Based on a systematic literature analysis, this paper takes stock of the current landscape of research on innovation champions from an individual and organizational perspective: 149 journals and conference proceedings were examined on the topic of innovation champions. 85 articles were identified as relevant and systematically categorized according to two perspectives by synthesizing enablers of innovation champions on the individual (e.g. skills) and organizational level (e.g. knowledge management). While our analysis illuminates a high variety of enablers that influence innovation champions, the descriptive findings show a stronger focus of innovation champion studies on individual level enablers. Our literature review points out the lack of research on negative individual characteristics (e.g. narcissism), on the innovation champion in the IS context and on formalized groups of innovation champions (e.g. organizational units).
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