Knowledge creation for innovation in a virtual environment

In this paper we report an experiment carried out in a large Spanish savings bank with over 22000 employees and more than 4400 branches to test the feasibility of knowledge creation in a virtual environment, aiming at the participation of as many employees as possible. This paper explores how a specific organizational initiative, based on setting up a virtual environment that facilitates participation, was instrumental to get an increasing number of employees participate in a firm-wide innovation effort, geared at the production of innovative ideas with the goal of improving the firm competitiveness in today’s ever demanding environment. Interesting observations were made that allow a better understanding of how creative processes develop in such an environment, in contrast with their counterparts in traditional face-to-face synchronous settings.