Lean Startup and Organizational Learning Capability: A Case Study in a Research and Technology Organization

Abstract

Lean Startup is an iterative, hypothesis-driven approach consisting of five key principles for business creation and product development, which involves potential users and customers from the beginning in a trial-and-error process. We argue that the application of Lean Startup encourages organizational learning, based on its facilitating dimensions: experimentation, risk taking, interaction with the external environment, dialogue, and participative decision making. Thus, we examine the effects of Lean Startup implementation on organizational learning capability through a case study in a Research and Technology Organization, providing evidence of its positive impact.

Keywords:

• Lean Startup
• organizational learning
• products and services development
• experimentation

EMJ Focus Areas:

• 550 Knowledge Management
• 570 New Product Development
• 590 Organization Development & Change
• 640 Strategic Management

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alejandro Gamón-Sanz

Alejandro Gamón-Sanz holds the position of Valorization Director at the Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV). His primary responsibilities include overseeing knowledge and technology valorization, coordinating R&D and business teams to identify strategic assets for commercialization, and managing the development and evolution of these assets to products and services. Additionally, he manages intellectual property rights at IBV, leveraging his expertise in economics and engineering. He is an Industrial Engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Economics.

Ricardo Chiva

Ricardo Chiva is a Professor of Management and Organizations at the University Jaume I (Castellón, Spain). His teaching and research interests are focused on organizational change and learning; HRM and conscious organizations. In these fields, he has published articles in journals such as International Journal of Management Reviews, British Journal of Management, Technovation or Management Learning. Currently, he is leading a research project on conscious organizations.

Joaquín Alegre

Joaquín Alegre is a Professor in Innovation Management at University of Valencia. His teaching and research interests focus on different issues dealing with the innovation process in organizations. He has published his findings in top academic journals such as Research Policy, Journal of Product Innovation Management or British Journal of Management. At present, he is leading a research project on digital transformation processes within SMEs.