« Créez le prochain Uber et soyez rentables d’ici la fin de l’année ». Les managers de labs d’innovation face aux contradictions entre mandat et gouvernance

Innovation labs managers are often exposed to contradictory demands: pursuing the exploration mandate of the lab while complying with corporate governance modes generally geared towards exploitation. Based on two case studies, we show how managers facing such contradictions use contrasted tactics articulated around two poles of a dialectic: conformism and promotion. This article sheds light on the necessity to develop governance modes specific to exploration activities in order to avoid recurring organizational contradictions.