ABSTRACT
Innovation processes increasingly rely on the collaboration between different stakeholders across various boundaries, including functional, hierarchical and organizational boundaries. 1 Such boundary-crossing collaborations rely on different mechanisms, activities and boundary objects. In this paper, we explore the role of one such mechanism, namely humor, which consists of a humorous stimulus and reaction, 2 in collaborative innovation processes. Humor might shape those processes as it affects the social positions of and relationships between individuals. The occurrence of humor, smiling and laughter is generally considered as having a positive influence on interactions, as it, for instance, promotes creativity, intelligence, social skills, psychological health, and conflict resolution. 3
