Overview: Organizations can implement an innovation management system in order to address the multidimensional challenges they often have in their practical innovation work. Until the ISO 56002 standard was released in 2019, there was no international standard for the design of innovation management systems. The standard provides support as a framework and highlights important systems elements. We studied two early adopters that have used this international standard to design their innovation management systems. Based on the study findings, we devised a practical approach for framing the design of an innovation management system. The approach includes a set of steps and critical considerations that include understanding a company’s innovation ambitions and direction, analyzing the systemic dimensions of the system (the elements and how they interconnect), and introducing a balanced set of control mechanisms.

This chapter presents results from initial studies on personal certifications of innovation management professionals, drawing from a Swedish context. The results capture motivations for, as well as effects from, the certification process. They are discussed from the perspective of how this is relevant for developing and enhancing innovation leadership competencies. Increased knowledge, enhanced professional communication, and strengthened selfconfidence related to innovation management were identified as outcomes for individuals pursuing the certifications. Further, this laid the ground for increased visibility, expanded network, and thus more opportunities to influence innovation work. An overarching theme appearing in the study is how a certification can contribute to strengthening the legitimacy of working with innovation management, and thus serve as an enabler for innovation management practice and subsequently innovation leadership. Effects from the certification that may be beneficial for successful innovation leadership include the opportunity for practitioners to articulate their own experiences and competencies, in addition to improving the impact of their efforts utilising innovation terminology. For organisations, knowledge of personal certification can be used both for recruitment and for development of existing personnel and their innovation leadership. Through a longer perspective, it can also contribute to decreasing the dependence on a few specific individuals and instead strengthen the long-term organisational innovation capabilities.

This paper addresses how personal certification in innovation management can contribute to the ongoing professionalisation within the innovation management discipline. The empirical study focused a project in Sweden initiated to develop qualification, specifically personal certification, of innovation management professionals. The project resulted in a certification process and a first batch of certified innovation management professionals. The study aimed to capture the individuals’ reasons for, as well as results and effects from, choosing to acquire a voluntary personal certification within innovation management. A wide range of reasons for taking the certifications was reported such as willingness to learn more; willingness to formalise innovation management competence; a wish to clarify roles, but also to promote the discipline itself. Certification was apprehended as a trustworthy format to achieve this. Identified effects were establishment of a common language, increased visibility of individuals, and innovation management professionals to feel more confident in their jobs.

The ISO Innovation Management System (IMS) Standard (ISO 56002) provides a much needed and well-timed input to the innovation management discipline. While research efforts within the domain of innovation management have vastly increased over the past decades, research has primarily been conducted through specific contributions to distinct areas of innovation management (e.g., top management, culture, processes), lacking a more holistic perspective. Practitioners know that managing innovation is challenging. Bringing in a globally recognised standard that offers a holistic perspective will be key in professionalising the innovation management discipline, much like quality management and project management standards have done in the past.

In this chapter, the editorial team reflects upon common themes from the cases, how the standard was used, prerequisites for success and practical guidance it can offer for a successful journey. Organisations embarked on their innovation management system (IMS) journeys for different reasons. For some, it was about external triggers, e.g., positioning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or responding to industry shifts and technology disruptions. For others, it was about internal triggers, e.g., as an enabler for organisational restructuring or building innovation capabilities. Three cases (INTI, Karolinska, OKI) explicitly used the ISO 56002 guidance standard to fully implement their innovation management systems. Three cases used it to implement selected elements of the standard (Airbus, Norconsult, Södra). Four cases (CIMC, Evonik, Midea, Moen) implemented a systems approach before the standard was published. Others (HIF, Kanthal, KTH GDH, Naturvårdsverket, Oregon State, SDP) used ISO 56002 as a lens to reflect on their innovation capabilities and to reinforce and validate steps already taken. Regardless of the standard's use, organisations have been able to move from ad hoc or process-driven activities to a systems orientation, create a common language to collaborate, clarify their innovation ambitions and start their journeys via a bottom-up, top-down or combination of both approaches.

