External environment, the innovating organization, and its individuals: A multilevel model for identifying innovation barriers accounting for social uncertainties

Minimizing factors (barriers) disrupting innovation is a key to success. Drawing on stakeholder theory and dynamic capabilities, we propose the EOI barrier model for identifying barriers at multiple levels of analysis: the external environment (external stakeholders), the organization (managerial levers based on dynamic capabilities) and the individual (employees’ attitudes and abilities, management commitment). By applying this model to the German biotechnology industry, we examine how barriers manifest themselves in specific settings and demonstrate the context specificity of barriers. Using interview data, we identify 39 barriers across the three levels of analysis. The findings highlight the importance of secondary stakeholders.