COMMUNICATIONAL APPROACH IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

The need for information and communication increases when organizations experience organizational changes. The paper examines the need of communication in terms of the professor Tichy`s theory of the technical, political and cultural systems of organizatichange, communication, organizational politics, organizational culture

Inter-organisational projects in french innovation clusters: the construction of collaboration

Having received considerable attention from central government and local authorities, French innovation clusters (the so-called ‘pôles de compétitivité') are beginning to be studied by academic researchers and evaluated by consultants. The core of their activity consists of collaborative projects, which are characterised by specific management and HR practices located at the junction of different cultures and employment statuses. Almost four years after they were launched, what can we say about the dynamic of these collaborative projects? What is the reality of such collaboration when it involves multiple partnerships bringing together employees from different occupational cultures and HRM systems? The aim of this longitudinal research, which is based on observation of two collaborative projects in one of the most largest clusters in France,is to discuss management and HR issues in such a setting. A literature review highlights the need to open up the ‘black box' of collaboration within projects and encourages examination of both manager's coordination efforts and the actors' motivation to cooperate, as well as the role played by HRM practices. Thus observation of the conduct of the projects over two years reveals that collaboration, far from being a given within these projects, is the product of a process of social construction that might be fostered by better managerial support.innovation cluster ; collaborative project ; coordination ; cooperation ; learning ; competences

Higher Education Systems and Industrial Innovation

This text discusses the approach adopted in a European research project concerning the relationships between science and industry. The analysis uses the notion of actors as vectors for the creation and diffusion of competences and knowledge throughout the innovation process. From this perspective, the article presents some results on the strategic behaviour of firms at the micro-level in five countries. An analytical framework in terms of “conventions” addresses the interplay between micro and macro levels. Finally, we present some significant insights into national public policies in the field of science-industry collaboration.Science-industry collaboration; knowledge creation; learning; institutions; state intervention; policy-making

Industry clusters and SMEs

Studie naar de rol van clusters van bedrijven in de economie. Clusters van bedrijven krijgen een groeiende aandacht op alle bestuurlijke niveaus. De achterliggende gedachte is dat samenwerking tussen bedrijven op technologisch gebied leidt tot de creatie van extra toegevoegde waarde, niet alleen voor de samenwerkingspartners zelf, maar ook voor de lokale, regionale en nationale economie. In de studie wordt een clusterdefinitie gepresenteerd en een raamwerk dat als basis kan dienen voor nader onderzoek naar de rol en positie van het MKB in clusters.

A Conceptual Framework for the Industrial District Analysis: from Knowledge to Resources

Traditional literature on Industrial Districts has remarked the social capital as a core key in the development process of a sustainable territorial competitive advantage. In that concept authors are allocated part of the externalities without being underpined by an integrating conceptual framework. Recent resource-base view and knowledge management theory, as well as intellectual capital approach, can all be use as a conceptual framework to allocate all the industrial district’s special features in a more comprehensive and connected arena. We establish a conceptual framework by integrating different approaches and adapt all of them to specific industrial district case. Moreover, we adapt the SECI knowledge management model to the cluster case as a useful way to understand the tacit knowledge dissemination that occurs in the industrial district.

New human resource management systems in non-based-knowledge firms: Applications for decision making on the business performance

The aim of this paper is double. First, it provides a conceptual framework and modelling of the relationship between human resource management (HRM) systems and non-based-knowledge firms. Second, using survey data on 1.518 Catalan firms (in Spain, with capital in Barcelona), the paper: 1) identify two system of HRM (in progress HRM system and non-HRM developed system); 2) build a causal model of determinants of HRM systems; and 3) describe the association links between in progress HRM system and firm's performance. Using factor and cluster analysis, we find that only one-third of firms use in progress HRM system. Using logit binomial analysis, we find that features which are structural, technological, strategic, organisational and performance-related explain the adoption of in progress HRM system. Finally, using association analysis, we find that firms that adopt in progress HRM system: 1) are more internationalised and show greater ability to adapt to the changing environment, to innovate and to collaborate; 2) focus on product/service differentiation strategy enhancing quality; 3) apply a greater degree of new forms of work organization; 4) have more technological equipment and use IT more intensively; and 5) invest more in training their employees, than firms with non-HRM system developed

Globalisation of Knowledge Production and Regional Innovation Policy: Supporting Specialized Hubs in the Bangalore Software Industry

