Abstract:
This paper presents two aspects of innovation for companies that fall into the class of 'solution providers'. The paper first provides a quantitative analysis of what drives the professional's perception of an innovative company. Data from an experimental design of concepts (conjoint analysis) reveals it is not tools alone, but rather 'people using tools' that drives perception of innovativeness, with two underlying segments: people ('humanists'); and focus on business practices ('process'). These segments allow for an organizing principle of innovation among solution providers, used to better understand the 'life stories' of the two corporations presented in the paper.