Stedin’s Collaborative Path to Employee-Driven Innovation

Nikolaos Pahos, Robert Verburg (), Martin Sand (), Stefan Uitermarkt () and Joery de Haas ()
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Nikolaos Pahos: Department of Values, Technology, & Innovation, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
Robert Verburg: Department of Values, Technology, & Innovation, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
Martin Sand: Department of Values, Technology, & Innovation, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
Stefan Uitermarkt: ��Bilfinger Tebodin Netherlands B.V., Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië 25, 2593 BJ The Hague, The Netherlands
Joery de Haas: ��Stedin Group, Blaak 8, 3011 TA Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), 2025, vol. 24, issue 02, 1-21

Abstract: Employee-driven innovation (EDI) burgeons as an important mechanism to drive the exploration activities by making the general employees responsible for innovation. However, little is known about the conditions under which EDI is most effective. To get a better understanding of EDI, we examine how Stedin, an established global player within the energy distribution industry based in the Netherlands, involves its general employees in innovation activities. Stedin actively supports EDI through strategic programmes designed to stimulate employee innovation. Our findings highlight that collaboration is a main driver of EDI at Stedin. In the early implementation phases, dynamic, heterogeneous, informal and distant collaborations are essential, while the later phases benefit from more stability and intimacy. The insights from our detailed case study provide actionable guidelines for organising EDI initiatives in practice.

Keywords: Employee-driven innovation; collaboration; development and implementation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1142/S0219649225500108

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