Innovation and Virtual Environments: Towards Virtual Knowledge Brokers

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 765-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianmario Verona ◽  
Emanuela Prandelli ◽  
Mohanbir Sawhney
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Third Parties ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Virtual Channels ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Customer Interaction ◽  
Management Of Innovation ◽  
Knowledge Brokers

We examine the implications of virtual customer environments for supporting the innovation process. By building on the literature of knowledge brokers, we introduce the concept of virtual knowledge brokers—actors who leverage the internet to support third parties’ innovation activities. These actors enable firms to extend their reach in engaging with customers and they also allow firms to have a richer dialogue with customers because of their perceived neutrality. Consequently, virtual knowledge brokers help firms to complement the knowledge they can acquire through traditional physical and virtual channels for customer interaction. We highlight the capabilities and contributions of virtual knowledge brokers, and we discuss the implications of these entities for theory and practice in the management of innovation.

scholarly journals Creativity, innovation effectiveness and productive efficiency in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 564-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nebojsa Stojcic ◽  
Iraj Hashi ◽  
Edvard Orlic
Keyword(s):  
Innovation Process ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Productive Efficiency ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Management Of Innovation ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Creativity is often referred to as a seedbed of innovation. As such it holds the key to better performance and the competitiveness of firms. To better understand how creativity influences birth and commercialization of innovations and productive efficiency of firms the paper investigates how hiring of employees with different creative skills impacts innovation process and productivity. The purpose of this paper is to determine the role of creativity in innovation behavior and productive efficiency of firms. Design/methodology/approach Theoretical framework of the paper rests on pillars of evolutionary, Schumpeterian and endogenous growth literature contributions to the economics of innovation. The multi-stage analytical framework is applied to examine contribution of creativity to the decision of firms to innovate, investment in innovation activities, commercialization of innovations and firm efficiency. The econometric techniques of generalized tobit and simultaneous equations framework are applied to confidential data from the UK Innovation Survey in 2010-2012 period. Findings The investigation broadens our understanding of factors and forces that shape innovation process and improve productive efficiency of firms. It provides empirical evidence on an impact of the effectiveness of innovation process on the productivity of firms. The results reveal that creative skills contribute to the generation of novel ideas and investment in research and development but the ability to meet customer requirements draws from other organizational skills such as marketing or organizational innovations. Differences are revealed among economic sectors with respect to the forces driving the innovation process. Research limitations/implications Further research will be needed to investigate cross-country differences in management of creativity and its contribution to the innovation process and productivity. The limited availability of data on creativity and innovation activities of firms presents the most important limitation in this sense. The framework set by this paper can serve as direction for further investigations. Practical implications The results provide implications to managers regarding the management of innovation process. First, the study reveals how creative potential of employees can be optimally exploited in different stages of innovation process. Second, the research highlights number of other factors relevant in this process from the utilization of information, subsidies and the general management of human resources. Finally, the results suggest that sectoral heterogeneity should be taken into account in management of innovation activities of individual firms. Originality/value While the impact of creativity on innovation has been addressed previously, this paper is one of first attempts to examine the linkages between management of creativity, effectiveness of innovation process and productive efficiency of firms within a single framework. One of reasons for this is the fact that it relies on the confidential dataset of firms not easily accessible to researchers.

INTERDISCIPLINARY LINKS, INTEGRATIVE APPROACH,HEURISTIC METHODS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INNOVATION - PART 1

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 1527-1532
Author(s):  
Hristo Patev
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Heuristic Methods ◽  
Organizational Renewal ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Management Of Innovation ◽  
Inventive Activity ◽  
High Degree

In this first work, out of the total of twenty-four, are considered: Integrative approach, interdisciplinary relations and transnational language in the technical and economic fundament of engineering and management, for the purpose of competitive innovation and successful business. Approaches to develop the innovation with a high degree of complexity. Interactive heuristic methods and algorithms for inventive activity, for inspiring and developing new industrial products and services for households and production systems. Implementing an effective business vocabulary for organizational renewal. Introduction of gaming and "art" methods in innovation management. Intensifying innovation activities through an attempt to introduce artificial intelligence into teamwork, with simultaneous implementation of an engineering and non-engineering approach.

