Navigating the Digital Frontier: Emerging Trends in Digital Innovation Management for 2023 and Beyond

Purpose:
After the pandemic digital technologies have increasingly become the focus of companies’ innovation management processes. This trend has led to a rapid expansion of the field, with a growing number of research papers on various facets of this topic being published in academic journals. However, the proliferation of literature in the field has complicated the ease with which practitioners and academics can stay up to date with the latest developments and build on recent findings in their respective work. In order to succeed within the field of digital innovation management a strong grasp of the newest trends is required to not fall behind competitors, and to be able to develop cutting edge research. To address this challenge, this paper aims to answer the research question: What are the most common themes in post-pandemic digital innovation management literature?

Design/methodology/approach:
To answer this question, this study conducted a systematic literature review of 148 academic papers published between 2020 and 2023. The identified trends were subsequently organized into a framework that provides a comprehensive understanding of the field.

Findings:
The identified trends can be classified as either catalysts or new opportunities. Catalysts are trends that companies can implement to make their digital innovation management more efficient. The four identified catalysts are: the use of artificial intelligence as a vital part of innovating, educating leaders and employees, incorporating digital knowledge management practices, and collaborating with innovation networks. The articles also point to three trends classified as new opportunities that digital innovation management can enable, such as more sustainable initiatives, better foreign aid, and a transition to platformization.

Originality:
This study summarizes the research direction of digital innovation management and synthesizes important key developments leading up to the year 2023, which researchers and practitioners should be aware of.