Planespace: Liberating Employee Innovative Capacity

This case highlights the long-term effects of major technological changes on a manufacturing organisation and on the motivation and innovative potential of its employees. The case describes a 'lean' facility, which emphasises Science and Technology-driven (STI) innovations, as opposed to Doing-Using-Interacting (DUI) innovations. The company has had to adapt to the digitalisation revolution that occurred in the manufacturing sector; employee motivation and DUI innovation have suffered as a result. This manufacturing facility has become a lean technocratic, top-down formalised manner, and must learn how to decentralise problem-solving and some decision-making to become an innovative workplace. This can only be achieved by freeing the innovative capacity of its employees.