Engagement and innovation: The Honda case

Abstract

Purpose Research and development (R&D) plays a significant role in creating and sustaining technological leadership. This paper aims to look at the extent to which R&D interventions stimulate innovation engagement. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines, in the main, secondary data sources from Honda to assess the extent to which R&D-enabled plants enjoy both enhanced innovatory potential and employee engagement. Findings Initial indications point to a positive correlation between R&D and associated plant performance. Ongoing research suggests that there is a clear link between interventions and enhanced employee engagement. In addition, there appears to be evidence that monoculture outperform multicultural establishments. Research limitations/implications The research was exploratory in nature and relied, in the main, on secondary data sources. However, access to the secondary sources was extensive which hopefully compensates for the limited primary data. Originality/value Practitioners and academics interested in the relationship between engagement, value add knowledge transfer, R&D and innovation should find this paper of interest. © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited