Innovation intelligence and its role in environmental uncertainty management: a conceptual framework

Abstract

Purpose Organizations need actionable knowledge to cope with environmental uncertainty, make effective decisions and develop innovation strategies. Since innovation evolves through generations, the present study aims to unravel and define innovation intelligence, considering this transformation, and discuss how environmental uncertainty is resolved in each one. Design/methodology/approach This article is a conceptual paper that employs a typology and model approach in its research design Findings Contexts are categorized into ordered and unordered (according to the Cynefin framework), in which intelligence with prediction and control approaches are applied for uncertainty management, respectively. Also, the three generations of innovation management, namely, technology push, market pull and a combination of these two (hybrid), intelligence benefit from a prediction approach, and in the networked (collaborative) generation, intelligence takes advantage of a control approach. Research limitations/implications The conceptual approach adopted in this research is limited to, and focused on, understanding intelligence, innovation intelligence and presenting preliminary insights into their relationship with uncertainty management. Practical implications This research guides decision-makers to adopt the appropriate intelligence approach to manage uncertainty during their innovation management process and illustrate it by the industry uncertainty matrix and COVID-19 pandemic situation. Originality/value This study proposes a typology of intelligence based on different knowledge pyramids. Also, it introduces innovation intelligence and its relation to knowledge management and environmental uncertainty management that has not yet been clearly addressed in the literature. Moreover, it determines the uncertainty management approaches for each variant of innovation intelligence.