New research from King’s Business School shows how the concept of the ‘collaborative middleground’, a space inside large organisations where traditional hierarchies are temporarily suspended, allowing cross-level teams to develop new ideas in a safe and creative environment.
Drawing on a detailed case study of a self-organised innovation initiative called Shark Tank within a global personal care firm, the study shows how employees and senior managers jointly created a parallel process for innovation, enabling new ideas to surface, develop and gain traction.
Through voluntary participation, creative pairings and playful structures inspired by the TV show of the same name (the American franchise of the international format Dragons’ Den), participants were able to pitch, prototype and refine innovations outside formal product development cycles.
The research highlights three key mechanisms that enable these spaces to flourish:
- Introducing rules of playfulness;
- Promoting positive emotional;
- Social interactions and nurturing cognitive engagement through feedback and shared ownership.
“In large organisations, creative work is often stifled by rigid processes and risk-averse cultures,” said Dr Nadine Scholz (Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at King’s Business School).
“The collaborative middleground offers an alternative in the form of a safe, semi-structured space where new ideas can emerge and where diverse actors can work together in new ways,” she said.
In several cases, creative pairs built stronger collaborations through overcoming challenges together, even more so than through early successes.
As hybrid work continues to reshape organisational culture, the study points to the importance of designing deliberate spaces for innovation that go beyond digital tools or ad hoc brainstorming.
“Our findings are especially relevant for businesses preparing for the challenges of AI, sustainability and cross-functional innovation. Innovation needs structure but also safety, autonomy and the freedom to experiment,” said Professor Marcela Miozzo (Professor of Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at King’s Business School).
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