Abstract:

This paper aims to investigate how mature manufacturing organizations (MMO) can achieve radical innovation from a cultural perspective. ‎Thus, exploring and outlining key factors of organizational culture ‎that influence and facilitate radical innovation in mature manufacturing organizations play an essential role in this study. Constructive-interpretivism philosophical approach is used for this study, employing a qualitative strategy. A grounded research methodology and an action research approach that was ‘issue focused’ were employed to gain the perceptions of the participants from the organisational culture as empirical data. The sample of the study is comprised of eighteen mature UK-based manufacturing organizations that span a variety of industries. Each of these companies had reputations for innovation gained through repeated successes in bringing new products or businesses to market. The findings of this study provide insight into key factors of radical innovation culture. The findings show the factors that influence the behaviour of leaders in the MMO of the UK and also play a fundamental role in inhibiting and encouraging the development of culture to facilitate radical innovation in this vital sector. The originality of this research lies in understanding the impact of appropriate organizational culture and leadership practices on radical innovation, especially in mature manufacturing organizations. As such, outline the key factors of organizational culture that facilitate and thrive radical innovation not for any specific project, but on a repeatable basis. The implications of these findings are highlighted, as well as the need to further explore how cultural factors and leadership practices can affect the level of innovation in this vital sector.