Correspondence: Morten Bach Jensen, Grundfos Management, Poul Due Jensens Vej 7, DK-8850, Bjerringbro. Tel: +45 2988 1669; Fax: +45 8750 1460; E-mail: mbachjensen@grundfos.com

¹is a senior business researcher at the Danish industrial pump manufacturer Grundfos. He is affiliated as an Industrial PhD fellow with both the IT University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen Business School. Throughout the last 12 years, he has been working in marketing at major industrial companies, in teaching and academia as well as at a major consultancy firm. He holds a BSc in Engineering and an MSc in IT.

²is Professor at the Department of Marketing at Copenhagen Business School. Her research interests cover integrated communications management, brand management, international marketing management and consumption studies, emphasising a multidisciplinary and multi-method approach to the study of human experience and action. Her publications include five books, as well as numerous journal articles, book chapters and conference papers.

Received 13 November 2007; Revised 13 November 2007; Published online 14 December 2007.

Abstract

Recent innovation literature describes a move from purely technical innovations towards more strategic innovations based upon social relations, a concept at the core of newer brand management and relationship marketing theories. Organisations that depend on innovation and have also adopted corporate branding as their management philosophy are therefore suggested to rely on a brand management philosophy characterised by a high innovation and creativity climate. Using the Creative Climate Questionnaire, the study presented here compares the climate measured in the corporate branding departments of two large Danish companies with existing empirical reference material for very creative and innovative companies. The study results reveal that the climate in the corporate branding departments is at the same high level as the reference material. Further, by use of structural equation modelling the main driver for improving the overall perceived climate is identified as the organisation's capability of creating debates such as discussions about different viewpoints, ideas, experiences and knowledge.