Heiko Matheis

Bio: Heiko Matheis is an academic researcher from University of Stuttgart. The author has contributed to research in topics: Innovation management & Open innovation. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 6 publications receiving 24 citations.

SmartNet collaboration model - a framework for collaborative development and production

Abstract: Cross-sectoral collaboration of organisations is a crucial factor in the development and production of knowledge-intensive products, processes and services. Within dynamic, loosely coupled networks, problem-oriented and flexible combination of core competences facilitates the conjoint exploration and exploitation of knowledge to secure and to increase competitiveness in turbulent markets. While strategic aspects of cross-sectoral collaboration in such networks are extensively covered in research, implementation in industrial practice is often hampered by lack of methodological support to systematically transform strategic considerations into operative work. This paper presents a framework for collaborative development and production, consisting of a structural model and a process model which will support the operative work in networks all along the product and/or service life-cycle. The applicability of the framework is shown in examples from the European research projects AVALON and SmartNets.

From Collaborative Development to Manufacturing in Production Networks: The SmartNets Approach

Abstract: Innovative, knowledge-intensive products are essential for companies to stay competitive in a globalised market. For the development of such products, small and medium-sized enterprises combine their core competences and resources in dynamic, loosely coupled networks. The basis for efficient and robust production of the newly developed subject can already be provided in the early phases of such collaboration. However, a continuous manufacturing process can only be achieved by a conscious and guided transformation from development network to production chain. This paper presents an approach from the European research project SmartNets to control and support this transformation methodologically and technologically, considering not only the organizational perspective, but also information and communication technologies, and knowledge aspects. A case study will illustrate how the transformation could be implemented in one of the project’s industrial networks.

Managing diversity of collaborative innovation projects

Abstract: Staying competitive in dynamic and globalized markets is one of the main challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For coping with this challenge, collaboration with partners is an essential success factor. In the resulting networks, SMEs share risks to conjointly develop innovative products by combining resources and their core competences. Even though fundamental research and also industrial best practices prove the value of collaboration for innovation, there is still a lack in efficiency and effectiveness within SME networks. As a consequence, methodological and technological support for the management of collaborative activities and in particular the immanent diversity within development networks is needed. Based on a recently developed holistic collaboration model, which describes the structural and procedural foundation for innovation in networks, this paper presents methods and tools to successfully manage the diversity of SME networks especially in context of their evolution from development towards production. Thus, this paper further elaborates on the overall Smart Networking concept known from former publications and contributes newly developed methods and tools for managing diversity of collaborative innovation projects.

Technological support for managing collaborative innovation projects in SME networks

Abstract: For small and medium-sized enterprises, a collaboration with partners is one of the key success factors for staying competitive in dynamic, globalised markets. Within flexible networks, they combine resources and competences, and they share risks to conjointly develop innovative products and services. However, it is an imminent challenge for concerned enterprises to successfully manage such collaborative developments. Even though common obstacles and theoretical ways of overcoming them are well covered in fundamental research and best practices from the industry show the tremendous success of collaborative innovation, still many projects lack effectiveness and efficiency. Based on a collaboration model, which describes the structural and procedural foundation for innovation in networks, this paper presents concepts and early prototypes for easily applicable instruments. The artifacts significantly facilitate planning, execution, and control of collaborative innovation processes by proving rule-based integration, structuring, and visualizing means for documented knowledge in networks.

Applying the paradigm of Open Innovation to enhance early Collaborative Product Potential Analysis

Abstract: Open Innovation is one of the most recognized business innovations in the last decade. But while the original idea of this paradigm has been to involve external actors throughout the innovation process, industrial practice often interprets Open Innovation as the mere integration of the final customer during the idea generation. This paper introduces Collaborative Product Potential Analysis (cPPA) as a method for innovation management in industrial networks. It implements the ideas of Open Innovation by systematically integrating knowledge of suppliers, customers and service providers in the process of idea evaluation and selection. cPPA gives comprehensive insight into an innovation idea even in the fuzziness of the front end of innovation. An example from the collaborative research project AVALON illustrates how the cPPA method can help to highlight strengths and weaknesses of a product idea early in the innovation process.

The knowledge-creating company : how Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation

Abstract: How has Japan become a major economic power, a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries? What is the secret of their success? The consensus has been that, though the Japanese are not particularly innovative, they are exceptionally skilful at imitation, at improving products that already exist. But now two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hiro Takeuchi, turn this conventional wisdom on its head: Japanese firms are successful, they contend, precisely because they are innovative, because they create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. Examining case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, 3M, GE, and the U.S. Marines, this book reveals how Japanese companies translate tacit to explicit knowledge and use it to produce new processes, products, and services.

Stakeholder management in open innovation projects: a multiple case study analysis

Abstract: In recent years, companies have started to open up their Research and Development (R&D) and their innovation activities to external partners. They aim to access new resources and capabilities and to gain shorter time-to-markets. However, as several studies have shown, it can be difficult to manage collaborative (open) innovation projects to achieve desired outcomes. Starting from this premise, the paper investigates how project stakeholder management is different in open innovation projects from traditional R&D projects.,The study has a qualitative nature and is based on the interpretative paradigm with an inductive orientation. The paper leverages interviews with experts involved in open innovation projects conducted in two Science and Technology Parks between Sweden and Italy.,The analysis shows how companies manage multiple stakeholders in open innovation projects and the peculiarities project stakeholder management faces in these projects when compared with traditional R&D projects. The paper shows how the relationships with external partners in open innovation projects are regulated by informal identification and analysis frameworks, which reduce the tensions deriving from these multiple collaborations. In addition, it underlines a set of good practices, and project management aspects for developing effective absorptive capacity of know-how, resources, and capabilities from external stakeholders in open innovation projects.,The paper analyzes for the first time how companies manage multiple stakeholders in open innovation projects in a different way from traditional R&D projects. Furthermore, the paper introduces a shift in the focus of the analysis: it focuses on the level of the project conducted through multiple collaborations instead of on the level of the firms involved in the project. Finally, the paper integrates open innovation research with project management research.