Innovation capabilities in food and beverages and technology -based innovation projects

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mersiha Tepic ◽  
Frances Fortuin ◽  
Ron G.M. Kemp ◽  
Onno Omta
Keyword(s):  
Success Factors ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food And Beverages ◽  
Functional Capabilities ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to establish the differences between the food and beverages (F&B) and technology-based industries with regards to the relation between previously identified success factors and innovation project performance. Design/methodology/approach – These differences are established on the basis of logistic regression analysis, using 38 innovation projects (18 F&B and 20 technology-based). Findings – Newness of the innovation project to the company, communication capabilities and market potential have a more negative impact on innovation project performance in the F&B than the tech-based industry. Especially functional upstream capabilities increase the likelihood of success in F&B, when compared to tech-based innovation projects. Practical implications – While functional upstream capabilities are important for success of F&B innovation projects, there is still room for improvement in order to deal effectively with newness of the innovation project to the company. Internalization of resources from the network and a balanced radical/incremental innovation project portfolio contribute to additional enhancement of functional capabilities of the F&B companies, improving their capacity to deal with newness. Through a larger focus on co-innovation with retail, F&B companies can improve their intra- and inter-firm communication capabilities to attain more consumer-oriented integration of R&D and marketing activities, improving the market potential of their innovations. Originality/value – This paper demonstrates that the previously identified critical success factors for innovation projects differ in impact and importance for F&B innovation project performance when compared to innovation projects in the technology-based industry.

scholarly journals Measuring radical innovation project success: typical metrics don’t work

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 34-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimmi Normann Kristiansen ◽  
Paavo Ritala
Keyword(s):  
Radical Innovation ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Firms ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose Firms frequently struggle with measuring the performance of their radical innovation activities. Due to the uncertainty and ambiguity involved, key performance indicators (KPIs) used for incremental innovation projects are often not useful in this context. The purpose of this paper is to explore suitable KPIs particularly useful for radical innovation projects. Design/methodology/approach This study first reviews commonly used measures for innovation projects, which is then followed by case-study evidence from three industry-leading international firms. This study includes 13 in-depth interviews with innovation managers and directors in these firms, providing insights on how they measure the progress and performance of radical innovation projects. Findings KPIs used commonly in incremental innovation showed lackluster results in the case firms and were problematic for radical innovation context. A key finding was that radical innovation project performance should be evaluated based on the process rather than on the expected outcome. Concurrently, based on the literature review and the cases, three sets of KPIs with 13 specific KPIs useful for radical innovation projects are proposed. Originality/value The paper addresses a core challenge in using established KPIs in a radical innovation context. The paper gathers and synthesizes a range of measurement points suitable for radical innovation projects and provides specific suggestions for appropriate metrics that innovation managers can use.

Reducing uncertainties in innovation projects through intra-organisational collaboration: a systematic literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rola Imad Fanousse ◽  
Dilupa Nakandala ◽  
Yi-Chen Lan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Organisational Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis article provides the first systematic review of literature on effective organisational practices for reducing innovation project uncertainties to promote project performance. Innovation is the lifeblood of organisations, while simultaneously being one of the most challenging processes to manage. This systematic review seeks to examine best practice for reducing uncertainties and thus mitigate the high failure rates in innovation projects.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides a systematic review of the literature on innovation project management and encourages an understanding of how intra-organisational collaboration reduces uncertainty and thus increases project performance.FindingsBased on an analysis of the systematic literature review findings, the impact of intra-organisational collaboration in reducing uncertainties in innovation projects is uncovered. Three types of project uncertainties were found to be dominant in the context of innovation project management: task, technological and market uncertainties. Five dimensions of intra-organisational collaboration are also identified, namely collaborative relationship, collaborative leadership, communicating and sharing information, trust formation and joint decision-making.Originality/valueThe authors situate five intra-organisational collaboration dimensions as key mechanisms that yield organisational learning as an outcome. On the other hand, they also uncovered that organisational learning is a key enabler in the relationship between intra-organisational collaboration and task, market and technological uncertainties reduction. Therefore, intra-organisational collaboration is identified as a critical practice in enhancing the performance of innovation projects. The study proposes a multi-dimensional conceptual model, providing a mechanism for furthering a research agenda for improving the performance of innovation projects.

