Breaking through innovation barriers: Linking effectuation orientation to innovation performance

This study aims to understand how firms overcome market-based innovation barriers and achieve innovation performance using the effectuation orientation construct. In so doing, we provide more nuanced insights into how the combination of mindsets and actions helps firms to overcome barriers. Based on a quantitative research design, data from 157 established organizations show variations in how effectual actions are related to perceived innovation barriers. Among the conclusions we draw from the results is the fact that effectual contingency and effectual means orientation are negatively associated with market-based innovation barriers, which are in turn negatively associated with a firm’s innovation performance. Overall, the empirical results provide new insights into the literature of both innovation and entrepreneurship.     

Using input—output models for planning in groups with considerable inter-company trading

In any group where a lot of inter-company trading takes place and where the member companies are allowed a degree of autonomy, conflicts of interest will arise. Actions taken by individual companies in their own best interest will, on occasion, be detrimental to the group as a whole. Furthermore, the accounts relating to a particular company will tell head office management very little about the through-group profitability of the products concerned. Nor will the usual accounts and statistics throw much light on the extent to which individual companies or processes depend on the group's main end markets, since in many cases these companies will be largely or partly concerned with supplying other members of the organization.It follows that in such groups an information system is needed which will not reflect the organizational structure of the enterprise—as do individual company accounts—but which will provide top management with an overall group view. It should also make a contribution, both towards resolving any conflicts of interest which might occur, and to improving the overall return on group assets employed.This article examines the role of the micro input–output model in this situation with particular reference to its application in areas where conflicts of interest between the group and its member companies are likely to arise.     

中小企业协同创新网络与创新绩效的实证研究

基于188家中小型制造业企业的问卷调查数据,运用结构方程模型探讨不同的协同创新网络和企业创新绩效的关系.研究结果表明:"企业-企业"、"企业-中介"和"企业-研究组织"等协同创新网络对企业创新绩效有着显着的正向效应,而"企业-政府"协同创新网络对企业创新绩效没有直接效应,但却存在显着的间接效应.研究证实,不同的协同创新网络对企业创新绩效的影响程度存在显着差异,其中 "企业-企业"协同创新网络对提升企业创新绩效的效应最为显著.研究还表明,垂直和水平的协同创新网络对企业创新绩效的作用程度不同,同顾客、供应企业的垂直协同相比水平协同对企业创新绩效的推动作用更为显著.     

Product innovation through module dynamics: A case study

The modularity of products is progressing in many industries. This paper uses a case study to analyze the process of integrating personal computer (PC) and numerical control (NC) machine tools, and conceptualizes as module dynamics the product innovation that works in modular products. Module dynamics refers to the process of product innovation that occur in highest-order modules of modular products and that is achieved through a two-stage process of partitioning and integrating modules.     

Reference model for implementing ERP systems: an analytical innovation networks perspective

The process for implementing ERP systems is related with the identification of a large range of variables (organisational goals, business rules, business processes, actors, resources and specifics and unique concepts to support these variables). The main agents related to the implementation are the solution supplier, the customer company and the consulting service. If the implementation process is addressed as an organisational innovation, the question is: How to coordinate the ERP implementation resources from an innovation agents network? In order to answer this question, a reference model is proposed for the formation and management of an innovation agent’s network for ERP implementation. The research method is based on a multi-case study for identifying the requirements and to elaborate the reference model applying a modelling method the Enterprise Knowledge Development (EKD). As results, the reference model in an analytical perspective of innovation networks and their drivers, enables to identify, understand and support the process of implementing ERP systems under the EKD models they are: goals; business rules; business processes; actors and resources; concepts; technical components and requirements.     

Linking business models with technological innovation performance through organizational learning

This study examines how business models affect technological innovation performance through the mediating role of organizational learning. Using hierarchical regression analysis with data from 173 Chinese manufacturing firms embedded in global manufacturing networks, this study shows that both efficiency-centered and novelty-centered business models affect organizational learning. The results also demonstrate that organizational learning fully mediates the relationship between efficiency-centered business models and technological innovation performance and partially mediates the relationship between novelty-centered business models and technological innovation performance. This study provides new insights into the influence of business models on technological innovation performance by showing the indirect influence of business models. This study may help managers better understand the influence of business models on technological innovation performance.     