Digitized

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Bentley
Keyword(s):  
Computer Technology ◽  
User Interfaces ◽  
Popular Science ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
The Internet ◽  
General Reader ◽  
Mobile Phone Networks ◽  
Open The Doors ◽  
Dot Com ◽  
Current Stage

There's a hidden science that affects every part of your life, a science so powerful that you would be hard-pressed to find a single human being on the planet unaffected by its achievements. It is the science behind computers, the machines which drive the supply and creation of power, food, medicine, money, communication, entertainment, and most goods our stores. It has transformed societies with the Internet, the digitization of information, mobile phone networks, and GPS technologies. Written in friendly and approachable language, Digitized provides a window onto the mysterious field from which all computer technology originates, making the theory and practice of computation understandable to the general reader. This popular science book explains how and why computers were invented, how they work, and what will happen in the future. Written by a leading computer scientist, Peter J. Bentley, it tells this fascinating story using the voices of pioneers and leading experts interviewed for the book, in effect throwing open the doors of the most cutting-edge computer laboratories. Bentley explores how this young discipline grew from the early work by pioneers such as Turing, through its growth spurts in the Internet, its difficult adolescent stage where the promises of AI were never achieved and dot-com bubble burst, to its current stage as a semi-mature field, capable of remarkable achievements. Packed with real-world examples, Digitized is the only book to explain the origins and key advances in all areas of computing: theory, hardware, software, Internet, user interfaces, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. If you have an interest in computers--whether you work with them, use them for fun, or are being taught about them in school--this book will provide an entertaining introduction to the science that's changing the world.

Medical ethics and the learner-centred approach: Developing materials on organ transplant and euthanasia in an English as a foreign language classroom in higher education

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valéria Jamrichová ◽  
Katarína Zamborová
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Medical Ethics ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Organ Transplant ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Materials Development ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
Sensitive Issues

AbstractA learner-centred approach puts students amidst the learning process and helps them become involved in that process. It provides an opportunity for students to choose and direct the course of the lesson. This approach is especially appropriate when dealing with ethical concerns that might be sensitive issues. When it comes to the sources for the development of teaching materials, the Internet provides numerous possibilities. Not only does it enable students to choose from a wide variety of topics but it also offers, for both teachers and students, a chance to develop their own up-to-date materials through which students improve their language skills. Nonetheless, teachers can help their students to become more autonomous and develop strategies for lifelong learning. The aim of this article is to provide ideas on materials development for teaching English as a foreign language to students of medicine and health studies and to link theory and practice in the Slovak context. Specifically, it focuses on how topics in medical ethics, such as organ transplant and euthanasia, could be taught by emphasizing the learner-centred approach. Involving the student in the learning process and using the Internet as an easily accessible source enables students to develop their skills and strategies, which will help them become more autonomous, and thus develop their confidence in dealing with authentic English outside the classroom.

Complexity, Networks & Learning: Integrative Themes for Research on Innovation Management

1997 ◽  
Vol 01 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Tidd
Keyword(s):  
New Product Development ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
New Product ◽  
Innovation Network ◽  
Comprehensive Model ◽  
Market Knowledge ◽  
Management Of Innovation ◽  
Organisational Factors ◽  
Process Complexity

Research on the management of innovation has been highly fragmented, and to a large extent non-cumulative. Much of the research has been conducted within three separate disciplines, with relatively little overlap or interaction: the management of research and development or technology; new product development and marketing; and organisational development and change. In this paper, we identify a number of emergent themes which have the potential to integrate these diverse streams of research, and result in a more comprehensive model of the innovation process: complexity, networks and learning. We argue that the innovation process is inherently complex, and therefore we need better characterisations of the technological, market and organisational contingencies which affect the opportunity for innovation. With growing complexity, the focus shifts from competencies based on internal assets such as R&D activities and intellectual property, to the position of a firm within an innovation network and competencies based on its relationships with other organisations. Finally, too much research has been pre-occupied with how firms develop and exploit narrow competencies based on prior experience, rather than how firms acquire new competencies. A focus on organisational learning may provide a richer explanation of the organisational factors which affect the acquisition of new technological and market knowledge.

