Embedded Lead Users inside the Firm : How Innovative User Employees contribute to the Corporate Product Innovation Process

The central phenomenon of this book are embedded lead users (ELUs): employees of firms who experience emerging needs and profit from solutions to these needs (i.e. who exhibit lead user characteristics) in relation to one or more of their employing firms products or services. In three subsequent studies I explore, how embedded lead users contribute to corporate innovation. I show which factors foster the lead userness of employees and what characterizes embedded lead users behaviors. This holds various implications for firms, e.g. with respect to the integration of user knowledge for innovation.​