Barriers to innovation in SMEs: Can the internationalization of R&D mitigate their effects?

Technological advancements, especially in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have enhanced greatly the competition spurred by the globalization of the world economies. Even small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are no more immune to the challenges that the globalization brings about. It is a remarkable, and in certain instances worrisome, situation since SMEs play a key-role in most economies, in that they constitute the largest business block and provide the bulk of employment. However, opportunities presented by the globalization and the entwined, simultaneous pressure to innovate opens for SMEs new arenas to engage in what we may call are global innovation activities so as to gain, retain, and further strengthen the competitive position. This pressure to go for global innovation is enhanced by given socio-demographic factors, e.g. shortage of skilled labour, in many industrialized countries. This paper presents the findings of a survey by the authors carried out in the Metropolitan Region of Hamburg in Germany to identify barriers to innovation in selected industries and to work out solutions. The project RIS-Hamburg was initiated by the State Ministry of Economic and Labour Affairs in Hamburg and co-financed by the European Union (EU). The findings of this survey are here matched against perceived opportunities and challenges presented by global innovation. --Innovation Management,Barriers to Innovation,Globalization of Innovation,Research and Development,SME, Globalization,Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME),Internationalization of R&D,Research &Development

Mobile banking as business strategy: Impact of mobile technologies on customer behaviour and its implications for banks

Mobile Commerce is gaining increasing acceptance amongst various sections of the society. This growth can be partly traced back to technological and demographical developments that have been influencing important aspects of the socio-cultural behaviour in today's world. The need/wish for mobility seems to be the driving force behind Mobile Commerce in general. Mobile Banking, availment of bank-related financial services via mobile devices, builds a cornerstone of Mobile Commerce. An empirical survey of customer acceptance conducted within the frame of our research clearly reveals a major, growing interest in Mobile Banking. However, since the degree of interest and the willingness to pay vary for individual services, it seems to be necessary to design specific services taking the needs and wishes of relevant target groups into consideration. Banks ought to therefore employ mobile channels with a clear business-focus. This paper examines the opportunities for banks to generate revenues by offering value-added, innovative mobile financial services while retaining and even extending their base of technology-savvy customers. --Mobile Commerce,Mobile Banking,Mobile Financial Services,Multi-channel Strategy

Mobile services in banking sector: The role of innovative business solutions in generating competitive advantage

The wide-ranging economic developments of the previous decade, e.g. the integration of world economies, have made a significant impact towards increasing the mobility of the working populace and their families. At the same time, technological developments especially in the field of telecommunication have made it possible to offer innovative, location sensitive services on ubiquitous basis to customers on the move. Our paper examines innovative mobile solutions in the field of mobile financial services (MFS) by using four case studies from Germany and Switzerland - representing two banks and two different technology solutions. The paper scrutinizes the strategic relevance of MFS to the competitive position of the firm concerned. Finally, we present five propositions about the role of innovative business solutions in the banking sectors and recommend that a large scale empirical study to test these propositions be conducted in the future. --Mobile Banking,Mobile Commerce,Mobile Financial Services,Multi-channel strategy,Innovation in banking sector

India's National Innovation System: Key elements and corporate perspectives

In recent years India has emerged as a major destination for corporate research and development (R&D), especially for multinational corporations. India's domestic institutions like Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) have set prestigious milestones of international standards. Not surprisingly, at Governmental levels a number of international cooperation agreements in the field of science and technology have been signed with India. After years of self-imposed seclusion, principally motivated by post-colonial India's insistence on the development of indigenous technology, India finally seems to have joined the global mainstream of innovation. India is in the process of emerging as a major R&D hub for both large and medium-sized multinational companies in various industries. This development is mainly owing to the availability of skilled labor produced in world-class elite institutions. Cost advantages, e.g. in the form of low wages are still present but receding due to substantial wage hikes often ranging between 15 and 25% per annum. The striking finding is however about market-driven factors. Of late, India's market potential, in the meantime ranked as 3rd largest worldwide by the Global Competitiveness Report 2007-08, has emerged as a crucial driver. Rising income levels of India's billion-plus population are creating unique market opportunities for firms, both domestic and foreign. In India the Government has historically played a major and in most cases a singularly positive role in the formation of its innovation system. India, ever since its independence from British rule, has invested much time, resources and efforts in creating a knowledge society and building institutions of research and higher institutions. Despite explosive population growth literacy rate in India grew from 18.3% in 1950-51 to 64.8% in 2001 thanks to concerted Government efforts; female literacy rose from a mere 8.9% to 53.7% in the same period. Moreover the quality of education in India is generally ranked as very good. According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2007-08 the quality of mathematics and science education in India is ranked as 11th best in the world, much ahead of 29th placed Japan, 36th placed Germany, 45th placed United States and 46th placed United Kingdom. Nevertheless, India is faced with major challenges related to infrastructure and bureaucratic hurdles. The quality of education, notwithstanding such excellent rankings as stated above, in many institutions does not reach the standards required for (cutting-edge) R&D efforts. Moreover, a booming economy is leading to shortage of qualified and experienced skilled labor - which result in inflationary wage growth and high attrition rates, which generally lay in a double-digit range. With the Government maintaining a pro-active role many of these problems may however be expected to get resolved to a manageable extent. In its Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12) the Government has announced massive investments in infrastructure and education sectors to enhance both the quantity and the quality. Industrial firms in India have recognized their chances and are investing heavily in R&D capacities. India is also a beneficiary of global mobility and exchange of talents, technology and resources as much as the world, especially the developed Western countries, have profited from India's export of brain power. In sum all these developments raise hopes for a further improvement in the conditions of Indi's National Innovation System. --National Innovation System,India,Offshoring,Globalization,Research and Development

