[Excerpt] The case chosen is an example of an Italian manufacturing company which has adopted a strategy of innovation through employee participation. Interviews were conducted with a range of managers from production, HR and sales/marketing roles as well as line managers and front line workers in supervisory roles. The Italian company Elica has manufactured cooker hoods since the 1970s. Elica use art, design and innovation to produce some of the most visually striking cooker hoods on the market. The company claims it is redefining the traditional kitchen appliance as a technologically sophisticated object with a unique design that improves quality of life.