Breaking with tradition: Remodelling naval strategic thinking and outcomes using an open innovation approach

Abstract

Innovation is something of a buzzword in political, policy and strategic discourse. But innovation, as it has been developed in scholarship relating to open innovation, organisational management and industrial economics, is underpinned by several powerful conceptualisations. This paper explores the utility that concepts of innovation can bring to small navies operating to uphold national security amid the severe economic constraints experienced by numerous countries since 2010. Small navies, by adopting innovation concepts, can be transformed from being consumers and facilitators of wealth – e.g. by protecting trade at sea – to being generators of wealth, especially in the maritime economy. The paper reports established, interim and expected results arising from the application of innovation concepts to the Irish Naval Service, especially between 2011 and 2016.