In this chapter, the editorial team looks across the cases and the emerging themes to offer insights about the standard and its implications for the innovation management community and the future of the innovation management discipline. For practitioners, the case is made for a call to action to rally around the benefits of the standard as a foundation for dynamic innovation capability and innovation community building that will stand the test of time. For academic educators and researchers, it is teaching about open, connected innovation models that go beyond internally focused ones and understanding through research the system element interdependencies and how these elements can be adapted in different organisational contexts. For standard developers, a key issue is to ensure that a core innovation management system can handle the variations and complexities of different organisations and types of innovations. For professional associations, it is about continuing to build the identity of the profession and supporting professionals to strengthen the innovation management discipline in organisations. For policymakers, it starts with understanding where the standard could have policy relevance and broadening the range of innovation policy instruments available. Finally, it is about imagining a future where in 10 years innovation management is a well-recognised discipline and profession, with systemic and systematic approaches that accelerate learning to realise value more quickly for a better world.

This chapter covers the purpose of this book, describes its structure and asks for a call to action for changing the impact and dynamics of innovation management. The urgent need for innovation in our organisations and societies is well recognised, yet why are we not making more progress in the field? The book's purpose is to help those within and outside the innovation management community understand the why, what, and how of managing innovation activities and the benefits of a systems approach for greater impact. The book has three parts. Part I provides background about the international standard ISO 56002 for innovation management system guidance (ISO, 2019) and the development of innovation management research, with the aim for better integration of theory and practice via the common framework of the standard. Part II is the core of the book, featuring 16 case studies about how diverse organisations built their innovation capabilities. In Part III, the editorial team looks across the cases to capture common themes, prerequisites for success and insights about the relevance of the standard for the innovation management community and the future of the field of innovation management. Most importantly, the book is a call to action for the innovation management community and others to move beyond making the case for why we need innovation. It is now time to be clearer on what it is and how to make it work through a systems approach.

This chapter describes and analyses the development of innovation management capabilities at Södra, a large forestry group based in the southern part of Sweden, between 2014 and 2020. Applying the framework of "ISO 56002:2019 Innovation management - Innovation management system - Guidance," on the different aspects of innovation management at Södra reveals that most of the critical elements of the system have been addressed to various degrees. Driven by both necessity and opportunity, the new innovation strategy and process from 2014 paved the way for focused strategic innovation arenas and roadmaps that were instrumental for the innovation achievements during the period of this case study. With even more significant innovation challenges ahead, foremost related to the transition to a circular and bio-based economy, Södra has identified the next iteration of improvements to its innovation management system that can include an even more focused strategic direction for innovation, stronger top management commitment, clarified roles and responsibilities and improved communication efforts.

This chapter provides background for how the innovation management system standard was developed, including its link with other international standards work. It also makes the case for why a standard is important for innovation management and outlines what a management system is. Innovation management fundamentals are covered in terms of definitions and different types of innovation. Descriptions for the eight innovation management principles (International Organization for Standardisation, ISO 56000) and seven key innovation management system (IMS) elements (ISO 56002) are provided. Finally, the benefits, challenges and call to action related to the use of a guidance standard are highlighted.

The purpose of this letter is to provide background and rationale for developing a management system standard to further the profession of innovation management. A systems approach is not new; however, the ISO 56002 Innovation management system - guidance standard is providing a common language and framework for building an innovation capability. The letter describes the innovation management principles and the system elements. We have heard that even having a standard for innovation management is an oxymoron. The publication of ISO 56002 in 2019 has triggered a broader conversation about the merits and drawbacks of a management system standard for innovation work. Some issues have been pointed out by Joe Tidd in his review and critical assessment of the standard (Tidd, 2021). As experts involved in drafting the standard, we can offer informed perspectives of this assessment by focusing on four topics related to context, innovation strategy, adaptable processes and tools, and process versus system approaches. These perspectives are ours alone and do not represent the views of the ISO Working Group. We invite the community to engage in this discussion to evolve our thinking about standardization for innovation management.