underground Innovation: Missionary, User and Lifestyle projects (July 9, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4038859 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4038859

Jeroen P.J. De Jong (Contact Author)

Utrecht University - School of Economics ( email )

Kriekenpitplein 21-22
Adam Smith Building
Utrecht, +31 30 253 7373 3584 EC
Netherlands

Max Mulhuijzen

Utrecht University ( email )

Vredenburg 138
Utrecht, 3511 BG
Netherlands

Brita Schemmann

Utrecht University ( email )

Vredenburg 138
Utrecht, 3511 BG
Netherlands

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