Innovation knowledge acquisition: The tacit knowledge of novices

Innovation has become recognized as a key factor in the success and even sustainability of an organization but solutions to acquiring knowledge related to innovation are lacking. Strategies such as multidisciplinary teams, suggestion boxes and incentive schemes, flat organizational structures allowing the mail clerk access to the CEO are some of the techniques employed in industry. In this paper, we suggest a psychology-based technique using scenarios to measure innovation expertise. To date we have used our inventory on a novice population, but will soon administer it to an expert population. We present the findings to one of the scenarios and note that the results are contrary to what was actually done or suggested by the innovator.