Title: Factors enabling innovation activities: combining perspectives of personnel and management of a public university hospital

Authors: Pauliina Hyrkäs; Nina Lunkka; Jarmo Reponen; Marjo Suhonen

Addresses: Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu, PL 5000, FI-90014, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Finland; University of Oulu, PL 5000, FI-90014, Finland ' Department of Health and Social Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland ' Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, PL 5000, FI-90014, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Finland; University of Oulu, PL 5000, FI-90014, Finland ' Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland

Abstract: Innovation activities are actions intended to generate innovations, and innovations are novel, implemented items or actions, that improve processes. The research on enabling innovation activities in public hospitals is limited. This study identified key factors that enable innovation activities by combining statements made by representatives from management (n = 13) and personnel (n = 9) at one Finnish public university hospital. The study used semi-structured interviews and content analysis. According to the results, unified and authorised practices are needed to counterbalance and organise the extreme complexity typical of public hospitals. Both, hospital personnel and management called for assistance with complementary expertise in innovation management.

Keywords: innovation; innovation activities; innovation leadership; innovation management; healthcare; public hospital; university hospital; organisational learning; complexity; content analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2022.119637

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2022 Vol.31 No.1, pp.70 - 90

Received: 05 Jun 2020
Accepted: 06 Nov 2020
Published online: 13 Dec 2021 *

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