Complementary effects of clusters and networks on firm innovation: A conceptual model

We develop a conceptual model that explains how a firm's cluster and network complement each other in enhancing the firm's likelihood of technological innovations. We identify critical innovation catalysts-awareness and motivation—and innovation barriers—resource constraints, organizational rigidity, and uncertainty. Our conceptual model explains how various factors in the cluster such as competitive intensity, social interaction intensity, and cluster vitality and network factors such as resource potential, acquisition orientation, co-development orientation, and network vitality impact innovation catalysts and barriers and subsequently the firm's likelihood of generating incremental and breakthrough innovations. We discuss several promising avenues for future research.     

A framework for evaluating the benefits of collaborative technologies in engineering innovation networks

In times of rapid economic change, the decrease in knowledge value becomes inversely proportional to its speed of obsolescence, with successful organisations seeking to connect more rapidly and more effectively with others in the creation of new knowledge. The past decade has seen a growing interest in communities of practice as a method for transferring and generating knowledge within product development, rooted as they are in the nature of knowledge creation as a socially embedded process. Given the widespread adoption of collaborative technologies as facilitative platforms for innovation in the interactions of contemporary communities of practice, the objective of this research is to develop an evaluation paradigm and employ it to examine how such interaction is facilitated through the medium of Web 2.0 technologies. The contribution of this research to theory and innovation technology practice will be to further the understanding of collaborative technologies by examining the impact of Web 2.0 technologies on engineering innovation networks. Furthermore, it brings together the three diverse research areas of technology innovation, internet collaborative tools and psychological barriers and enablers.     

Energy conservation through resource-aware movement in heterogeneous mobile ad hoc networks

Energy conservation in mobile ad hoc networks is of paramount importance because most mobile nodes usually have very limited energy supply. Previous research on this issue focused on the design at the network or MAC or physical layer. In this paper, we study this problem from the new perspective of node mobility, i.e., analyzing the impact of node movement on energy conservation. In particular, armed with the inherent resource heterogeneity in mobile ad hoc networks, we propose a novel resource-aware movement strategy to make better use of some powerful nodes to achieve energy conservation. We also formulate the resource-aware movement as a NP-complete distance-constrained least-cost (DCLC) routing problem and propose an efficient heuristic solution. Extensive simulations have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.     

Designing interorganizational networks for innovation: An empirical examination of network configuration, formation and governance

Strategic SME networks have received significant policy attention, yet a review of the current literature reveals limited attention to the factors that contribute to network innovation. This study examines the influence of the number of member firms (network size), the extent to which a network is based on firm incentives (bottom-up formation), and the extent of development of the governance structure (size of administrative function) on a network's innovative performance. Latent growth modeling with longitudinal data from 53 networks reveals that larger networks and bottom-up formed networks achieve greater innovative performance, and that the administrative function partially mediates these effects.     

Promoting business model innovation through social media strategic capability: A moderated mediation model

The rapid development of social media has significantly affected organizational innovation activities. However, scant research has investigated how social media, as an important innovative tool within the corporate landscape, influences firm business model innovation (BMI). This paper provides an initial investigation into whether, and how, social media can be used to promote firm BMI. Drawing on the strategic capability literature, the study examines the relationship between social media strategic capability (SMSC) and BMI by focusing on the mediating role of strategic flexibility and the moderating effects of top management team (TMT) heterogeneity and environmental dynamism. Empirical results from a sample of 283 Chinese firms with two key informants each show a significant and positive association between SMSC and BMI, which is mediated by strategic flexibility. In addition, moderated path analyses indicate that TMT heterogeneity positively moderates the SMSC–strategic flexibility path, while environmental dynamism positively moderates the strategic flexibility–BMI path in the mediated relationship. Theoretical and practical implications of this study for both social media and BMI research are discussed.     

Overcoming pandemic challenges through product innovation: The role of digital technologies and servitization

The fast-changing scenario related to the COVID-19 pandemic calls for firms to rapidly redefine and innovate their strategies to sustain their businesses, with research emphasizing the key roles of digital technologies and servitization. We aim to enrich the theoretical debate on this matter by assessing how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) achieve product innovation under time constraints by leveraging two specific technology groups (information and communication technologies [ICT] and Industry 4.0 data-processing technologies) and servitization. The research is based on a mixed-method approach consisting of an original survey completed by 257 Italian SMEs (grounded on a previous qualitative study about such SMEs' behaviors during the first Italian lockdown), followed by in-depth interviews with the owners and/or managers of the eight SMEs that participated in the survey. The results show a positive relationship between the increased use of digital technologies (ICT and Industry 4.0 data-processing technologies) during the pandemic with servitization and, in turn, with product innovation. Specifically, the increased use of ICT during the pandemic had a direct positive effect on product innovation, while Industry 4.0 data-processing technologies affected product innovation only through the full mediation of servitization. The qualitative study allowed us to highlight how the different kinds of digital technologies supported SMEs’ innovation (servitization and product innovation) during the pandemic. The theoretical and practical contributions of this study are discussed.     

