Innovation Hot Spots: the Case of the Computer Services Sector in the Region of Attica, Greece

Elaborating on the notion innovation hot spots, we examine the case of the computer services sector in the Region of Attica, Greece. Fast-growing, geographically and industrially clustered firms are becoming an increasingly important factor for innovation and regional development. As a result, innovation hot spots enjoy rapid growth, leading to job creation, knowledge expansion and, in the best cases, sustainable development. The most recent European Trend Chart Reports (2004 and 2005) present Greece as innovation leader in the computer services sector. Computer services are characterized by a high knowledge creation and knowledge diffusion intensity meaning that the hot spots exploiting such services position high on an innovation intensity scale. Consulting, implementation, operations management and support services enjoy similar growth since they are complementary industries forming the Attica IT innovation hot spot. The purpose of our research within this field is twofold. First, we present the conditions under which this innovation leadership has emerged and come to flourish. We argue that growth in the Region of Attica has been boosted by the Information Society Program, the Olympic Games and the necessity for modernizing Greek firms, which leads them to favor investments in new technologies. Moreover, the region presents a favorable macroeconomic environment, characterized by high rates of development, increase of consumption and investments. Second, we analyze and propose a framework for maintaining the dynamics in the region -and in innovation hot spots in general- as there is a significant risk of rise-and-fall patterns occurring, leading to former hot spots transforming into “blind spotsâ€, and core competencies developed turning into core rigidities and cultural lock-in.

Innovation Hot Spots: the Case of the Computer Services Sector in the Region of Attica, Greece

Elaborating on the notion innovation hot spots, we examine the case of the computer services sector in the Region of Attica, Greece. Fast-growing, geographically and industrially clustered firms are becoming an increasingly important factor for innovation and regional development. As a result, innovation hot spots enjoy rapid growth, leading to job creation, knowledge expansion and, in the best cases, sustainable development. The most recent European Trend Chart Reports (2004 and 2005) present Greece as innovation leader in the computer services sector. Computer services are characterized by a high knowledge creation and knowledge diffusion intensity meaning that the hot spots exploiting such services position high on an innovation intensity scale. Consulting, implementation, operations management and support services enjoy similar growth since they are complementary industries forming the Attica IT innovation hot spot. The purpose of our research within this field is twofold. First, we present the conditions under which this innovation leadership has emerged and come to flourish. We argue that growth in the Region of Attica has been boosted by the Information Society Program, the Olympic Games and the necessity for modernizing Greek firms, which leads them to favor investments in new technologies. Moreover, the region presents a favorable macroeconomic environment, characterized by high rates of development, increase of consumption and investments. Second, we analyze and propose a framework for maintaining the dynamics in the region -and in innovation hot spots in general- as there is a significant risk of rise-and-fall patterns occurring, leading to former hot spots transforming into "blind spots", and core competencies developed turning into core rigidities and cultural lock-in

Leadership through the ClassicsLearning Management and Leadership from Ancient East and West Philosophy /

XXVII, 569 p. 37 illus.online resource

Developing a competency model for open innovation

PurposeFrom the organisational perspective, the authors know that management, including innovation management, becomes less “organised” by bureaucracy and administrative tools, and much more impacted by organisational capabilities, competences and hidden, “soft” routines, bringing innovation and creativity to the core of organisation. The purpose of this paper is to focus on competency sets for open innovation (OI) and is to provide recommendations for OI competency development in companies, linked to the core OI processes.Design/methodology/approachThe research is exploratory and aims at theory-based practical indication combining deductive identification of competency clusters and inductive model development. Thus, the authors apply quantitative methods to data collection and analysis. The authors conducted an extensive literature review on competence challenges with regard to execution of OI, and empirical data analysis based on a large-scale structured industrial survey in Europe (N=264), leading to the development of competency sets for companies. SPSS tools are applied for empirical tests.FindingsThe authors develop a generic OI competency model applicable across industries, combined with organisational implications for sustaining OI management capabilities. The research clusters competencies based on the empirical analysis, which addresses the various challenges of OI, leading to recommendations for competency management in an OI context.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected from one key informant per company. Although the authors made efforts to ensure that this was a senior manager responsible for innovation, the authors cannot exclude some bias in the way that OI activities and related competencies are perceived. Exploratory nature of the research, which calls for a more systematic investigation of the OI activity modes and the OI competencies resulting competency model. In particular, the competencies could be tested on an inter-professional sample of employees with involvement in and/or responsibility for innovation, development, and HR management, as well as on leaders of innovating companies. Third, although significant in size for the analyses undertaken, the sample is not large enough to enable a more fine-tuned analysis of regional differences across Europe in the way that OI is managed through the development and implementation of competencies.Practical implicationsThe research contributes to the OI management field with an outlined OI competency profile that can be implemented flexibly and tailored to individual firm’s needs. It brings indications for both further theory building and practice of innovation organisation, especially with regard to human resource development and organisational capability building for OI.Social implicationsThe social implications of the paper result from the contribution to innovation management competency development in OI regimes, which is an important tool for designing contemporary educational programmes, contributes to OI management sophistication in business which is especially important during the economy slowdown and search for new sources of growth and productivity, and supports firms productive engagement in OI ecosystems and collective technology upgrading towards higher societal benefits and stakeholder involvement.Originality/valueAn empirically grounded OI competency model is proposed with an implication to support human resource development for OI. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has been no prior attempt to build such a model. The distinguished feature of the research is its extensive European coverage of 35 countries and multinational scope. The empirical validation strategy makes the research extremely relevant for management decisions related to human factors related OI capability development in organisations.</jats:sec

An Integrated Methodology for Putting the Balanced Scorecard into Action

We develop a compact and integrated methodological framework for Balanced Scorecard (BSC) synthesis and implementation. The proposed methodology capitalizes on existing knowledge, while incorporating critical issues, grounded in our research and experience, which have not been systematically considered or documented in previous work. By identifying shortcomings and critical success factors from literature and experience, the methodology aims at overcoming certain serious predicaments faced by many implementations. The methodology embodies activities related to Project Management, Change Management, Risk Management, Quality Assurance and Information Technology, areas that contribute considerably to BSC implementation success.Balanced scorecard Performance management Strategy implementation Balanced Scorecard methodology