Knowledge-oriented leadership and technology standard innovation: a temporary-team perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Jiang ◽  
Kazuyuki Motohashi ◽  
Wentao Liu ◽  
Xu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Technology Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Technology Standard ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relevance of knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) to technology standard innovation (TSI) from a temporary-team perspective. The mediating and moderating effect on knowledge integration (KI) and leader–member exchange (LMX) is emphasized. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual model is built based on an exhaustive literature review and is empirically tested in terms of a sample of 341 Chinese individuals with TSI experience. Quantitative analysis was performed using a questionnaire with the bootstrapping method used to demonstrate the mediating effect of KI. Findings The empirical results of this study prove that KI mediates the relationship between KOL and TSI. The authors deduce that LMX moderates the positive relation between KOL and KI. Originality/value Few studies have investigated the innovation activities of technology standards from a temporary-team perspective. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to look into the underlying mechanism of KOL in TSI. This research deepens the analysis by introducing LMX’s moderating role in the innovation process of technology standards, thereby providing valuable insights for leaders of innovation activities of technology standards and illuminating new aspects of knowledge-intensive temporary-team management.

Neue Geschäftsmodelle in der Life Science Industrie durch einen ganzheitlichen Innovationsprozess

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-29
Author(s):  
Ouelid Ouyeder ◽  
Julia Hitzbleck ◽  
Henning Trill
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
New Business ◽  
End To End ◽  
Lean Startup

Abstract The aim of this paper is to introduce an end-to-end development process for non-biomedical innovation and new business models of a Life Science company that integrates different methods such as Design Thinking, Lean Startup, Agility and others within one framework. Since 2016 this innovation process is an essential part of the internal Employee Innovation program and proves its applicability in a real-life setting. Projects teams develop and implement their new digital business models successfully by taking the introduced innovation process as guideline. This process enables the Life Science organization to run two global entrepreneurship programs (Catalyst Fund and Catalyst Box) that foster customer focus with fast and evidence-based experimentation. The article encompasses a real-life case study out of the Catalyst Fund program about the Farm Advisory Team from India. By using this example each phase of the innovation process is described schematically. Idea generation is easy-to-apply, but the implementation of ideas is one of the biggest challenges in larger corporations. The proposed end-to-end innovation process connects the dots of different innovation methods and provides guidance to company decision makers and project teams in order to structure their business model innovation activities/strategy and discussions. Zusammenfassung Das Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, einen durchgängigen Innovationsprozess für nicht-biomedizinische Lösungen und Geschäftsmodelle eines Life-Science-Unternehmens vorzustellen, der verschiedene Methoden wie Design Thinking, Lean Startup, Agilität und andere innerhalb eines Gestaltungsrahmens integriert. Seit 2016 ist der Innovationsprozess ist ein wesentlicher Bestandteil des internen Employee Innovation Programms und beweist seine Anwendbarkeit in einem realen Umfeld. Projektteams entwickeln und implementieren ihre neuen digitalen Geschäftsmodelle erfolgreich, indem sie den vorgestellten Innovationsprozess als Leitfaden nutzen. Dieser Prozess ermöglicht es dem Life-Science-Unternehmen, zwei globale Entrepreneurship-Programme (Catalyst Fund und Catalyst Box) durchzuführen, die den Kundenfokus mit schnellen und evidenzbasierten Experimenten fördern. Der Artikel umfasst eine reale Fallstudie aus dem Catalyst Fund Programm über das Farm Advisory Team aus Indien. Anhand dieses Beispiels wird jede Phase des Innovationsprozesses schematisch beschrieben. Die Ideengenerierung ist leicht anwendbar, aber die Umsetzung von Ideen ist eine der größten Herausforderungen in größeren Unternehmen. Der vorgeschlagene End-to-End-Innovationsprozess integriert die verschiedenen Innovationsmethoden und bietet Entscheidungsträgern und Projektteams in Unternehmen eine Anleitung, um ihre Aktivitäten bzw. Strategie und Diskussionen zur Geschäftsmodellinnovation zu strukturieren.

