Identifying and describing constituents of innovation ecosystems

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pegah Yaghmaie ◽  
Wim Vanhaverbeke
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Focus ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Purpose Innovation ecosystems have not been defined univocally. The authors compare the different approaches to innovation ecosystems in the literature, the link with open innovation, the value creating and value capturing processes in innovation ecosystems, and the need to orchestrate them properly. In this way, the purpose of this paper is to provide a highly needed, concise overview of the state of the art in innovation ecosystem thinking. Design/methodology/approach A systematic screening of the literature searching for publications focusing on innovation ecosystems is carried out in the paper. The authors found 30 publications and compared the different approaches to innovation ecosystems: the authors classify them according to industries, the level of analysis, their central focus on innovation ecosystems, whether frameworks are developed in the publications, the main actors, focus on SMEs or large companies, the success of innovation ecosystems and the role of the orchestrator. Findings The authors found different approaches to innovation ecosystems in the literature. Some papers look at the link with open innovation, and others at the value creating and value capturing processes in innovation ecosystems, the role of orchestrators, etc. The authors also provide an overview about the industries, the level of analysis, the central focus of the research, the main actors in the networks and the success factors. The authors observe that most publications have been written in Europe and apply to European ecosystems. The approach in Europe is, to some extent, also different from the main focus of leading American scholars. Research limitations/implications The authors compare different approaches to innovation ecosystems. This provides a highly needed understanding of the state of the art in innovation ecosystem thinking. There are some limitations as well: the paper only does a literature review, and the authors are not developing a new framework to study innovation ecosystems. Practical implications The literature overview is not primarily focused on practitioners, but the tables in the paper provide a quick overview of good management practices for setting up and managing innovation ecosystems. Social implications Innovations ecosystems are, in some cases, established to solve major societal problems such as changes in healthcare, energy systems, etc. Therefore, they require the interaction between different types of partners including universities, research institutes and governmental agencies. Studying innovation ecosystems is crucial to facilitate social or societal changes. Originality/value The paper presents a highly needed overview of the literature about innovation ecosystems and a concise examination of the different aspects that are studied so far.

The government’s role in creating an innovation ecosystem: the Springfield Armory as hub in the Connecticut River Valley

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-579
Author(s):  
Robert C. Ford ◽  
Keenan D. Yoho
Keyword(s):  
River Valley ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Connecticut River ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Connecticut River Valley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate, through the example of the Springfield Armory and its role in the development of interchangeable parts, the critical role of government in establishing a cluster of organizations that evolved into an innovation ecosystem primarily located in the Connecticut River Valley in the 1800s. Using the Springfield Armory example, we use the related but largely unjoined concepts of ecosystem and networks to show that these organizational forms are effective in driving innovation. Design/methodology/approach The design uses an in-depth analysis of the role of the Springfield Armory to explicate the joining of network and ecosystem theory as an early example of the importance of governmental funding and support for innovation. Findings The development of interchangeable parts in the American arms industry in the 19th century transformed manufacturing worldwide. At the heart of this transformation was the network of arms makers that developed in the Connecticut River Valley as a direct result of US Government investment and support. This network of arms makers evolved into an ecosystem of mutually reinforcing relationships as machine tool manufacturers benefited from an environment of free-flowing intellectual property, information and growing governmental demand for arms. The Armory illustrates the government’s role in initiating and sustaining clusters of innovation that otherwise might not have developed as quickly. Originality/value Much of the research on the role of government in creating innovation ecosystems and organizational networks is based on modern organizations. This use of the Springfield Armory in the early 1800s broadens the knowledge on how innovation ecosystems in conjunction with networked organizations can be created by governments serving the public good.

The role of sustainability in the relationship between migration and smart cities: a bibliometric review

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Mohamad Mouazen ◽  
Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The State ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bibliometric Review ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Smart cities attract efficient and profitable economic activities, contribute to the societal welfare of their citizens and foster the efficient use and conservation of natural resources. Developing smart cities has become a priority for many developed countries, but as they are preferred destinations for migrants, this raises sustainability issues. They attract people who are seeking a better quality of life, smart services and solutions, a better environment and business activities. The purpose of this paper is to review the state of the art on the relationship between smart cities and migration, with a view to determining sustainability. Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric review and text mining analyses were conducted on publications between 2000 and 2019. Findings The results determined the main parameters of this research topic in terms of its growth, top journals and articles. The role of sustainability in the relationship between smart cities and migration is also identified, highlighting the special interest of its social dimension. Originality/value A bibliometric approach has not been used previously to investigate the link between smart cities and migration. However, given the current relevance of both phenomena, their emergence and growth, this approach is appropriate in determining the state of the art and its main descriptors, with special emphasis on the sustainability implications.