The mobile commerce technologies: Generations, standards and protocols

Mobile Commerce has staged a remarkable come-back. Driven by the technological innovations in the field of telecommunications, it is showing signs of a healthy recovery. The collapse of the dot-com boom in 2001/2002 had dealt a severe blow not only to Electronic Commerce but also to Mobile Commerce, which was just about developing at that time. In addition to a general lack of customer demand for mobile, location-based, services, it suffered heavily under the technical deficiencies of end-devices, slow data transmission and unripe technological standards. These factors in turn had a negative impact on the customer acceptance of mobile services and whatever little demand was available, was rendered useless. Many of the environmental conditions have changed since then. Technology innovations have reduced many barriers to acceptance. Increasing globalization has led to more mobility and therefore to greater demand for mobile, ubiquitios services that can be consumed anytime, anywher. This paper examines different telecommunication technologies regarding their suitablilty and deficiencies. It provides an overview over the historical development of mobile technologies while pointing towards the expected future scenario. --Mobile Commerce,M-Commerce,UMTS,WLAN,3G

Innovation via global route: Proposing a reference model for chances and challenges of global innovation processes

Innovations have acquired a key-role in the growth and competition strategies of firms today. They are regarded as an essential tool to stimulate growth and enable firms to master the competition brought about by the forces of globalization. In developed countries they are thought to provide a vital buffer against challenges from low-cost producers from emerging countries. At the same time, innovations in today's globalized world are hardly feasible in isolation. World-wide economic reforms and far-reaching technological advancements have brought to fore new economic powerhouses, such as China and India, which possess strong scientific capabilities. Products are marketed internationally which often necessitates adaptation to specific needs of targeted markets. All these developments are leading to the globalization of innovation. Based on recent empirical studies conducted by the authors in Germany, this paper presents results from research-in-progress and proposes a reference model for chances and challenges of global innovation activities. --Research and Development,R&D,Internationalization,Globalization,Innovation

The Mobile Commerce Prospects: A Strategic Analysis of Opportunities in the Banking Sector

Mobile Commerce has gained increasing acceptance amongst various sections of the society in previous years. The reasons for its growth can be traced back to technological and demographical developments that have influenced many aspects of the socio-cultural behaviour in today's world. The need (and/or wish) for mobility seems to be the driving force behind Mobile Commerce. The launch of UMTS technology has provided Mobile Commerce with the necessary verve.Mobile Banking presents an opportunity for banks to retain their existing, technology-savvy customer base by offering value-added, innovative services and to attract new customers from corresponding sections of the society. The customer survey provides evidence that such sections in the meanwhile include the affluent and financially relevant groups of the society in Germany. The time seems to be ripe to convert this non-negligible customer interest into business-driving customer demand. A proactive attitude on the part of the banks seems to be therefore recommendable.Many banks in Germany have come to regard Mobile Banking as a necessary tool for thwarting negative differentiation vis-à-vis rivals and to foster/retain an innovative image. This self-reinforcing dynamism is expected to gain currency in near-future so that Mobile Banking services could soon advance to a standard product - on the lines of Online Banking - offered by more or less each and every bank

Emerging patterns of Grassroots Innovations : results of a conceptual study based on selected cases from India

Among all the innovation strategies that seek to impact developing economies, Grassroots Innovation remains the least explored. With critics of Bottom of the Pyramid literature articulating the need for considering the poor as producers, a better understanding of the grassroots phenomenon may help companies to understand and integrate the Grassroots Innovation strategy into their business models and thereby allowing the poor to become producers of products and solutions. This study examines the dimensions and trends, which make Grassroots Innovations unique, as well as factors which govern and influence them. The study is based on in-depth case studies which were gathered during field work with the National Innovation Foundation in India. The data illustrates how factors like education, age, occupation and sector influence the triggers and the outcomes of Grassroots Innovations. It also demonstrates how individuals, institutions and firms could collaborate to commercialize these products and solutions

Robot-assisted pelvic floor reconstructive surgery:an international Delphi study of expert users

Background: Robotic surgery has gained popularity for the reconstruction of pelvic floor defects. Nonetheless, there is no evidence that robot-assisted reconstructive surgery is either appropriate or superior to standard laparoscopy for the performance of pelvic floor reconstructive procedures or that it is sustainable. The aim of this project was to address the proper role of robotic pelvic floor reconstructive procedures using expert opinion. Methods: We set up an international, multidisciplinary group of 26 experts to participate in a Delphi process on robotics as applied to pelvic floor reconstructive surgery. The group comprised urogynecologists, urologists, and colorectal surgeons with long-term experience in the performance of pelvic floor reconstructive procedures and with the use of the robot, who were identified primarily based on peer-reviewed publications. Two rounds of the Delphi process were conducted. The first included 63 statements pertaining to surgeons’ characteristics, general questions, indications, surgical technique, and future-oriented questions. A second round including 20 statements was used to reassess those statements where borderline agreement was obtained during the first round. The final step consisted of a face-to-face meeting with all participants to present and discuss the results of the analysis. Results: The 26 experts agreed that robotics is a suitable indication for pelvic floor reconstructive surgery because of the significant technical advantages that it confers relative to standard laparoscopy. Experts considered these advantages particularly important for the execution of complex reconstructive procedures, although the benefits can be found also during less challenging cases. The experts considered the robot safe and effective for pelvic floor reconstruction and generally thought that the additional costs are offset by the increased surgical efficacy. Conclusion: Robotics is a suitable choice for pelvic reconstruction, but this Delphi initiative calls for more research to objectively assess the specific settings where robotic surgery would provide the most benefit.</p