Innovation, Agility and Culture

Abstract

In a globalizing world there is a growing focus on innovation. Businesses and governments are aware of the importance of investing in knowledge and in finding ways to keep up to date, or to get an edge on global competition. In this article we sort out the cultural elements that play a role in understanding how culture influences innovation. More specifically we analyze how a contemporary concept like “agility” is related to innovation and culture. We discuss the potential barriers by clusters of similar cultures, and give advice how to overcome these barriers. While all of Wursten’s 7 Mental Images of Culture are covered, deeper analysis focuses on the Contest, Japan and Machine cultures.