Managing triadic supplier relationships in collaborative innovation projects: a relational view perspective

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Patrucco ◽  
Christine Mary Harland ◽  
Davide Luzzini ◽  
Federico Frattini
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Relational View ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complementary Resources ◽  
Triadic Relationships ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project

Purpose Suppliers are essential partners in innovation projects, as they own resources, knowledge assets and capabilities that complement those of buying firms. In today’s competitive environment, firms may choose to collaborate with suppliers beyond dyads, forming triadic or three-party relationships. Using the theoretical lens of the relational view (RV), this study aims to explore what type of triad configurations firms use to govern supplier relationships in collaborative innovation projects, how they choose to share resources and implications for project performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors use interview data from buyers and suppliers in six case studies of firms involved in ten collaborative innovation projects. The four constructs of the RV are used to observe how firms govern triadic relationships, combine complementary resources, invest in relationship-specific assets and manage information and knowledge exchange with and between suppliers in innovation projects. Findings Four archetypes of triadic relationships in innovation projects – labeled Triangle, A-frame, D-Frame and Line – are presented and characterized in terms of their structural and relational features. The authors discuss how each triad archetype is applicable to different innovation projects according to specific project characteristics. Originality/value This study is pioneering in its empirical examination of triadic relationships in collaborative innovation projects. It provides a novel typology of four archetypes of triad from the perspective of collaborative relationships with suppliers. Through applying the RV, it advances understanding of how triadic relationships are governed, how they invest in relationship-specific assets, how they combine complementary resources and how they exchange knowledge and information in each type of triad appropriate to different innovation project settings. To date, much of the extant literature has focused on dyads.

Robustness-based multi-objective optimization for repetitive projects under work continuity uncertainty

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 3095-3113
Author(s):  
Lihui Zhang ◽  
Guyu Dai ◽  
Xin Zou ◽  
Jianxun Qi
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo Simulation ◽  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Multi Objective Optimization ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
New Type

PurposeInterrupting work continuity provides a way to improve some project performance, but unexpected and harmful interruptions may impede the implementation. This paper aims to mitigate the negative impact caused by work continuity uncertainty based on the notion of robustness.Design/methodology/approachThis paper develops a float-based robustness measurement method for the work continuity uncertainty in repetitive projects. A multi-objective optimization model is formulated to generate a schedule that achieves a balance between crew numbers and robustness. This model is solved using two modules: optimization module and decision-making module. The Monte Carlo simulation is designed to validate the effectiveness of the generated schedule.FindingsThe results confirmed that it is necessary to consider the robustness as an essential factor when scheduling a repetitive project with uncertainty. Project managers may develop a schedule that is subject to delays if they only make decisions according to the results of the deadline satisfaction problem. The Monte Carlo simulation validated that an appropriate way to measure robustness is conducive to generating a schedule that can avoid unnecessary delay, compared to the schedule generated by the traditional model.Originality/valueAvailable studies assume that the work continuity is constant, but it cannot always be maintained when affected by uncertainty. This paper regards the work continuity as a new type of uncertainty factor and investigates how to mitigate its negative effects. The proposed float-based robustness measurement can measure the ability of a schedule to absorb unpredictable and harmful interruptions, and the proposed multi-objective scheduling model provides a way to incorporate the uncertainty into a schedule.

scholarly journals Integrating risk management in the innovation project

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bowers ◽  
Alireza Khorakian
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Project Risk Management ◽  
Project Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project

Purpose – While innovation has many similarities to other forms of projects it is characterised by a high failure rate and the need to stimulate creativity. More explicit risk management could help in achieving success in innovation projects. However, too much or inappropriate risk management might stifle the creativity that is core to innovation. So, what project risk management should be applied and where in the innovation project? Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is proposed which combines the generic innovation process with project risk management. The framework was used to analyse the current attitudes to managing innovation risk in a series of companies. Findings – The decision points of the stage-gate innovation process model provide an effective interface for incorporating project risk concepts. The general concepts appear most relevant to innovation management though it is useful to customise them to emphasise the particular characteristics of innovation projects. The experience of using the resultant combined model in a number of diverse case studies indicates the relevance of the model in understanding attitudes towards risk management in innovation. The analysis of the case study companies suggested that risk management needs to be applied in differential manner: simple, unobtrusive techniques early in the innovation life cycle with more substantial, quantitative methods being considered for later stages. Research limitations/implications – It would be useful to extend this research by examining more case studies from other countries and industries. Practical implications – The combined innovation and risk management model provides a framework that diverse companies can appreciate. The framework offers a basis for discussing the most appropriate form of risk management in different innovation-based industries. Originality/value – Although there are many separate models for innovation and project risk management described in the literature, there is very little discussion about explicitly combining these theories. This paper aims to help fill this gap in the knowledge.

