SPEEDING UP INNOVATION: BUILDING NETWORK STRUCTURES FOR PARALLEL INNOVATION

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (02) ◽  
pp. 1650024 ◽  
Author(s):  
FLEMMING SØRENSEN ◽  
JAN MATTSSON
Keyword(s):  
Innovation Process ◽  
Innovation Network ◽  
Network Structures ◽  
Time To Market ◽  
Communication Structures ◽  
Competitive Environments ◽  
Open Structures ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Innovation Processes

Minimisation of time-to-market strategies can provide companies with a competitive advantage in dynamic and competitive environments. Using parallel innovation processes has been emphasised as one strategy to speed up innovation processes and consequently minimise the time-to-market of innovations. Much innovation today takes place in open structures in which networks play an important role. However, little is known about how innovation networks can facilitate parallel innovation processes. This paper discusses how innovation network structures develop and support exploration and exploitation in parallel innovation processes and in this way sustain speedy innovation processes. A case study of an innovation network is carried out by analysing communication structures and the information contents of emails related to a particular innovation process. The analysis shows how certain characteristics of the network facilitate the parallel innovation process but also how such processes place new requirements on such networks and their management.

INNOVATING WITH DOMINANT SUPPLIERS: LESSONS FROM THE RACE FOR LASER LIGHT

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (01) ◽  
pp. 2050008 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANINA MILENA GOLDBERG ◽  
HOLGER SCHIELE
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Different Order ◽  
Innovation Processes

Traditionally, manufacturers could usually choose from several suppliers who would be more than willing to engage in innovation processes with them. However, more often the situation arises that a supplier has a dominant position because of a clear leadership or even exclusivity in a certain technology. How should the buying companies handle such situations when a supplier can choose the customer to collaborate with, rather than cueing in front of the customer’s door? This paper focuses on how a buying company may best handle this situation of innovating with dominant suppliers. The methodology used is a case study that compares, from an original equipment manufacturer’s perspective, two implemented supplier innovations with different expirations — a success case and a failure. Findings lead to three main propositions: First, firms may benefit from carefully analysing and designing the buyer–supplier constellation in innovation processes and not only the quality of the innovation. Drawing back on attractiveness theory grounded in social exchange theory may provide clues on how to do so. Second, in case of a dominant supplier situation, traditional innovation management processes may fail and need to be amended by a dedicated innovation process with a different order of steps. In the case of supplier dominance, it is essential to first analyse the supplier constellation, and then make the decision for the innovation path to follow — and not the other way around. Third, in the fight for getting access to a supplier’s innovation, a speed-up process with the buying company may be a tool for outperforming other buyers competing for the same supplier.

A FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING THE FORECASTING PROCESS

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (04) ◽  
pp. 597-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
TUGRUL U. DAIM ◽  
ABRAHAM HERNANDEZ
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Technological Forecasting ◽  
Forecasting Methods ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Strategic Context ◽  
Innovation Processes

Technological innovation is used by many companies as a means of sustaining their competitive advantage. The environments in which this innovation occurs is usually uncertain, therefore, many companies perform technological forecasting in association with their technological innovation processes. While many researchers have studied the innovation process and many more forecasting methods, there is little research connecting the two within the strategic context of the firm. To do this, a model of the forecasting process is needed. The purpose of this paper is to present a model based on a literature review. Previous models which formed the basis for the proposed model will be discussed followed by an explanation of the model and conclusion. Finally, a case study is presented to observe and test the proposed model.

Demystifying the benefits and risks of Lean service innovation: a banking case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 364-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiwei Gong ◽  
Marijn Janssen
Keyword(s):  
Service Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lean Principles ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Knowledge Perspective ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Innovation Processes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demystify Lean for service innovation by investigating its benefits and risks. Lean innovation is a relatively new approach which is advocated in management literature. Little scientific work about its practice exists in the field. Although the Lean innovation principles are clear, there is limited evidence about their impact on service innovation processes. Design/methodology/approach – From the knowledge-based view (KBV) of the firm, a framework for understanding Lean innovation is developed. Using this framework, the benefits and risks of Lean innovation are analyzed in a case study. Findings – The case study not only shows that Lean service innovation can have many advantages, but also draws attention to the risks. The risks might result in the inability to follow Lean principles and might hamper the realization of the benefits. Using the case studies, study mitigation mechanisms are identified. Originality/value – This research offers a new knowledge perspective and a better understanding of Lean service innovation. There are two main contribution of this paper. First of all, it reports on the impact of Lean innovation on a bank’s innovation processes, both its benefit and risks. This has a contribution to understanding the innovation process in service organizations. Second, this paper extends Lean innovation to a service context and contributes to the knowledge basis of Lean innovation.

