Showing papers in "European Journal of Innovation Management in 2002"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the factors underlying the growth of services, and emerging views on what constitutes a "resource" for service organisations, and argue that service innovation results only when a firm is able to focus its entire energies to think on behalf of the customer.
Abstract: Services lie at the very hub of the economic activity of all societies, and interlink closely with all other sectors of the economy. The exponential growth of services internationally has not only intensified competition, but has also simultaneously posed a challenge and an opportunity for the managers of services. This study examines the factors underlying the growth of services, and emerging views on what constitutes a “resource” for service organisations. To this end, the roles of technology, knowledge and networks are examined as interdependent factors. It is argued here that today’s “resources” are the culmination of various advances in knowledge. Technology facilitates the maintenance of networks with customers and partners inside and outside the firm. The network of relationships renders the firm’s capabilities “amorphous” in nature. This study suggests that this amorphous knowledge represents the true “resource” in a service firm, and ultimately provides the creative potential for “innovation” – the so‐called “core competency”. However, innovation per se does not benefit the firm unless it manifests superior value in the customer‐driven marketplace. Moreover, this study argues that service innovation results only when a firm is able to focus its entire energies to think on behalf of the customer.
402 citations
TL;DR: The role of individuals and teams in idea generation as part of the overall organisational creativity and innovation process is discussed in this article, where the authors identify organisational development needs and research agendas in this area.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to critique and review the role of individuals and teams in idea generation as part of the overall organisational creativity and innovation process. Key objectives are to determine organisational development needs and research agendas in this area. Organisations continue to emphasise the need for increased creativity and innovation within their employees and markets. However, the literature and organisational practice relating to these areas remains somewhat lacking in regard to the front end of creativity and innovation, namely idea generation. First, this paper briefly reviews the creativity literature from individual and team perspectives, identifying the need for more research into idea generation as part of creativity. Second, this paper reviews the idea generation literature and identifies agendas for further research.
207 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors bring together different strands of the new theory of innovation and develop an evolutionary theory of the innovation networks, which can explain strong uncertainty, heterogeneity as well as the historical character of time play in innovation.
Abstract: Innovation networks have become a persistent organisational phenomenon in industrial innovation processes. However, in economics they were considered in the first place only as a temporary hybrid phenomenon between markets and a hierarchical organisation within a single firm. The main focus of traditional neo‐classical analysis simply was on cost reduction of R&D within a network. Only with the coming up of evolutionary economics with its prevailing knowledge orientation, learning and synergistic partnering also move to the centre of interest. Without a consideration of the roles strong uncertainty, heterogeneity as well as the historical character of time play in innovation, networks cannot be explained as a self‐organisational persistent phenomenon. The present paper brings together different strands of the new theory of innovation and develops an evolutionary theory of innovation networks.
196 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a framework is developed to illuminate several factors affecting FFE performance, and several strategic issues involved in managing the FFE are identified and managerial recommendations are advanced using this framework.
Abstract: A product is more likely to be successfully developed and marketed when the “upfront or fuzzy front‐end (FFE)” activities are understood and carefully managed. A framework is developed to illuminate several factors affecting FFE performance. Using this framework, several strategic issues involved in managing the FFE are identified and managerial recommendations are advanced.
154 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss how a general framework for innovation management can be tailored to individual situations/different firms, and discuss the main contribution is a discussion of how a generic framework can be adapted to each situation/different firm.
Abstract: The need for firms to become more innovative has probably never been greater. Today concepts such as the new economy, new technologies, hyper‐competition and clock speed are used to explain that the dynamics of competition and markets has never been greater. Thus, there is a large focus on the concept of innovation management in firms. Discusses innovation management, understood as being the activities that firms undertake in order to yield new solutions within products, production and administration. The main contribution is a discussion of how a general framework for innovation management can be tailored to individual situations/different firms.
127 citations
TL;DR: It is found that team improvisation has a positive impact on speed‐to‐market under turbulent markets and technology conditions, and there are some mechanisms that can facilitate a team’s ability to improvise, such as team stability and teamwork.
Abstract: Speed‐to‐market is cited as being vital in today’s competitive, uncertain and turbulent environments. To help companies in their quest for speed in new product development, many tools and techniques have been developed. One of the these techniques – team improvisation – is receiving a great deal of attention in both practice as well as theory. However, we know surprisingly little about improvisation in a new product development context. In this paper, we extend previous team improvisation models and test them in a new product development context. By studying 354 new product projects, we found that team improvisation has a positive impact on speed‐to‐market under turbulent markets and technology conditions, and there are some mechanisms that can facilitate a team’s ability to improvise, such as team stability and teamwork. We also found that having a clear project goal will detract from a team’s ability to improvise.