Comparing private label and manufacturer brand innovation projects in a Dutch Food processing company

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-67
Author(s):  
S.W.F. Omta ◽  
F.T.J.M. Fortuin
Keyword(s):  
Private Label ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Business Units ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
Innovation Project ◽  
New Type ◽  
Cooperative Innovation ◽  
Manufacturer Brand

The time when private labels consisted only of low-priced, low-quality products has long gone. A new type of cooperative innovation project has emerged in which food processors and retailers work closely together to target consumers with new and innovative products. These so-called high-end private label innovation projects can be typified as Early Customer Integration (ECI) projects. ECI projects may show a higher level of market orientation than manufacturer brand innovation projects, which companies carry out entirely in-house. However, ECI might lead to more incremental innovation because of the path dependency of the customer input. The present paper aims to fill this gap by investigating these assumptions by analysing the innovation portfolio of a leading Dutch producer and exporter of processed food products that produces manufacturer brand, high-end private label as well as traditional low-end tendered private label products. Twenty innovation projects, 10 manufacturer brand, 7 high-end private label and 3 traditional low-end private label innovation projects, including 76 respondents, were investigated using the Wageningen Innovation Assessment Toolkit. All respondents were employees of the company and members of the cross-functional project team of the innovation project that they assessed. In total 17 R&D staff members, 10 marketing and sales managers and 8 managers from the business units filled out the questionnaires. Based on the finding that the high-end private label projects showed the highest scores on product superiority it may be concluded that ECI indeed helps to better understand and fulfil consumer demands. It must also be concluded that the lower scores of high-end private label projects on product novelty are an indication that, ECI may have led to more incremental innovation.

Governance and performance in co-exploitation and co-exploration projects

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 875-894
Author(s):  
Miguel Solís-Molina ◽  
Miguel Hernández-Espallardo ◽  
Augusto Rodríguez-Orejuela
Keyword(s):  
Governance Mechanism ◽  
Informal Governance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project ◽  
Contractual Governance ◽  
Complementary Assets ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The One

Purpose This study aims to investigate how contractual vs. informal governance influences the performance of collaborative innovation projects considering their exploitation vs. exploration character. Design/methodology/approach Data are collected from a sample of 218 companies that have developed innovative projects in collaboration with other organizations. Regression models are estimated to test the hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that contractual governance is the most effective for co-exploitation projects compared to informal governance. Specialization in either contractual or informal governance is more effective for co-exploration projects. Practical implications Developing collaborative innovation projects with other organizations is an alternative for firms to innovate either by exploiting complementary assets or by exploring new opportunities. Thus, the success of the collaborative innovation project is significantly affected by the way the collaboration is governed. On the one hand, for co-exploitation projects, companies should rely on contracts to improve their performance. On the other hand, for co-exploration projects, governance may specialize in either contracts or informal mechanisms to reach higher performance. Originality/value Despite previous studies analyzing the effect of contractual or informal governance on the performance of collaborative innovation projects, no research has focused on comparing simultaneously these effects, by using the innovation character of the project of co-exploitation or co-exploration as a moderator. Therefore, this paper explores comparatively the most effective type of governance mechanism for co-exploitation and co-exploration projects.