SUPPLIER INVOLVEMENT IN INNOVATION PROCESSES: A TAXONOMY

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 121-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
TINA B. AUNE ◽  
ESPEN GRESSETVOLD
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Data ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Process Performance ◽  
Global Engineering ◽  
Engineering Company ◽  
Supplier Involvement ◽  
Innovation Processes

For many companies, suppliers play an important role in innovation processes. One key issue concerns the degree of cooperation, such as an arm's length approach versus the use of relationships. Another issue concerns the scope of company involvement on the supply side, such as involvement of one supplier versus involvement of a network of companies. This article presents a taxonomy of supplier involvement in innovation processes. The empirical data consists of a case study of Norske Skog Skogn, a paper mill that is part of the world's second largest producer of newsprint, and one of its suppliers, ABB, a global engineering company. The article directs attention towards a variety of approaches to organising supplier involvement in innovation processes. The taxonomy may be useful in initiatives to increase awareness of the organisation of innovation processes and improve innovation process performance.

scholarly journals System thinking shaping innovation ecosystems

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
António Abreu ◽  
Paula Urze
Keyword(s):  
New Products ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
System Thinking ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Innovation Network ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Innovation Processes

Abstract Over the last few decades, there has been a trend to build innovation platforms as enablers for groups of companies to jointly develop new products and services. As a result, the notion of co-innovation is getting wider acceptance. However, a critical issue that is still open, despite some efforts in this area, is the lack of tools and models that explain the synergies created in a co-innovation process. In this context, the present paper aims at discussing the advantages of applying a system thinking approach to understand the mechanisms associated with co-innovation processes. Finally, based on experimental results from a Portuguese co-innovation network, a discussion on the benefits, challenges and difficulties found are presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Data-driven innovation processes within federated networks

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aya Rizk ◽  
Anna Ståhlbröst ◽  
Ahmed Elragal
Keyword(s):  
Innovation Process ◽  
Digital Data ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Innovation Networks ◽  
Digital Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growing Domain ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Innovation Processes

PurposeWithin digital innovation, there are two significant consequences of the pervasiveness of digital technology: (1) the increasing connectivity is enabling a wider reach and scope of innovation structures, such as innovation networks and (2) the unprecedented availability of digital data is creating new opportunities for innovation. Accordingly, there is a growing domain for studying data-driven innovation (DDI), especially in contemporary contexts of innovation networks. The purpose of this study is to explore how DDI processes take form in a specific type of innovation networks, namely federated networks.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study design is applied in this paper. We draw our analysis from data collected over six months from four cases of DDI. The within-analysis is aimed at constructing the DDI process instance in each case, while the crosscase analysis focuses on pattern matching and cross-case synthesis of common and unique characteristics in the constructed processes.FindingsEvidence from the crosscase analysis suggests that the widely accepted four-phase digital innovation process (including discovery, development, diffusion and post-diffusion) does not account for the explorative nature of data analytics and DDI. We propose an extended process comprising an explicit exploration phase before development, where refinement of the innovation concept and exploring social relationships are essential. Our analysis also suggests two modes of DDI: (1) asynchronous, i.e. data acquired before development and (2) synchronous, i.e. data acquired after (or during) development. We discuss the implications of these modes on the DDI process and the participants in the innovation network.Originality/valueThe paper proposes an extended version of the digital innovation process that is more specifically suited for DDI. We also provide an early explanation to the variation in DDI process complexities by highlighting the different modes of DDI processes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical investigation of DDI following the process from early stages of discovery till postdiffusion.

Managing knowledge in open innovation processes: an intellectual property perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1384-1405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Bican ◽  
Carsten C. Guderian ◽  
Anne Ringbeck
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Modus Operandi ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Innovation Processes