Building global dynamic capabilities through innovation: A case study of Taiwan's cultural organizations

This case study analyzes global dynamic capabilities, firm specific advantages (FSAs), and the international expansion of cultural enterprises in Taiwan from the viewpoint of sustainable development. From our exploratory study, we identify six global dynamic capabilities as the driving forces behind the creation of new cultural products that revitalize a company through continuous innovation. Each global dynamic capability actually leverages the company's resources. The case study results show that technology-based FSAs help cultural organizations globalize their business and create value. There are two global expansion paths that cultural organizations can take to increase value which are discussed in our paper.     

Implementation of customisation strategies in collaborative networks through an innovative Reference Framework

Consumer needs and expectations of specific target groups – such as elderly, obese, disabled or diabetic persons – are arising as challenging opportunities for European companies which are asked to supply innovative customised goods of high quality at affordable price. This is particularly true in the fashion as well as in the orthopaedic sector where there are many different competences to conjugate to offer dedicated products to the mentioned target groups. This paper aims at proposing a reference model to support companies in defining collaborative supply networks for customised production. In particular, this work describes the implementation of the developed model in a real case highlighting the changes implied at network level to address the need for fashionable and healthy products.     

Cooperative innovation through a talent management pool: A qualitative study on coopetition in healthcare

In recent years, the Dutch healthcare sector has been confronted with increased competition. Not only are financial resources scarce, Dutch hospitals also need to compete with other hospitals in the same geographic area to attract and retain talented employees due to considerable labour shortages. However, four hospitals operating in the same region are cooperating to cope with these shortages by developing a joint Talent Management Pool. ‘Coopetiton’ is a concept used for simultaneous cooperation and competition. In this paper, a case study is performed in order to enhance our understanding of coopetition. Among other things, the findings suggest that perceptions of organizational actors on competition differ and might hinder cooperative innovation with competitors, while perceived shared problems and resource constraints stimulate coopetition. We reflect on the current coopetition literature in light of the research findings, which have implications for future research on this topic.     

Business innovation through strategic community creation: a case study of multimedia business field in Japan

For the last few years, the video conferencing system market represented by multimedia technology has enjoyed strong growth in Japan. Behind the recent upturn in this market was the strategic alliance of NTT, Japan’s largest telecommunications carrier, and PictureTel of the US, followed by the birth of business communities centered around or outside NTT, thus intensively creating and boosting a new market referred to as interactive video communication. This case study reviews the challenges that faced NTT, one of the big businesses in Japan, followed by PictureTel and other players within and outside NTT, all of which were lined up to create various strategic business communities. The article gives careful consideration to the measures taken by these players who achieved success in such a way as to alter employee consciousness, vitalize organizational morale, entrench the new NTT “Phoenix” brand (video conferencing system) in the Japanese market, and create an emergent new video conferencing market.     

You don’t forget where you come from: linking formation and operations in publicly funded innovation networks

Abstract

Publicly funded innovation networks (PFINs) are an increasing form of organizing joint innovation activities. Yet, little is known about this form of organization which mixes characteristics of centralized and de-centralized innovation networks. This research investigates how processes of network formation affect its operation in PFINs as a hybrid form between centralized and de-centralized networks. Presenting rich data from a PFIN in the Scandinavian maritime industry, the findings show three patterns linking network formation and operation. The first pattern – well-aligned centralized and de-centralized approaches – in network formation resulted in well-functioning network operation. The second pattern – misalignment between centralized and de-centralized approaches in network formation resulted in stagnating innovation activities during network operation. The third pattern – a pre-dominant de-centralized approach during network formation resulted in unconnected sub-activities during network operation. This research contributes by showing the importance of utilizing both centralized and de-centralized approaches and aligning them to enable well-functioning network formation and operation.