Strategic Innovation at NASA: The Solution Mechanism Guide

Abstract

Strategic innovation is vital for future success of business enterprising, including governmental entities. However, to embed strategic innovation within the structural fabric of an organization, sustainable strategic management must support and infuse strategic innovation across the organization. This paper details a strategic management process within NASA that established the pathway for a strategic innovation called the Solution Mechanism Guide (SMG). We propose that the SMG serve as a critical component of a larger theoretical framework in which strategic management successfully embeds strategic innovation and provides a template for other organizations to adopt and tailor to meet their specific needs.