Innovation and Cultural Divide in Electric Power Generation Industry

Abstract

Today the energy sector is involved into the process of  active search of innovative solutions. The emphasis there is on achieving a breakthrough in two basic areas — energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources.
Large corporations demonstrate high innovation performance focusing not only on the development of new technologies, but of particular importance — on restructuring of the organizational and governance mechanisms. Herein lies a profound contradiction, constraining the transformation of the industry. It refers to among the majority of employees belonging to middle and lower echelons a preconceived attitude towards innovation. It becomes apparent that the modernization of the Russian energy sector and the transition to an innovation-oriented path of development are possible only subject to the introduction of effective mechanisms of industry governance.