How do promising ideas gain traction and make their way to customer or client? This lecture focuses on the final phases of the “idea journey”: championing and implementation. We examine the social dynamics of how ideas are sold, supported, and eventually brought to life inside organizations.

Idea championing is about more than having a good concept—it is also about the social interactions in which you convince others of the idea’s potential. We discuss issue-selling as a central process, where individuals direct attention to problems and opportunities they see as strategically important. Research shows that is effectiveness depends on matching the genre of issue-selling to the organizational context, the relationships involved, and the issue at hand.¹ Yet, evaluation is not always objective: ideas are often overvalued when proposed by hierarchically similar others. Research shows that even in distributed systems designed to reduce hierarchical barriers, hierarchy subtly shapes evaluations, which may distort which ideas are ultimately championed and implemented²

Once approved, the focus shifts to implementation. Here, creativity alone does not guarantee success. Without supportive conditions, highly creative ideas are often rejected or abandoned. Research shows that motivation and networking ability are crucial for overcoming these odds—particularly the presence of strong ties that provide buy-in, resources, and a shared vision³. Ultimately, implementation is not just about executing a plan; it is about embedding ideas into an organizational context where they can take root and diffuse.

By tracing the journey from championing to implementation, this lecture highlights how social capital, persuasion, and motivation intersect to determine whether innovation remains an aspiration or becomes reality.

Literature

• Lauche, K., & Erez, M. (2023). The relational dynamics of issue-selling: Enacting different genres for dealing with discontent. Academy of Management Journal, 66(2), 553–577. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2020.1484
• Schweisfurth, T. G., Schöttl, C. P., Raasch, C., & Zaggl, M. A. (2023). Distributed decision‐making in the shadow of hierarchy: How hierarchical similarity biases idea evaluation. Strategic Management Journal, 44(9), 2255–2282. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3497

About the Course

The MSc course Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Context examines how entrepreneurs and organizations create and sustain innovation within their broader environment. Core themes include creativity, entrepreneurial identity, legitimacy, networks, and opportunity structures, with an emphasis on how these factors shape the success of new ventures and the renewal of established firms.

Students engage in interactive lectures, case studies, and team assignments that connect theory to practice. They learn to analyze innovation and entrepreneurship holistically, evaluate internal and external influences, and develop evidence-based recommendations for real companies. Assessment combines a group case study and presentation with an individual exam.