ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part focuses on the three principal levels of analysis which have been pursued by organizational psychologists – the individual, the group, and the organization as a whole. It reviews innovation processes at the organizational level of analysis. The part presents a state-of-the-art review of existing research into innovation which focuses specifically at the level of analysis of the work group or team. Conceptual and definitional issues are addressed initially, and existing results reviewed and critiqued under a three-fold typology: structural factors, psychological factors, and processual factors. The part is concerned with the individual level of analysis. It explores marked differences between novice and experienced officers, concluding that the individuals’ implicit knowledge of work role requirements may be a fundamental precursor to being able to innovate within a job role.
