The paper explores the implementation process of an innovation measuring system prototype to support a heavy machinery multinational company to secure their innovative capability. In general,companies recognize the importance of becoming innovative to become, or remain, competitive on a global market. The case company decided to pilot a metric system that corresponds to the crucial factors to secure innovative capability and work with the stepwise improvement based on the assessment results.

The methods are based on design-research approach and participatory action research. Interviews, surveys and observation were used, as well as, workshops were conducted to develop and follow up the implementation innovation measuring system.

The findings explore topics and open questions related to metric selection, purpose and use of the selected indicators, as well as challenges related to the implementation of the metric system. Some of the conclusions question the viability of measuring project teams, as well as, it suggests the need for further research to clarify whether team metrics need to be develop in parallel to organizational ones.

Companies are constantly being pressured to innovate in order to stay competitive in the short run and have new offerings in the long run. One way of boosting innovation is to develop idea support systems that go beyond the traditional methods and tools. Through a qualitative study, this paper explores the lessons learned from developing an online platform for idea generation, and discusses it in terms of innovation process, climate, and capabilities. The results show that the platform itself is not enough for innovation. The structure and work processes around the platform are as important, which implies the need to design processes and procedures that allow an idea to develop, providing, focus, idea feedback and role clarity.

Literature points out the need for companies to innovate continuously. Such need requires that companies develop capacities to exploit and improve current work as well as to develop and explore more radical opportunities. This paper is a case study that investigates the innovation capabilities of a multinational manufacturing company by interviewing a group that is mandate to support the development of those capabilities. The data was collected by semi-structured interviews, which were based on the categories of a framework previously developed. The findings speak about the importance of setting clear processes for continuation and implementation of ideas, adequate allocation of resources and management support. The discussion and conclusion are about the importance of the integration of efforts in different organizational levels and some of the future challenges integrating the innovation efforts into a natural way of working.