This document summarizes a study examining workplace learning and innovation in new enterprises. It discusses key concepts around innovation including the creative process, levels of innovation (micro and macro), rhythms of innovation (episodic and continuous), and magnitudes of creative change (adaptive and generative). The study analyzed 109 entrepreneurs from service-based businesses with 2-5 staff members. It aimed to understand what conditions foster innovative learning and the forms/processes of innovation learning. Key findings were that supervision vs freedom, compelling social purpose, recognition, generating multiple ideas, optimization, problem-solving, and self-confidence supported innovative learning.

1. Innovation: examining workplace learning in
new enterprises
Tara Fenwick, 2003

2. Knowledge Economy
Innovation
Creation or discovery of new solutions,
new approaches or new ideas
Exploitation
Integration of new ideas into everyday
practice - taken for granted routines
Creative Process
-Belief: trial and error & numbers
-X: Practice based innovation
-X: individual differing (context, intention etc)
Macro
Micro
Level
-Individual
-Group
-Organization
Rhythm
-Episodic
-Continuous
Magnitude of
creative change
-Adaptive (small bounded change)
-Generative (transformative change)
109 entrepreneurs
4-21 yrs
72% (35-54 yrs)
Service (62%)
2-5 staffs (43%)
(1)Firing out the new tasks
(2)Invent new ways
(3)Invent a new product

3. (1) What conditions foster
innovative learning?
(2) What are the forms and processes
of the innovation learning process?
• Supervision VS Freedom
• Compelling social purpose
• Recognition and Pride
• Generating multiple ideas
• Scanning and optimizing
• Continuous problem solving – present focused, spontaneous
• Self-confidence – “There is an answer for every problem”