Special issue of the 27th annual IPSERA conference 2018 - Purchasing & Supply Management: Fostering Innovation

Very few scholars would challenge the statement that innovation is one of the key levers of competitive advantage for today's businesses. In many industries, growing sophistication of customer demand on one side and fiercer global competition on the other imply that the future business environment will have to hinge on permanent innovation and creativity. In a world where resources are limited, competences become more and more specialized, and companies are more connected than ever before, innovation is the product of collaboration within networks, rather than the work of a single organization. Within organizations, it is therefore crucial to develop internal processes that can support effectively and efficiently the activities related to scanning the external environment and recognizing innovation opportunities that fit the organization's goals