Factors affecting the performance of private party in concession-based PPP projects in Nigeria

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akintayo Opawole ◽  
Godwin Onajite Jagboro
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Southwestern Nigeria ◽  
Relative Significance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Private Party

Purpose Notwithstanding the remarkable market potential of the Nigerian economy for private investment, the current sociopolitical characteristics had necessitated a careful assessment to inform decisions in long-term investments. The purpose of this paper is therefore to evaluate the success factors that have a specific influence on private party’s performance in concession contracts in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Respondents involved in the study were participants in concession-based contracts in Southwestern Nigeria that included architects, estate surveyors, quantity surveyors, engineers and builders, accountants/bankers/economists and lawyers. These were selected using random and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) approaches. The research instrument adopted was a questionnaire that enlisted questions which were structured to ensure that the respondents have appropriate experience in concession-based projects and hold appropriate positions as decision-makers so as to give credence to collected data. The highest significant factors were identified through the relative significance index (RSI). By exploring factor analysis, the factors were condensed for discussion under appropriate component headings. The value of Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO, 0.755) measure of sampling adequacy tests carried out showed that the data collected were adequate for the factor analysis, and the Bartlett’s test of sphericity (χ2 = 1,799.339; df = 630; p < 0.001) was highly significant. Findings Factors influencing private party performance clustered under eight components, namely, technical, market maturity, political, legal, finance, procurement, incentive and regulation. However, component items including level of understanding of public–private alliance transactions, stability of exchange rate and provisions for reversion of policies were found to be highly significant. On the other hand, status of domestication and implementation of international laws/codes, predictability in legal regime and enforcement and extent of jurisdictional definition of land usage were least significant. Originality/value Findings would guide private investors in the preparation of robust investment packages that reduce risks and seemingly unavoidable opportunistic tendencies associated with public–private partnership projects in developing economies.

Finding the roots: experimentation in innovation project management

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Henrique Dutra de Abreu Mancini de Azevedo ◽  
Larissa Passos Silva
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Skills ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Innovation Project

PurposeProject management practices have been losing its central place in innovation processes within the companies due to its excessive control-oriented phased approach. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose and examine the project management practitioners' experiences on the systematic use of an experimentation framework to manage innovation projects.Design/methodology/approachThree case studies were carried out in three different Brazilian companies for a ten month period. The authors have chosen these companies for the following reasons: they were all in an innovation context; they have never carried out a project based on experimentation and they had previous experience with project management traditional tools.FindingsThe findings have shown that our framework can contribute to the project management available toolkit; once the rigid experimentation process, the authors’ proposed made it easier for project management practitioners to adapt to more flexible approaches. Nonetheless, stakeholders' involvement has shown to be a key success factor on the deployment of the framework.Practical implicationsManagers still need to add expertise in flexible methods into their managerial skills, so they are able to deal with innovation just as they deal with traditional processes they were trained to. This suggestion can also be extended to the business schools.Originality/valueThe case studies have shown that traditional project management practices can also be applied in innovation projects. So despite of generally being the opposite of an experimentation process, those practices are relevant in project management discipline, which means that formal project management training is still a good ally to project management practitioners.

Association between technological innovation and firm performance in small and medium-sized enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dja Shin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Radical Innovation ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Incremental Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Strategies ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose In developing countries, numerous small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must innovate because of their scarce resources. This study aims to address the ambidextrous innovation (radical and incremental) associated with firm performance on the SMEs and investigate the moderating effect of environmental factors on the relationship between technological innovation and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors formulate a path model with the variables to investigate the impacts of the two different innovation strategies and their joint effects on firm performance. Meanwhile, they hypothesized that external environmental factors – market dynamism, labour availability, business cost and competitive hostility – moderate the association of radical and incremental innovations with firm performance. The validity of the proposed model was evaluated using a structural equation modelling approach. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the convergent validity of the constructs. Findings The authors find that positive association between radical innovation and firm performance; it shows that the radical innovation strategies are positively related to firm performance in SMEs. They also find that the relationship between radical innovation and firm performance has moderated by environmental factors. Second, they find that the incremental innovation strategies have a negative impact to firm performance, and the relationship between incremental innovation and firm performance has no moderated by environmental factors. Practical implications This paper suggests that the managers of SMEs must involve in technological innovation, and offer fourth main implications above. In particular, the authors forewarn SMEs’ managers of the necessity of generating that the relationship between radical innovation and firm performance has moderated by environmental factors, there are approaches fourth items around. Originality/value This study highlights the crucial importance of the mediating role of environmental dynamism when examining the relationship between ambidexterity (radical and incremental innovations) with firm performance; firms can perceive environmental factors and develop technological innovation strategies to enhance business performance.

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