Abstract:

Innovation plays currently an important and strategic role for the firm. It is usually considered, by both economic and managerial communities, as an essential source of sustainable competitive economic advantage. Serveral authors certify that innovation is a precursor to economic growth and essential to the progress and the vitality of each organazation. « Innovate or die » The latest  research in management are focused on the organazational factors that encourage employees to innovate, and stimulate the innovativeness of the firme. In this paper we will try to explore the main advantages and pertinents effects of business process management, as an original way of managing organazations, on the innovation. We will also clarify haw innovation leads to competitive advantage. Business process management has several effects on innovation performance, these effects are produced by  customer integration, cross-functional capabilities, cross-functional integration  or cross-functional structure. In our research we will focus on cross-functional structure, and this by adressing the following questions :  Haw can the process team be organically  innovative ? Haw can cross-functional structure  be perceived as a mediating factor of innovation, and this by enhancing  and supporting knowledge management  and also organazational learning ? After a quick review of literature contribution on relation between business process management and innovation, we will draw from the resource-based view haw innovation is considered as competitive economic advantage.