Using action research in innovation project management: building legitimacy and organizational learning in an SME during a merger process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Elizabeth Kampf ◽  
Charlotte J. Brandt ◽  
Christopher G. Kampf
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Project

PurposeThe purpose is to explore how the process of action research (AR) can support building legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation project management and portfolio practices in merger contexts.Design/methodology/approachMeta-reflection on method issues in Action Research through an action research case study with an innovation group during an organizational change process. This case demonstrates an example of an action research cycle focused on building practitioner legitimacy rather than problem-solving.FindingsKey findings include (1) demonstrating how AR can be used for building legitimacy through visualizing the innovation process, and embedding those visuals in top management practices of the organization; and (2) demonstrating how AR can work as an organizational learning tool in merger contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on an action research cooperation during a two-and-a-half-year period. Thus, findings offer the depth of a medium term case study. The processes of building legitimacy represent this particular case, and can be investigated in other organizational contexts to see the extent to which these issues can be generalized.Practical implicationsFor researchers, this paper offers an additional type of AR cycle to consider in their research design which can be seen as demonstrating a form of interplay between practitioner action and organizational level legitimacy. For practitioners, this paper demonstrates a connection between legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation contexts. The discussion of how visuals were co-created and used for building legitimacy for an innovation process that differs from the standard stage gate model demonstrates how engaging in AR research can contribute to developing visuals as resources for building legitimacy and organizational learning based on connections between theory and practice.Originality/valueThis case rethinks AR practice for innovation project management contexts to include legitimacy and organizational learning. This focus on legitimacy building from organizational learning and knowledge conversion contributes to our understanding of the soft side of innovation project management. Legitimacy is demonstrated to be a key concern for innovation project management practices.

The future of the printed book in the era of technological advancement: an imperative for digital innovation and engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhoydah Nyambane
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Face ◽  
Book Publishers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the place of the printed book in the era of technological advancement with the assumption that the print media is facing imminent death in the face of readily available and convenient online information. Also the paper aims to assess how the development of new technologies have affected the production, circulation and readership of the printed book, especially among the young generation. Design/methodology/approach Explanatory study was used with closed-ended approach to collect data from 50 students of the Technical University of Kenya and 5 key informant interviews with selected book publishers in Nairobi. The uses and gratification theory was used to explore the knowledge-seeking behavior among the respondents. Findings Findings showed that more than 80% of the respondents preferred the internet to the printed book, which, according to them, has no future in the face of technological advancement. Book publishers, on the other hand, felt that the printed book has a bright future among specific audiences who are committed to it, and especially those in the rural areas who have no access to the internet. While they agreed that the internet has posed a major challenge to the sales and readership of the printed book significantly, it is helping in marketing the printed book as opposed to killing it. New bookshops in Nairobi and modern libraries in high schools, tertiary institutions and universities demonstrate that the printed book is not dying soon. Research limitations/implications The researcher experienced challenges in data collection as the respondents were busy preparing for final examinations and hence many of them were not willing to spare time to fill the questionnaire. To solve this, the researcher had to spend more time to collect data as opposed to if the students were free and ready to participate in the study without any pressure. Practical implications The findings can be used as a basis for further research to widen the scope that can help bring a wider perspective to the topic. The results can also inform policy guidelines on the topic and also contribute to the body of knowledge. Social implications The topic touches on social phenomena that are affecting a number of young people and their information-seeking habits in the era of digital revolution. The way the young generation seek and use information should be of interest not only to academic staff but also to policymakers. Originality/value The paper is original based on primary data that was collected by the researcher from the respondents. It is backed by secondary data to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Understanding the relationship between organizational culture and inbound open innovation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Barjak ◽  
Fabian Heimsch
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Culture ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
External Control ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Innovations ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe relationship between corporate culture and inbound open innovation (OI) has been limited to two sub-constructs: a culture for openness and an innovation culture, but until now a richer conceptualization of corporate culture is missing.Design/methodology/approachThe authors apply Quinn and Rohrbaugh's (1983) competing values framework and regress these together with company internal and external control variables on five measures of inbound OI, reflecting product innovation, process innovation and the sourcing of innovation activities. The authors use data from a survey of more than 250 Swiss companies, primarily SMEs.FindingsThe importance of the firms' market environments suggests that the results are affected by the specific situation in which the firms found themselves at the time of the survey: after a strong currency shock, inbound OI activities seem to be a reaction to external pressure that favored planning and rule-oriented (formal) cultures to implement cost-cutting process innovations.Practical implicationsCompanies should develop a vision and a strategy, ensure open and transparent communication, have suitable reward and support mechanisms in place, adjust structures and processes, and institutionalize and formalize any change whenever they are confronted with a situation that requires a quick reaction and an adjustment to their degree of openness.Originality/valueThe paper clarifies the relationship between cultural traits and inbound OI, using a well-established understanding of corporate culture and differentiating between innovation types. It points to the importance of the external environment in order to understand the role of culture.

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