Open innovation actions and innovation performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Greco ◽  
Michele Grimaldi ◽  
Livio Cricelli
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Innovations ◽  
Product And Process Innovation ◽  
Product And Process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the recurrences in the empirical evidences that link open innovation (OI) actions and innovation performance in European countries. It provides managers with useful strategic suggestions, emphasizes the limitations of the state of the art, and recommends future directions of research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors systematically reviewed empirical articles linking OI actions and innovation performance in European countries, published on peer reviewed journals from January 2003 until May 2013. The authors organized the evidences according to a novel taxonomy grounded in the literature. Findings – The paper shows an increasing interest in the research of empirical evidence regarding OI and innovation performance. Nonetheless, evidence of the role played by outbound OI activities are extremely rare. The authors found that process innovations are more likely to benefit from coupled OI activities rather than inbound activities. Moreover, the effect of coupled depth actions on both product and process innovation performance was always positive in the reviewed articles. The authors also discuss how scholars measure innovation performance, pointing out the criticalities. Research limitations/implications – The paper allows analysing the empirical evidences found in the literature, emphasizing the limitations of the state of the art and recommending future directions of research. Practical implications – The systematization of the empirical evidences found in the European literature provides managers with useful strategic suggestions to improve their organizations’ innovation performances. Originality/value – The paper contains a complete and extensive analysis of empirical OI literature with respect to European countries. The articles and their findings are organized according to a novel taxonomy useful to identify evidences and recurrences in a synoptic manner.

University-industry knowledge exchange

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludmila Striukova ◽  
Thierry Rayna
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Data Saturation ◽  
Vice Chancellors ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of what Open Innovation means within university context. Focus is also put on the role universities believe they should play in Open Innovation, as well as the changes that might have arisen as a consequence of universities’ greater awareness of this concept. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology used is an exploratory study based on in-depth semi-structured interviews of Pro-Vice-Chancellors (or equivalent level) of a variety of British universities. The study was designed around five main research themes: discourse, change, strategy, management, Open Innovation success. Findings – In addition to the traditional teaching, research and knowledge transfer roles of university, this study has uncovered a new role of universities: trusted intermediary (or “Open Innovation Hub”). Another key finding of this study is that it highlights the diversity that prevails in the UK with regard to Open Innovation. Research limitations/implications – The number of the interviews conducted for this study is probably not large enough to allow a solid generalisation. Data saturation, however, was achieved in this study. The insight provided by this study is particularly significant as interviewees were amongst the highest-ranking executives in their respective universities. Hence the views reported in this study are what “drives” Open Innovation policies in the universities that participated in this study. Practical implications – This new role of a trusted intermediary played by universities is very likely to change the existing Open Innovation landscape and re-shape policies. Social implications – The changing role of universities within Open Innovation context may potentially change the respective role of other stakeholders in the Open Innovation ecosystem. Originality/value – This is the first study aimed at investigating how British universities understand Open Innovation and what opportunities and challenges they associate with this process.

Cooperation in a minimum-waste innovation ecosystem: a case study of the Czech Hemp Cluster

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jindrich Spicka
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Ecological Guilds ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems

PurposeInnovation ecosystems face many environmental challenges. The literature review shows that innovation ecosystems accelerate innovation activity, but empirical studies have not provided enough case studies focusing on the minimum-waste business strategy as one aspect of the circular economy. Various forms of interaction between members occur in the innovation ecosystems, which determines the level of cooperation. This paper aims to show the structure and forms of cooperation in an innovation ecosystem using the Czech Hemp Cluster (CHC) and its surroundings and suggest research directions in the field of interaction between members in an innovation ecosystem. Although hemp is associated with the production and distribution of narcotics, it is a versatile plant supporting the minimum-waste business strategy.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on a theoretical part of a literature review of major scientific articles on innovation ecosystems from 2016 to 2021. The case study of the CHC and the hemp ecosystem is based on qualitative research in the form of a content analysis of the mission of the cluster members. In addition to content analysis, the classic multidimensional scaling method and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to reveal ecological guilds.FindingsThe case study highlighted the specific relationship between the cluster and the ecosystem. The cluster does not determine the ecosystem boundaries, but the ecosystem is a much broader system of cooperation and interaction between organisations. Clusters emerge after an ecosystem has existed for a particular time to coordinate collaboration and information between organisations and stakeholders. The analysis of the CHC revealed the specific role of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in the innovation ecosystem. NPOs are not engaged in primary functions in the value chain, but they provide supporting activities through coordinated networking, disseminating information on innovation, awareness-raising and stakeholder education. Compared to natural ecosystems, innovation ecosystems are typically characterised by higher forms of collaboration between members.Research limitations/implicationsAn exciting opportunity for research on innovation ecosystems is the ecological guilds taken from natural ecosystems and whose identification can help define the boundaries of innovation ecosystems. An opportunity for further research is the comparison of NPO-based and government-based clusters playing a central role in developing innovation ecosystems. Regarding the problematic generalisability of the case study to the entire agricultural production, a challenge is a search for minimum-waste business models in agriculture characterised by the biological nature of production.Originality/valueTheoretical and empirical studies have not yet considered innovation ecosystems in the minimum-waste context to a sufficient extent. The paper builds on previous scholarly studies focusing on innovation ecosystems and, for the first time, discusses the role of NPOs in the innovation ecosystem. The CHC case study adds a suitable minimum-waste business model to the still very scarce literature on sustainable innovation ecosystems. The article discusses the purpose and forms of cooperation in an innovation ecosystem, identifies a complementarity of roles in the innovation cluster and describes the interrelationship between the cluster and the ecosystem. Discussion of the ecosystem leader in the cluster-based innovation ecosystem shows the differences between Czech, Polish and German life science ecosystems.

Environmental training: a systematic review of the state of the art of the theme

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 2048-2076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Oliveira Stefanelli ◽  
Adriano Alves Teixeira ◽  
Jorge Henrique Caldeira De Oliveira ◽  
Marco Antonio Ferreira ◽  
Simone Sehnem
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Environmental Management ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Maturity Stage ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to carry out a systematic review of the state of the art of the environmental training theme and to propose a research agenda to shed light on this subject by suggesting new research in the area. Design/methodology/approach This is a systematic review of the state of the art of the environmental training theme. Findings The authors’ main contribution is the proposal of a research agenda with 11 recommendations for future research, such as conducting research in developed countries; research focusing only on environmental training; qualitative research using case studies; research that explores the co-evolution of environmental training practices with environmental management practices and with the maturity stage of environmental management in organizations; and research that addresses all aspects of environmental training phases proposed by ISO 10015: 2001. Originality/value This is the most recent research which conducts a systematic review of the state of the art on environmental training and proposes a research agenda with several suggestions that can guide researchers in human resources, environmental management, sustainability and supply chain management.

The role of information systems for digital transformation in the private sector: a review of Egyptian SMEs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noura Metawa ◽  
Mohamed Elhoseny ◽  
Maha Mutawea
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
The State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Future ◽  
Full Automation

PurposeThis paper aims to provide insights regarding the state of the art of digital transformation for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt and propose avenues for future research.Design/methodology/approachA proposed framework for the digitization process in SMEs is developed by providing three layers of working steps toward full automation. The paper also provides an extensive analysis of the main requirements for improving the existing traditional information systems' performance in these enterprises. The challenges of digital transformation and the future research direction are discussed as well.FindingsThis paper provided an overview of the importance of digital transformation in real-life applications. The role of the information systems in building a digitalized information processing environment is covered as well. Also, a framework for the shifting process from the traditional approaches to the digitalized systems is proposed. Besides, the paper overviewed the future research directions related to digital transformation in SMEs, especially in Egypt. These research directions are related to technical challenges during the digital transformation process, such as cybersecurity, big data analytics and multimodality data.Originality/valueDespite the significant governmental and institutions' steps toward full automation and digital transformation, the traditional information systems, infrastructures, and unequipped employees make the digitizing process on-the-fly an open challenge. A technology shift that is not supported by a similar cultural change threatens digital business initiatives and increases the risk of their failure. This paper aims to provide insights regarding the state of the art of digital transformation for SMEs in Egypt and propose avenues for future research.