This paper is concerned with the changing role of regional innovation systems and regional policies in supporting the transition of indigenous firms in developing countries from competing on low costs towards becoming knowledge providers in global value chains. Special attention is paid to policies supporting the emergence and development of the regional innovation system in this transition process. Regional innovation systems in developing countries have very recently started to be conceptualised as specialized hubs in global innovation and production networks (Asheim, B., Coenen, L., Vang-Lauridsen, J.,2007. Face to- face, buzz and knowledge bases: socio-spatial implications for learning,innovation and innovation policy. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 25(5), 655–670; Chaminade, C., Vang, J., 2006a. Innovation policy for small andmedium size SMEs in Asia: an innovation systems perspective. In:Yeung, H. (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Asian Business. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham; Maggi, C., 2007. The salmon farming and processing cluster in Southern Chile. In: Pietrobello, C., Rabellotti, R. (Eds.), Upgrading and Governance in Clusters and Value Chains in Latin America. Harvard University Press). A specialized hub refers to a node in a global value chain that mainly undertakes one or a few of the activities required for the production and development of a given good or service or serves a particular segment of the global market. In global value chains, firms in developing countries have traditionally been responsible for the lowest added-value activities. However, a few emerging regional innovation systems in developing countries are beginning to challenge this scenario by rapidly upgrading in the value chain. There is, however, still only a poorly developed understanding of how the system of innovation emerges and evolves to support this transition process and what the role of regional innovation policy is in building the regional conditions that support indigenous small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in this transition process. This paper aims at reducing this omission by analyzing the co-evolution of the strategies of indigenous SMEs and the regional innovation system of Bangalore (India).Regional innovation systems; Evolution; Globalization of innovation; Software industry; Bangalore

Increasing competitiveness of the construction sector by adopting innovative clustering

Companies in today's world need to become and stay competitive. This means, among other things, that they have to create new ideas and turn them into innovative products and processes. Appropriate innovation management strategies, including creation of various kinds of alliances with other business entities, need to be adopted within the company. Clustering is one of such possibilities. The paper discusses the main features of clusters and the benefits for their members; in addition, it identifies specific features of the construction sector that require specific approaches to establish a cluster.\ud The methodology Innovative Cluster Model with 3x3x3 mail elements (ICM333) is proposed and used to initiate and develop a cluster in the construction sector. In the cluster development three stages are identified: emergence, development and maturity of the cluster. Actions associated with these three stages tackle four areas (in each stage): rationale, organization, resources, and implementation. All areas are thoroughly elaborated and discussed in the paper. In the first step, the emerging cluster, the key element is identification, assessment and dissemination of development opportunities. It can run parallel with the cluster initiation, which is followed by the operation. Within the steps to be taken in the stage of the developing cluster, visions nad the goals have to be defined first, followed by the definition of the cluster organisation. The mature cluster stage has to focus on performance measurement and management, and take appropriate measures to garantee its sustainability and adequate innovative character.\ud Implementation of the proposed cluster development methodology has the potential of greatly facilitating the betterment of a construction sector in a particular country. It can be a valuable tool, when available to policymakers, chambers of commerce and trade, and other stakeholders that wish to foster the development of such clusters.\ud The paper reports on the results of the 7th Framework project FP7-REGIONS-2007-1 RegCon – Support Action for Innovation Driven Clusters in Construction.\u

Incorporating a new technology into agent-artifact space. The case of control systems automation.

We contribute to the debate on innovation theory and policy by exploring, through the interpretative framework provided by Lane and Maxfield’s theory of innovation (1997; 2005), a set of case studies concerning the implementation of a new technology for system automation and its incorporation into the structure of agent-artifact space (Lane and Maxfield, 1996). Our purposes are, on the one hand, to illustrate to what extent this theoretical approach can help us make sense of innovation processes, and, on the other, to derive some general implications for innovation theory.innovation, technological systems, complex systems, innovation networks, control systems automation

Strategic correlations for maritime clusters

Maritime clusters formulate appealing objects of study, for many viewpoints. At the same time, the theory is not homogenous nor compartmentalized, although some main themes do seem to be prevalent. The latter include innovation, competitiveness, strategy, and policy. Through an inclusive analysis of the literature, data mining is attempted within this body of knowledge. A dominant instance within the literature is the existence of a strategic case, along with the fact that this is rooted within a recurring constellation of topics vested within strategic management. These occurrences are categorized per generic premise, according to a coding protocol. The data is then adjusted into dichotomous variables, to investigate dependent samples’ correlation. The aim of this methodology is to examine association between the categorical variables of academic impact and the presence of a strategic case. The results of the analysis are statistically significant. This research can provoke novel directions with respect to strategic and tactical decision making, for academia and practice. In addition, this work provides a rudimentary inventory of the literature of maritime clusters, that can aid the formulation and investigation of further statistical hypotheses