116 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the quality of industrial new product development in five small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Finnish metal industry was investigated and the findings indicated that SMEs tend to lack a long run perspective; that the role of new products in business strategy calls for clarity and that the whole goal setting as to future new product efforts is limited.
Abstract: This case study reports the quality of industrial new product development in five small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Finnish metal industry. The findings indicate that SMEs tend to lack a long run perspective; that the role of new products in business strategy calls for clarity and that the whole goal setting as to future new product efforts is limited. The fit between market requirements and firms’ own resources is managed due to the flexibility SMEs have and by relying on an in‐house knowledge base generated through a close understanding of user conditions. In this respect SMEs are apt to rely on reactive and closed new product strategies only. Even if successful in the past, such strategies risk being unable to identify and take advantage of any business opportunities outside the present product scope. Also, the increasing need of networking may turn out a threat if SMEs cannot establish more open development strategies.
82 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the moderating effect of product innovation on the market orientation and profitability link in SMEs, and found that product innovation is partially tied to this relationship.
Abstract: A significant body of research has focused on the conceptualization of market orientation showing evidence of a positive relationship between market orientation and business performance. However, little attention has been drawn to how innovation could affect this link. Keeping track of limited research on this issue, this study attempts to empirically investigate the moderating effect of product innovation, if any, on the market orientation – profitability link in SMEs. Drawing upon data collected from the food industry in Greece, the findings suggest that product innovation is partially tied to this relationship. Apart from providing some new evidence, the results lead to managerial implications and reveal considerable scope for further research.
77 citations
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that a model based on the multi‐dimensionality of team learning provides a more robust explanation of new product success than does a unidimensional team learning model.
Abstract: New product development team learning is important in today’s turbulent and uncertain markets and technologies. However, the literature treats team learning as a single construct, ignoring its multi‐dimensionality. In this study, we develop a multi‐dimensional team learning framework based on socio‐cognitive constructs. By studying 124 new product development projects, we show empirically that learning in new product development is best conceived as a multi‐dimensional structure with nine correlated but distinct constructs including: information acquisition, information implementation, information dissemination, unlearning, thinking, improvisation, memory, intelligence and sensemaking. Further, we demonstrate that a model based on the multi‐dimensionality of team learning provides a more robust explanation of new product success than does a unidimensional team learning model.
74 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a revised definition of formalization is proposed as a solution to these problems, which may prove to be instrumental in determining the true effect of formalisation on organizational innovation.
Abstract: The many studies into the relationships between formalization and innovation have produced little but inconsistent findings. The conceptual and operational definition of the formalization construct is proposed to be one of the reasons for these inconsistencies. It is argued that aggregate (organization‐level) measurements of formalization are inappropriate and should be replaced with department‐specific or process‐specific measurements. Second, it is argued that formalization has been defined in an inconsistent way. However, it is not just the coexistence of different definitions (and their measurements) that is problematic. The exclusion, or improper inclusion, of rule observation from the conceptualization of formalization appears to be a third fallacy. A revised definition of formalization is advanced as a solution to these problems. This definition may prove to be instrumental in determining the true effect of formalization on organizational innovation.
64 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a survey of existing theory of e-commerce business models and associated conceptual instruments is presented, which employs three original case studies of SMEs using ecommerce to demonstrate the dynamic nature of ecommerce business model for networked SMEs.
Abstract: The paper surveys existing theory of e‐commerce business models and associated conceptual instruments. It employs three original case studies of SMEs using e‐commerce to demonstrate the dynamic nature of e‐commerce business models for networked SMEs. The idea of evolutionary business planning based upon Molina’s sociotechnical constituency approach and the diamond of alignment is introduced.
TL;DR: Rogers et al. as discussed by the authors introduce an adopter-centered, process-oriented model with which to explore behavioral processes related to technology adoption, which enables us to learn about adoption as a process and to explore the subprocesses that affect perceptions and attitudes.
Abstract: Introduces an adopter‐centered, process‐oriented model with which to explore behavioral processes related to technology adoption. This approach enables us to learn about adoption as a process and to explore the subprocesses that affect perceptions and attitudes. This perspective provides the opportunity for a much richer understanding of how adoption occurs and how it can be influenced. Sensemaking focuses on the adopter herself, i.e. her mental frameworks, and the antecedents and products of those frameworks. The sensemaking model describes the evolution of the adopter’s mental framework. Rogers’ innovation‐decision process model charts a progression of activities during the adoption process, whereas the sensemaking model explains the adopter’s mental mechanics at each stage.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss ways for fostering innovation management and innovation in management education sensitive to cultural diversity, and suggest possible ways ahead in the development of culturally sensitive managers in an increasingly globalised but also highly multicultural world.