Purpose As firms turn their innovation activities toward collaborating with external partners, they face additional challenges in managing their knowledge. While different modes of intellectual property right regimes are applied in closed innovation systems, there seems to be tension between the concepts of “open innovation” and “intellectual property rights”. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how firms best manage knowledge via intellectual property rights in open innovation processes. Design/methodology/approach Following a mixed methods approach, the authors review relevant literature at the intersection of knowledge management, intellectual property rights, strategic management of intellectual property rights and the open innovation process. The authors identify success drivers through the lenses of – but not limited to – intellectual property rights and classify them in five distinct groups. Expending the view on open innovation beyond its modus operandi, the authors develop the Open Innovation Life Cycle, covering three stages and three levels of the open innovation process. The authors apply their findings to a case study in the pharmaceutical industry. Findings The authors provide four key contributions. First, existing literature yields inconclusive results concerning the enabling or disabling function of intellectual property rights in open innovation processes, but the majority of scholars detect an ambivalent relation. Second, they identify and classify success drivers of successful knowledge management via intellectual property rights in open innovation processes. Third, they advance literature on open innovation beyond its modus operandi to include three stages and three levels. Fourth, they test their findings to a case study and show how management leverages knowledge by properly using intellectual property rights in open innovation. Practical implications The findings support firms in managing knowledge via intellectual property rights in open innovation processes. Management should account for the peculiarities of open innovation preparation and open innovation termination to prevent unintentional knowledge drain. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to view open innovation as a process beyond its modus operandi by considering the preparations for and termination of open innovation activities. It also addresses the levels involved in managing knowledge via intellectual property rights in open innovation from individual (personal) to project and firm level.

scholarly journals Multi Domain Design: Integration and Reuse

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krijn Woestenenk ◽  
Hans Tragter ◽  
G. Maarten Bonnema ◽  
Andre´s A. Alvarez Cabrera ◽  
Tetsuo Tomiyama
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Design Tools ◽  
Combined Approach ◽  
Mechatronic Systems ◽  
Time To Market ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Design Objects ◽  
Design Integration ◽  
Reusable Design

Design of mechatronic systems is becoming increasingly complex. Companies must continuously reduce time-to-market while increasing the quality, diversity, and functionality of their products. As a result, more and more specialists from various domains are needed to develop such products. To reduce time-to-market, many companies look to reducing the time it takes to design a product. Many focus on the reuse of design objects, leading to libraries of templates and standard components to speed up their design process. However, these reusable design objects are developed and maintained in the specialists’ domains, resulting in communication and integration issues between these domains. This paper discusses these issues and proposes a combined approach for model reuse, design integration, and communication between the designers, design tools, and models involved. A case study at a multi-national company successfully demonstrated that the approach leads to a faster and more consistent design process.

scholarly journals A STRUCTURED PROCESS FOR TRANSFERRING ACADEMIC RESEARCH INTO INNOVATION PROJECTS – PIMES CASE STUDY

2014 ◽  
pp. 248-256
Author(s):  
Carsten Wolff ◽  
Burkhard Igel ◽  
Uwe Lauschner
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Constant Flow ◽  
Web Based ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovative Idea ◽  
Innovation Processes ◽  
Early Phases

Academic research is promoting the free mind. The intention is to discover new findings in early phases of the innovation process. The researchers consider their creativity to be dependent on freedom and openness. Nevertheless, today’s research institutions are large and many of them conduct a business projects requiring a constant flow of projects and results. The challenge is to use professional innovation processes without destroying creativity and freedom. Ideas need to have a chance to result into a research project and scientists need to be protected from too much administration. Innovation processes for academic research need to be lean, simple, efficient and effective. This paper presents processes and tools for the early phase of transferring an innovative idea into a funding project. They are based on an IT platform which allows web based access from any place at any time. Results from the application in a research group are evaluated.

Communities of Practice as Tool of Enhancing Competitiveness in Rising Economies

2016 ◽  
pp. 146-164
Author(s):  
Liliana Mitkova
Keyword(s):  
External Environment ◽  
Innovation System ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Technological Competition ◽  
Technological Potential ◽  
External Sources ◽  
In The Beginning ◽  
Opening Up ◽  
Innovation Processes

Many firms realize that opening up traditional firm-centered innovation processes holds enormous advantages and are also trying to tap these benefits. The open oriented management means that firms are able to enhance their external collaboration ability by acquiring knowledge from external sources, as well as benefit financially by using external paths to market for internally generated technologies. In this model firms pay particular attention to the connections between the results of Research and Development (R&D), the technological potential of the external stakeholders and the environmental opportunities. This chapter adopts structural analysis examining the role that communities of practices may play as a tool for the implementation of the open-mode of innovation in the specific case of China. Current studies on Chinese innovation process are in the beginning and the Chinese firms face the question how to organize the open model and the exchanges with external environment in the global technological competition. This study examines if the communities of practices are their place in Chinese innovation system in an example of a relevant case study.

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