Process innovation and organizational identity: a case study analysis of the implementation of self-scanning technology at Albert Heijn
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2021-06-08
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en
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Abstract
Innovation is one of the keys to achieve competitive advantage. New products or processes help maintain market shares and improve profitability. However, radical innovations often require an organizational change. Organizational changes influence the actions, interpretations, and decisions of the members. As a result, the members' perception of the organization can change. In this way, innovation can affect organizational identity as organizational identity is about the answer to the question “who are we as an organization?". This study aims to explain how process innovation affects organizational identity.
To meet this aim, a single case study on Albert Heijn is conducted. The nature of this study is qualitative. Data is collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with fifteen employees of Albert Heijn. Based on these interviews, the effect of self-scanning technology on the organizational identity of Albert Heijn is investigated.
Organizational identity is about a set of statements that the members perceive to be central, distinctive, and enduring to their organization. Albert Heijn is considered as an innovative leading supermarket that aims to excel in customer service. The innovation of self-scanning affects this perception of Albert Heijn. Multiple shortcomings are experienced in providing customer service when working with self-scanning technology. These shortcomings, due to the implementation of self-scanning, are detrimental to customer service. In this way, self-scanning technology challenges the limits of the organizational identity of Albert Heijn, as customer service is considered an important central value. In addition, process innovation can change the set of statements that members perceive to be central, distinctive, and enduring to their organization. Members can have a different answer to the question “who are we as an organization?" as a result of the implemented radical process innovation.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen