Innovation Due Dilligence - Development of A Conceptual Framework to Assess Organizational Innovation Maturity within a Deal Context
- This paper presents the development of a conceptual framework designed to assess organizational innovation maturity specifically within a transaction context: The Innovation Due Diligence (IDD). Recognizing the increasing speed of innovation, this framework addresses a critical gap by systematically evaluating the innovation maturity of a target in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of both academic literature and industry practices, we integrate multiple innovation management frameworks to deliver a unified approach encompassing strategic, organizational, and operational perspectives. The iterative research process involved three iterative feedback loops to develop the framework, including qualitative expert sessions, surveys, and quantitative feedback from industry experts, refining the framework to ensure its robustness and practical relevance. The final model comprises five second-order constructs: Process and Governance, People and Culture, External Environment, Resources & Funding, and InnovationThis paper presents the development of a conceptual framework designed to assess organizational innovation maturity specifically within a transaction context: The Innovation Due Diligence (IDD). Recognizing the increasing speed of innovation, this framework addresses a critical gap by systematically evaluating the innovation maturity of a target in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of both academic literature and industry practices, we integrate multiple innovation management frameworks to deliver a unified approach encompassing strategic, organizational, and operational perspectives. The iterative research process involved three iterative feedback loops to develop the framework, including qualitative expert sessions, surveys, and quantitative feedback from industry experts, refining the framework to ensure its robustness and practical relevance. The final model comprises five second-order constructs: Process and Governance, People and Culture, External Environment, Resources & Funding, and Innovation Strategy, each broken down into detailed first-order constructs. The study contributes incrementally by providing the first theoretically and practically validated framework explicitly tailored for innovation assessments in due diligence contexts. It further introduces flexibility through two formats: a Quick Innovation Scan for rapid, sell-side assessments and an Extended IDD for comprehensive, buy-side evaluations. This adaptability enables stakeholders, including transaction advisors and private equity investors, to perform timely and contextually appropriate innovation evaluations, ultimately supporting informed strategic decision-making and risk assessment.…

