Encouraging business innovation – how is this reflected in top 10 international automakers

The theoretical concept of innovative work behavior (IWB) has achieved substantial consideration from academicians across the globe starting with the second half of the last century. More recent, for about three decades, researchers have become concerned with more concrete organizational implications towards the innovative work behavior. Therefore, they directed their attention to organizational factors that might influence innovative behavior and to the relationship between multiple organizational aspects and innovative work behavior. Employees’ behavior at work is a key component for organizational success. Consequently, employees’ innovative spirit plays a critical role in the performance of their companies. The current paper has two purposes. First, to do a key literature review on innovative work behavior as part of the general concept of innovation by highlighting the theoretical aspects from international literature. Second, to present an analysis on the topic of innovation for the top 10 multinational companies in automobile industry taking into consideration three components: the mission statement, core values and dedicated innovation section declared on their official global websites.