An Exploration of User Innovation from Inside the Firms: Uncovering Internal Dynamics and Embedded Lead Userness

openThis thesis contributes to the UI research by suggesting that firms need to put more emphasize on the internal dynamics by defining and boosting their strategic, organizational, and managerial potentials. At the same time, it suggests that the human side of the collaboration which deals with individual, choices, abilities, and motivations needs more attention in particular concerning lead userness. Based on the three papers, this PhD thesis aims to enhance our understanding of different perspectives of user innovation by providing a categorization of both external-to-the-firm and internal-to-the-firm themes and tackling the embedded userness. The first paper aims to scrutinize the “locus” of UI meaning to distinguish between studies focusing on external-to-the-firm conditions of UI. By conducting a systematic literature review , this study explores the existing studies focusing on external-to-the-firm conditions of UI (user’s types, users’ roles, enabling platforms, etc.) and papers focusing on internal-to-the-firm conditions of UI, such as strategies, capabilities and organizational routines that trigger and support UI processes. While current studies tackle different angles of the UI mostly from an external-to-the-firm perspective, this study identifies two general streams of research from both perspectives from inside and outside of the firm and provides a complete categorization of different aspects and themes of each perspective. The second paper investigates internal dynamics of firm–users collaboration by bridging the literature on user innovation and the literature on open innovation. Based on a systematic literature review, this study provides a more detailed categorization of internal-to-the firm conditions. The findings of this study highlight the precise sub-streams of each internal dynamic group including strategic, organizational, and managerial dynamics. Finally, based on the findings of the second study associated with dearth of research on micro-foundations or in other words human side of UI, the third study examines the individual-level antecedents of embedded lead userness. More specifically, based on the data coming from collected from 554 employees belonging to 42 Italian and Croatian small and medium-sized companies, this study inspects the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and ELU when mediated by creative bootlegging. The findings show that employees who show self-motivation and conviction in entrepreneurial activities also tend to commit (enjoy carving out some time to be committed) to unofficial innovation projects which in turn make them become more curious and expert about the products and to act as lead users. Overall, the findings of the thesis are important to further advance the innovation management research and in particular UI research. Taken together, these findings shed more light on the various processes, roles, decisions as well as human and psychological arguments that underpin the use of UI in firms. The thesis concludes by summarizing the key theoretical and managerial contributions of the three papers and then the limitations and avenues for further research on UI is provided.This thesis contributes to the UI research by suggesting that firms need to put more emphasize on the internal dynamics by defining and boosting their strategic, organizational, and managerial potentials. At the same time, it suggests that the human side of the collaboration which deals with individual, choices, abilities, and motivations needs more attention in particular concerning lead userness. Based on the three papers, this PhD thesis aims to enhance our understanding of different perspectives of user innovation by providing a categorization of both external-to-the-firm and internal-to-the-firm themes and tackling the embedded userness. The first paper aims to scrutinize the “locus” of UI meaning to distinguish between studies focusing on external-to-the-firm conditions of UI. By conducting a systematic literature review , this study explores the existing studies focusing on external-to-the-firm conditions of UI (user’s types, users’ roles, enabling platforms, etc.) and papers focusing on internal-to-the-firm conditions of UI, such as strategies, capabilities and organizational routines that trigger and support UI processes. While current studies tackle different angles of the UI mostly from an external-to-the-firm perspective, this study identifies two general streams of research from both perspectives from inside and outside of the firm and provides a complete categorization of different aspects and themes of each perspective. The second paper investigates internal dynamics of firm–users collaboration by bridging the literature on user innovation and the literature on open innovation. Based on a systematic literature review, this study provides a more detailed categorization of internal-to-the firm conditions. The findings of this study highlight the precise sub-streams of each internal dynamic group including strategic, organizational, and managerial dynamics. Finally, based on the findings of the second study associated with dearth of research on micro-foundations or in other words human side of UI, the third study examines the individual-level antecedents of embedded lead userness. More specifically, based on the data coming from collected from 554 employees belonging to 42 Italian and Croatian small and medium-sized companies, this study inspects the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and ELU when mediated by creative bootlegging. The findings show that employees who show self-motivation and conviction in entrepreneurial activities also tend to commit (enjoy carving out some time to be committed) to unofficial innovation projects which in turn make them become more curious and expert about the products and to act as lead users. Overall, the findings of the thesis are important to further advance the innovation management research and in particular UI research. Taken together, these findings shed more light on the various processes, roles, decisions as well as human and psychological arguments that underpin the use of UI in firms. The thesis concludes by summarizing the key theoretical and managerial contributions of the three papers and then the limitations and avenues for further research on UI is provided.Dottorato di ricerca in Scienze manageriali e attuarialiopenGhasemzadeh, Khatere

Between Mindfulness and Creativity: Conceptual or Experimental Creative Masters?

