Managing complex networks - Key to 21st century innovation success

As technologies become more complex, organizational networks become the keys to successful innovation. During those periods when incremental innovation is the route to success, managers need to take a hands-off approach; they need to let the process of network self-organization proceed. The critical role for the manager is to monitor the possibility of major technology changes by looking for such indicators as: technical community disintegration, foreign invaders, new technology waves, and climate changes. When major technology changes are approaching or occurring, managers need to make sure that major organizational adaptations take place. Those adaptations are essential to acquisition and creation of the knowledge needed for successful innovation.