The role of strategic communication and sensemaking in implementing management innovation

Purpose This study explores the dynamics of implementing management innovation, focusing on a case of innovation in human resource management within a large Japanese firm. It aims to understand how innovators perceive and react to employees’ evolving responses to management innovation and how these perceptions and reactions influence innovation implementation. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a single-case study design because it was suitable for exploring complex phenomena within their real-life context. It involved an in-depth analysis of a firm undergoing management innovation through participant observation, interviews and analysis of company documents. Findings The study identified a multi-phase process of management innovation at the research site, characterized by initial resistance followed by gradual acceptance of the innovation. Innovators’ strategies to manage and respond to employee feedback and adaptation of the innovation process were crucial in the eventual acceptance of management innovations. Despite achieving a degree of acceptance, cultural and structural challenges persisted, highlighting the complex interplay between innovation, organizational culture and employee responses. Originality/value This research contributes to the management innovation literature by illuminating the intricate dynamics of implementing management innovation. It extends existing theories of innovation implementation by demonstrating the significance of managing recipient perceptions through strategic communication and the importance of cultural and contextual sensitivities in management innovation.