The Barometer INCODE as a self-assessment tool of innovation competencies

This study presents the research results of the opinions analysis of the participants in a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on the diagnosis of innovation skills for improving processes. Participants use the INCODE Barometer for self-assessment and, post-treatment, they provide their opinions about the instrument. Research questions inquiry whether the Barometer identifies innovation competencies of participants and if it could be used at enterprise level. Results of a qualitative analysis about the participants’ reflections illustrate that the assessment tool has helped them to identify their innovation skills, strengths and weaknesses, although a more reliable results would be accompanied by additional evaluations. As company managers, participants would not opt for the INCODE Barometer as the only tool in selecting, training and developing teams, although they consider its validity. Difficulties in using the Barometer are due to the lack of experience in the situations to be judged by the survey respondents, and the difficulty of being totally objective in assessing their own behaviors. The results obtained, along with other own studies, together with companies involved in the project and the literature review in the field will enable to step forward from the INCODE Barometer to the FINCODA Barometer, a key objective of a new European project. The new tool will facilitate both training and evaluation of innovation behaviors in higher education and companies.