Adaptors and Innovators in Organizations: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Cognitive Styles of Managerial Functions and Subfunctions

Abstract

The hypothesis was tested that broadly-defined managerial functions can be sub-divided on the basis of their members' internal and external task orientations, and that the resulting subfunctions are, respectively, predominantly “adaptive” or “innovative” in terms derived from Kirton's adaption-innovation theory. Data from samples of British (N = 115) and Australian (N = 123) mid-career managers undertaking MBA programs who completed the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) and provided employment histories displayed the expected patterns of task orientation and cognitive style. Implications for adaption-innovation theory and the management of organizational change are briefly discussed.

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