Abstract: This paper aims to discuss ways for fostering innovation management and innovation in management education sensitive to cultural diversity. It explores strands in the literature concerning cross‐cultural awareness and undertakes a case study, carried out in a multicultural organisation, aimed at pinpointing challenges faced by managers working in such environments. Argues that logistics could help understanding, sensitising and taking into account cultural diversity in management education. Also claims that cultural plurality is an asset, rather than a constraint. The article concludes by suggesting possible ways ahead in the development of culturally sensitive managers in an increasingly globalised but also highly multicultural world.
TL;DR: In this paper, a wide range of advanced technologies and techniques have become available to accelerate the design, engineering and manufacture of new products, but little empirical research has been conducted to validate these techniques.
Abstract: Recent articles in the business press and academic literature affirm that one of the primary means for achieving competitive advantage through product development is by accelerating the development process. A wide range of advanced technologies and techniques have become available to accelerate the design, engineering and manufacture of new products. However, much attention has been focused on new product development techniques but little empirical research has been conducted to validate these techniques. In this exploratory study, we try to identify those techniques that are more useful to accelerating the product development process. Our findings, based on data from 54 Spanish firms, suggest that some available techniques are not effective in achieving this goal of reducing the time to market. Implications for researchers and managers are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the link between national culture and new product development and found that the most important determinant of new product success in both countries is proficiency in product launch activities.
Abstract: This research tested a model in both Germany and the USA that contained marketing variables known to impact new product development success in high technology firms. We explore the link between national culture and new product development. A multi‐group LISREL analysis revealed that while the model structure is valid for both countries, the impact of certain marketing factors on commercial product success differed. The analysis revealed that the mean values of the marketing factors differed significantly in each country. The most important determinant of new product success in both countries is proficiency in product launch activities. Marketing skills also positively impact product success in both countries. Top management support and involvement was also an important predictor of new product success in Germany, but the impact was negative. The potential impact of culture on the findings is discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present data from the mobile Internet market to validate this claim empirically and make suggestions of possible solutions to the pricing problem facing these actors with the introduction of mobile multimedia.
Abstract: Multidimensional products, such as telecommunications, often distinguish themselves by a considerable number of spillovers. The creator of the spillovers wants to commercialize the spillovers but cannot if the parameters on which the ability to charge is proprietary to another firm in the economy. These actors then need to agree upon an efficient pricing contract to be able to charge. As an effect, the direction of revenue in the transaction may not be self‐evident, turning previous customers into suppliers and vice versa. The paper presents data from the mobile Internet market to validate this claim empirically and make suggestions of possible solutions to the pricing problem facing these actors with the introduction of mobile multimedia.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a case study describing the development of an innovation team in a large Swedish telecom company, the aim of which is to find, test and promote new product and service concepts.
Abstract: This paper presents a case study describing the development of an innovation team in a large Swedish telecom company, the aim of which is to find, test and promote new product and service concepts. Drawing on experience from the team’s first year of operation, it is concluded that certain roles given within the team, especially that of the manager in charge of boundary work vis‐a‐vis the line organization, actualize a range of issues pertinent to the study of corporate venturing but redress these in a new light. For instance the notion of guiding an innovation through a locally conceived “innovation space” is presented, and shown to require a previously under‐emphasized measure of social and cognitive engagement on the part of the team.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present an empirical study based on a longitudinal survey that involves both the initial predictions and the actual results for two Internet services and show that concept testing can be a useful tool for companies to evaluate their new Internet services.
Abstract: Studies conducted both in Europe and the USA have consistently suggested that new product development is vitally important for a company’s long‐term survival. However, it is a risky and uncertain business. Previous studies have indicated that early new product development activities such as concept testing can be instrumental in reducing the risks and uncertainties associated with new products. This paper explores whether a widely used concept testing method can be used to evaluate new Internet initiatives. It presents an empirical study based on a longitudinal survey that involves both the initial predictions and the actual results for two Internet services and shows that concept testing can be a useful tool for companies to evaluate their new Internet services. The paper also provides managerial and research implications.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a reform in the intellectual property rights system, which gives employees/inventors the right to claim back their patents from firms that do not commercialize the patented inventions within a limited period of time.
Abstract: Proposes a reform in the intellectual property rights system. The proposed changes give employees/inventors the right to claim back their patents from firms that do not commercialize the patented inventions within a limited period of time. Large corporations commercialize only a fraction of their patent portfolios, and yet the current intellectual property laws do not provide employees/inventors with alternative ways to realize their ideas. The proposed reform empowers nimble employees by providing them with ownership claims against the patent assignees. Ownership claims are considered more effective in empowering employees in an economy where technological and organizational transformation undermine the significance of stakeholder claims.