Open innovation ecosystems: toward low-cost wind energy startups

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 853-869
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aftab Alam ◽  
Kashif Mateen Ansari
Keyword(s):  
Wind Energy ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ecosystem Model ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how an open innovation strategy of public management in the energy sector enables the creation of innovation ecosystems and how it reduces the cost of wind energy projects in energy-poor countries. Design/methodology/approach This research study reflects on seven wind energy startups (WESs) in Pakistan using quantitative and qualitative data following a sequential mixed-methods approach. First, it draws from growing literature on innovation and renewable energy management to conceptualize an open innovation ecosystem model around WESs. It then tests this model using cost analyses of wind projects and identifies possible cost-saving strategies. Finally, follow-up interviews with managers in investigated projects cross check study findings and validate the model. Findings Three noteworthy findings can help policymakers in developing countries to effectively meet the future energy challenges and get benefit from international funding opportunities: by protecting lenders on approved terms rather than offering sovereign guarantee to operating firms; by letting the government take control of the initial development phase; and by giving off-take guarantees to the manufacturers. Practical implications It offers policy recommendations to energy sector managers about guarantees, financing, regulators, governmental control, tariffs and transfer of technology that can significantly curtail outlays. Originality/value Results suggest that adopting an open innovation ecosystem model can potentially save around 6 per cent ($4-$7m) in the overall cost of a 50 MW wind energy project.

scholarly journals The structural characteristics of innovation ecosystem: a fashion case

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 620-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuyu Lin
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Innovation Mechanism

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence of open innovation mechanism specific to aesthetic innovation. Prior research have drawn its research attention to technological innovation and focussed on the biopharmaceutical and technological sectors as the main research contexts. Thus, to gain a wider picture of the structural characteristics of innovation ecosystem, this paper aims to complement the existing technological-centred literature and provides understanding of aesthetic innovation by focussing on exploring the role of actors and intermediaries in either facilitating or inhibiting innovation in the creative sector. Design/methodology/approach This is an exploratory study and the qualitative method was employed. With aim to explore aesthetic innovation in the creative sector, this research grounded its context in the UK designer fashion sector, which is part of the creative industries. Data were collected through a series of semi-structured interviews with respondents being purposely selected so as to ensure representativeness. A wider range of participants within the designer fashion sector was covered. Such multiple-sourced data collection approach allowed this research to triangulate data so that research trustworthiness was enhanced. Findings The result suggests the role of a broker in beyond traditionally facilitating knowledge exchange. This paper provides empirical evidence regarding the critical role of a broker in shaping the open innovation mechanism when it comes to aesthetic innovation. A broker in fact occupies a strategic position that allows it to negotiate relationships among the connected organisations and thus to govern the interaction mechanism of the innovation ecosystem as a whole. Given the empowered broker in such setting, the relationship between innovation creators and innovation seekers is controlled by a broker, which leads to risk that an innovation creator may not fully appropriate the value that it creates. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is its specific context, that is, the UK designer fashion industry. Such focus limits the scope of generalisation particularly its application to the entire creative sector. Thus, it is suggested that future research may consider to explore other creative industries so that the understanding of the open innovation mechanism from a structural perspective applied to aesthetic innovation can be enhanced. Originality/value This paper outlines the structural mechanism of open innovation applied to aesthetic innovation. The result contributes to the literature by complementing the findings derived from technology-centred research. Also, empirical evidence of this study is particularly of value to policy makers in the aspect of creative sector development. The suggested implications provide strategies of innovation ecosystem that could benefit individual actors involved in this open innovation setting and ensure prosper of the sector as a whole.

The role of actors in interactions between “innovation ecosystems”: drivers and implications

IMP Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommaso Pucci ◽  
Andrea Runfola ◽  
Simone Guercini ◽  
Lorenzo Zanni
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Group Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Marketing ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the role of the actors (especially firms) in interactions between contexts defined as “innovation ecosystems.” Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a conceptual framework. A review of the literature to frame the concepts of innovation ecosystems and the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) approach is presented. A possible integration of the two concepts is then discussed. Findings The paper adds new discursive inputs to the concept of innovation ecosystem that validate its use in the context of the knowledge economy and extends the theories of knowledge, by analyzing the role that various actors who populate an innovative ecosystem play in the creation, learning, use, and dissemination of knowledge. Originality/value The paper furnishes an approach to the research on knowledge management and innovation, in the attempt to relate the IMP Group approach with the perspective of the “innovation ecosystems” concept.

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