Purpose – This paper examines co-location as an important solution to design workspaces in research and development (R & D). It argues that co-locating R & D units in multi-space environments serves knowledge creation by leveraging knowledge sharing across boundaries. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on a co-location project of the knowledge-intensive, multi-national company Novartis. To compare communication and collaboration patterns, we interviewed and observed employees before and after co-location into the “co-location pilot” and investigated a control group that was not co-located. The use of data and method triangulation as a research approach underlines the inherent dynamics of the co-location in this study. Findings – The study suggests findings leveraging knowledge sharing in two different ways. Co-location of dispersed project team members increases unplanned face-to-face communication leading to faster and more precise flows of knowledge by transcending knowledge boundaries. Co-location to an open multi-space environment stimulates knowledge creation by enabling socialization, externalization and combination of knowledge. Practical implications – This study provides managerial implications for implementing co-location to achieve greater knowledge sharing across functions. The design of the work environment provides the framework for successful co-location. Originality/value – This paper reports the findings of an empirical case study conducted within the “co-location pilot” of the pharmaceutical company Novartis. This study contributes to an in-depth understanding of the phenomena on a qualitative and micro-level.

In order to leverage organizational learning, scholars have already defined but are still discussing the interpretation of two different learning types, exploration and exploitation. Exploring new frontiers across knowledge domains and maintaining the balance with exploiting the existing knowledge is critical for the prosperity of an organization. The spatial dimension of organizational learning considers that proximity of employees has an influence on their learning activities, but from a rather macro perspective without taking workspace design into account. We account for these issues by examining the impact of workspace design on knowledge exploration and exploitation on the micro level at distinct stages along the value chain (i.e., the research, development and project market team unit) of Novartis, a pharmaceutical company. In a longitudinal study, employees of the three cases have been interviewed and observed over the course of three years, before and after workspace redesign. With the change from a cellular to an open workspace, employees become closer and highly visible to each other, which influences knowledge work. As the cases occurred sequentially in time, design principles were derived. The findings suggest that exploitation is supported by workspace design that leads to high proximity inducing faster feedback cycles and first‐hand information. Exploration, however, is supported by workspace design that leads to high visibility triggering more cross‐functional interactions and thereby the variability of knowledge. The later the stage in the research and development process, the higher the need for balanced learning activities. This balance is well reflected in a ‘multi‐space’ workspace consisting of shared meeting areas, quiet zones, central staircases and integrated laboratories and desk areas.

Organisational learning (OL) that enhances efficiency and the continuous improvement of processes is a key objective of lean product development and has become an important principle of new product development (NPD). Therefore, it is critical for an organisation to capture individuals' and groups' knowledge and learning about processes, institutionalise it, and deploy it organisation-wide. Since OL is more likely to occur if it is supported systematically, NPD scholars and practitioners recognise the importance of investigating facilitators' effect on OL. However, there is no shared understanding of OL among existing studies. This disparity makes it hard to assess, compare, and integrate prior findings into studies. Our article addresses this gap. We investigate how value stream mapping (VSM) and its implementation in NPD affect OL in development processes. Therefore, we operationalise OL on the basis of Crossan et al.'s 4I framework, which is comprehensive and widely recognised (Crossan, M., Lane, H. and White, R., 1999. An organizational learning framework: from intuition to institution. The Academy of Management Review, 24(3), 522-537). We analysed the approach to VSM and its implementation in four longitudinal, comparative case studies in the German-speaking car supplier industry. Using the 4I framework, we captured VSM's effects on the various OL dimensions. We provide valuable insights for R&D managers who seek to improve their processes and want to implement VSM.

Purpose Corporates have recently invested in company-owned makerspaces with the goal to skim the potential of makerspaces as innovation driver. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the first framework describing elements and the innovation-related impact on users of corporate makerspaces (CMSs). Design/methodology/approach The CMS framework is based on a critical review of 116 scientific articles on makerspaces and the embedding of the review findings into the corporate context. Findings A prototyping infrastructure, a community infrastructure and facilitators are proposed to be key elements of CMSs. Further, CMSs are suggested to have an impact on ideation, concept iteration during the innovation process and collaboration of its users. Research limitations/implications The framework on CMSs is based on a critical review of makerspace literature and not on empirical research data. Practical implications This paper sheds light on key elements and the expected innovation-related impact of a CMS on the users and thus contains useful information for corporate innovation management on how to plan, build and implement a CMS. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first review of makerspace literature with focus on their elements and innovation-related impact. Additionally, the review provides the first academic definition of the growing phenomenon of CMSs and describes elements and the innovation-related impact of CMSs on its users in companies, which paves the way for further research on CMSs.

Although several studies have examined the impact of open workspaces, there is still an on-going debate about its advantages and disadvantages. Our paper contributes to this debate by shedding light on three issues: the effect of open workspaces on (1) the flow of communication along and across hierarchical lines; (2) the content of communication; and (3) the specificities of open integrated laboratories. Our findings derive from a longitudinal case in a large pharmaceutical company that has relocated some R&D teams from enclosed to multi-space offices and labs. The relocation has resulted in (a) increased interdisciplinary communication, particularly at lower hierarchical levels, (b) a shift of the location of discussions and the content of conversations and (c) an improved knowledge about expertise distribution. Practitioner Summary: Communication is essential in knowledge-driven organisations. This article examines the impact of a relocation of R&D employees from enclosed to multi-space offices and labs on communication patterns. We explain how the new environment fosters interdisciplinary communication, shifts the location of discussions and increases the knowledge of expertise distribution.