Prior research indicated that mindfulness has the potential to enhance individuals\u2019 functioning in many ways. However, its relationship with creativity elicited contrasting results, remaining unresolved, and with a lack of clear understanding of its underlying processes. In this paper, we examine how two creative methods of solving open-ended problems \u2013 conceptual and experimental \u2013 as contrasting processes are acting in the relationship between mindfulness and creativity. We test our research model in three studies: two field studies (crowdwork Amazon Mechanical Turk workers, and employees from Italian and Croatian SMEs), and an experiment conducted at an EU-based university. The results of three studies converge in indicating that high mindfulness contributes to higher levels of conceptual creative method which, in turn, stimulates high creativity. However, mindfulness does not demonstrate the same effects on participants using the experimental creative method, and thereby creativity. Contributions and implications for the study of mindfulness and creativity are discussed

How Higher Education Institutions Walk Their Talk on the 2030 Agenda: A Systematic Literature Review

Universities are rethinking their teaching and research programs and their whole third mission in response to the framework provided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But how do universities walk the talk? What are the main strategies and activities undertaken by universities to implement the 2030 Agenda? While the higher education literature has documented the growing number of practices and strategies around SDGs, there have been few attempts to synthesize these scholarly resources. Moreover, the knowledge base revolves around an array of activities, which makes the literature seem fragmented. To fill this gap, the present paper conducts a systematic literature review and derives a method of categorizing activities that can support further knowledge growth. We classified 130 selected papers based on the type of university activities considered (research, teaching, third mission, and managing operations) and the level of the implemented action (macro, meso, and micro). Subsequently, we identified the main gaps in the literature and discussed future research avenues for addressing higher education's role in accomplishing SDGs

Diversity, climate and innovative work behavior

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend current discussion on the drivers of innovative work behavior (IWB) by exploring how individual perceived diversities (visible dissimilarity and cognitive group diversity) and climates (team/clan and innovative/entrepreneurial) impact IWB. Design/methodology/approach Data had been collected from a cross-national study of working professionals (n = 584) from five different cultural contexts. Findings Findings of this study indicated that cognitive group diversity mediated the negative relationship between visible dissimilarity and IWB. Further, both innovative/entrepreneurial and team/clan climates moderated the relationship between visible dissimilarity and cognitive group diversity. Such a moderation effect reduced the negative effect that visible dissimilarity had on IWB. Research limitations/implications A cross-sectional single-source data set. Practical implications From a managerial perspective, climates (team/clan and innovative/entrepreneurial) are central for IWB in the diverse (visible and cognitive) working environment. Thus, organizations should pay attention to create a climate (team/clan or/and innovative/entrepreneurial) that reduces the negative impact of perceived diversity in the working environment while supporting IWB. Originality/value This study is the first of its kind that is based on social categorization theory, empirically examining how different types of diversity (visible dissimilarity and cognitive group diversity) simultaneously reduce individuals’ IWB. Furthermore, this paper provides insights that climates (team/clan and innovative/entrepreneurial) are crucial for IWB in the diverse working environment

Efficaciously smuggling ideas

The phenomenon of Embedded Lead Userness has gained considerable attention in the past years. The present study examines the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and embedded lead userness when mediated by creative bootlegging. After analysing the data collected from 554 employees in 41 Italian and Croatian firms, our study unveils that entrepreneurial self-efficacy exerts a positive impact on embedded lead userness when mediated by creative bootlegging. Consistent with research on identity work, these results suggest that employees who show self-motivation and conviction in entrepreneurial activities tend to commit to unofficial innovation projects, which in turn, makes them act as lead users of the products and services. The study’s contributions and practical implications are also discussed