Title: Exploring the role of organisational innovation in the time of COVID-19

Authors: André Rocha; Fernando Almeida

Addresses: Polytechnic Higher Institute of Gaya, Av. dos Descobrimentos, 333, 4400-103, V.N. Gaia, Portugal ' University of Porto, INESC TEC, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

Abstract: COVID-19 has caused profound impacts on the economy and society. In Portugal, many companies needed to temporarily close, and many workers were forced to go into lay-off. However, at the same time, several companies are trying to respond to the challenges posed by this pandemic by introducing organisational innovations that would enable them to respond to the needs of the people and organisations that most require help during this period. In this sense, this study aims to explore the role of organisational innovation in the business sector in Portugal through seven case studies. The findings reveal a very diverse set of initiatives in which the role of internal and external sources of innovation stands out simultaneously. Most of the innovations identified have a procedural focus, while structural innovations have less influence. This study is particularly relevant in the practical dimension by encouraging other countries and companies to replicate these initiatives.

Keywords: COVID-19; organisational innovation; innovation sources; crowdsourcing; collaborative innovation networks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBE.2021.115109

International Journal of Business Environment, 2021 Vol.12 No.2, pp.170 - 185

Received: 15 May 2020
Accepted: 05 Oct 2020
Published online: 18 May 2021 *

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