4 Co-ideation by Champions 4.1. INTRODUCTION The third category of key players at the co-ideation level isthe category of champions. This category comprises those who have the intrinsic drive to iimovate, the people who are highly motivated ro create new things and who walk and talk innovation all che time. The champion of eco: innovation and sustainability is more interested than others in renewal, in innovation and in rejuvenation, Such a champion is capable of getting the subject on the agenda of the managers ofthe company. The champion mn seen as the cental person in the innovation process ‘vith an above-average intention to create, enew and change. & champion Of innovation is 2 walking advertisement for continuous improvement and innovation, is tireless in conceiving new ideas and docs not rst until these are realized, A champion is the person who probably has more ideas than ‘an be cealzed and isa source of information for others on how th res could be changed or completely turned around. The ch {an accumulator of knowledge is interested in everything and anyone and Continuously gathers and transmis information. This information-seeking land sharing behavior forms a valuable source of knowledge for the com: pany. Champions of sustainable innovation are needed to create a sustain bly innovative culture in an organization, They infect others with theie new ideas on social, societal, ecological and sustainable a tion, they are drivers of companywide discussions about value creation for stakeholders and society. The champion of innovation is the third element at the co-ideation level of the model of eco-innovation and sustainability management (se Figure 4.1), “This chapter introduces the theory that forms the basis ofthe sustainable «champion element ofthe model (Section 4.2). Ie continues with the methods tused to explore the analytical validity of the element for industry (Section 4.3). Iethen explores the analytical value ofthe champion element in prac tice (Section 4.4) and in theory (Section 4.5). The chapter concludes with a summary of the main findings (Section 4.6)Conideation by Champions 41 Figure 4.1 Coideation by champions. 4.2. THEORETICAL BASIS ‘The role of innovation champion is azole that can be performed by all sorts ‘ofemployees. Innovation champion is nota jab ora jb title Everybody can bea champion of innovation, and this mean that, for example, production ‘workers, managers, the chief executive officer and the financial specialists of the frm all can behave like champions of eco- and sustainable innovation, Innovation champions can be described as hobbyists, enthusiasts, visionar= ies, gurus, experts and oracles who are intrinsically morivated to create new businesses, products and markets, The word “champion” isnot part of ther job description; nether does the company explicitly expect people to be champions of innovation. A champion of sustainable innovation can be a ‘company’s main promoter of renewal because ofan intrinsic drive to change and renew. The innovation champion likes to meet with and talk to people and hear about wha is new and whae issues the company can deal with in the coming times. The champion of eco-innovation and sustainability thinks ‘that itis imporeant ro integrate sustainable innovation into the business processes ofthe frm,42. Ecovinnovation and Sustainability Management Promoter The champion of innovation persuades others to jin the innovation process and tries as hard and talks as long as needed to convince top managers, idle-level managers, specialists and other direct colleagues chat new things are happening, are going to happen of need to be happening in and around he firm, This champion proclaims that i is important co introduce anew product or a new service oto consider an alteration of the production pro {e55,The champion knows the ins and outs ofthe innovations that she or he proclaims and likes to delve into the details. The champion often isa lobby Ist and has strong and large network of associates, above-avertge status i the organization and always ane or two good ideas in mind. The ehampior talks to others about these ideas all the time and hopes that they are adopted. ‘When the ideas are adopted, the champion joins the innovation process and starts realizing the idea (Havschildt and Kirehmann, 2001). Geminden, Sa Tomo and Halze (2007) studied the roles of innovation champions in inno- vation projects and argue that a promoting charm above-average” (p. 412), A champion of innovation can wse several sources of power to promote innovation or an innovation projet, including his or her hierarchical position, knowledge base or position in the social network ofthe company. The champion can use personal expertise and *promore the project by hishher high technological know-how" (p. 412). The champion ‘can use personal knowledge ofthe firm's business processes, “act as a link between decision makers and experts” (p. 412), use personal knowledge of the network of firms that surrounds the company and “support the search for external cooperation partners” (p. 412). Geminden, Salomo and Holzle (2007) argue that a promoting champion of innovation is not necessarily a hero" who wins where everybody else fils or who walks on while others ‘quit when the champion is pu to the test or encounter ing to Geriinden, Salomo and Holle (2007), today’s promoter is perhaps not that hero buts normal person with the capability to find out what the main options and potential risks ate and then finds ways to realize the op tions without too many failures ion “supports the project jppostion. Accord Inventor ‘A champion can also be an inventor who has knowledge and transforms knowledge into ideas for innovative products and services. Such as person can be a designer who makes blueprints for new products, an industri engineer who conceives ideas for new production plants oF an industria marketer who develops strategies forthe fm to conquer new markers. All these types of innovation champions may have new ideas, new knowledge, the drive to gain new knowledge and the ereatvity to transform knowl ‘edge into inventions (Hauschilde and Kirchman, 2001; Howell and Boies, 2004), Andersson and Berggren (2007) argue that champions contribute 0Covideation by Champions 43 thee important and mutually supportive invention processes. First cham pions’ ideas can be drivers of the development of patens. The development BF patents requires alot of knowledge and time from the champion of in ovation, a well as sufficient funding from the company or from external investors. Second, the champions ideas ean be drivers of the development ‘Of new products. Inthe process of new-product development, the innova- tion champion has to work with many colleagues to realize the innovative ideas. New-prosoct development demands intensive cooperation among tlesignrs, production engineers and marketers as they adjust product spec feations, production organization and eapacity and respond to market de ‘mands, sales forecasts and expected trends. Third, champions’ ideas can be drivers of the development of a company’s technological competences The ideas can trigger an organization to continuously innovate and can add to the innovative capabilites of the fr. Andersson and Berggren (2007) [rau chat the inventive activities of champions contribute to the innovative ness ofthe firm, Gatekeeper The gatekeeping champion gathers and processes information about changes in the organization and the outside world. The champion of in fpovation traces potentially useful knowledge from inside and outside che fem and tres to get this knowledge applied in the frm, ‘The gatekeeping Champion has access to information that others do not have. This kind of ‘champion has a hunger for knowledge and can have a strong and large net work of contacts. The drive ofthe innovation champion to obtain know: tage originates in an intrinsic desire to know, co watch new trends and to share knowledge with colleagues. The gatekeeping champion keeps the fryanization informed (Fleming and Waguespack, 2007; Rothaerme! and Hess, 2007}, According to MacDonald and Piekkari (2005), who studied the charactevstes of the personal networks of champions, gatekeeping ac tivity is not always as productive and valuable as imagined. MacDonald ‘and Piekkari (2008) contend thae aot all leaders and managers can bande the increasing power and freedom of gatekeeping champions inthe groups they are supposed to lead. A gatekeeping champion’s information networks fan evade'a leader or manager’ control. An innovation manager needs tatekeepers because of their access to knowledge and information, but this foes on the expense of the manager's sense of control. When organizations? managers try to control the knowledge necworks of gatekeepers and claim thatthe gatekeepers knowledge belongs to the firm or when organizations permit champions limited access to and interaction with the outside world the information gathering and knowledge producing function of champ fons is under pressure. A major conclusion MacDonald and Piekkari (2005) “aves therefore that notall collaboration projects with firms and instiutes that are setup to freely share information and develop new knowledge are