Organizing the innovation process : complementarities in innovation networking

This paper contributes to the developing literature on complementarities in organizational design. We test for the existence of complementarities in the use of external networking between stages of the innovation process in a sample of UK and German manufacturing plants. Our evidence suggests some differences between the UK and Germany in terms of the optimal combination of innovation activities in which to implement external networking. Broadly, there is more evidence of complementarities in the case of Germany, with the exception of the product engineering stage. By contrast, the UK exhibits generally strong evidence of substitutability in external networking in different stages, except between the identification of new products and product design and development stages. These findings suggest that previous studies indicating strong complementarity between internal and external knowledge sources have provided only part of the picture of the strategic dilemmas facing firms

Organizing the innovation process : complementarities in innovation networking

This paper contributes to the developing literature on complementarities in organizational design. We test for the existence of complementarities in the use of external networking between stages of the innovation process in a sample of UK and German manufacturing plants. Our evidence suggests some differences between the UK and Germany in terms of the optimal combination of innovation activities in which to implement external networking. Broadly, there is more evidence of complementarities in the case of Germany, with the exception of the product engineering stage. By contrast, the UK exhibits generally strong evidence of substitutability in external networking in different stages, except between the identification of new products and product design and development stages. These findings suggest that previous studies indicating strong complementarity between internal and external knowledge sources have provided only part of the picture of the strategic dilemmas facing firms

Open innovation process via technology transfer and organizational innovation

Purpose: The main aim of the paper is to determine the relationship between technology transfer as a part of open innovation process on organizational innovation in surveyed firms, what has been investigated empirically. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study is based on a survey on firms (n=100) located in Poland. The research model defines the relationship between technology transfer and organizational innovation in the enterprises has been developed. The survey uses the multi stepwise regression modelling. Findings: The surveys has determined the positive relationship between technology transfer and organizational innovations of researched firms. A strong direct effect on surveyed firm’s organizational innovations have different channels of material and non-material technology transfer as well as coopetition for innovation. Practical implications: From the practical point of view it is important that practitioners as managers should invest more effort in innovation activity connected with software development in their companies and coopetition, firstly started from cooperation with the research centers and universities for innovation, based on common innovation projects. Originality/Value: Regarding its methodology, this survey is one of the first studies examining the relationship between technology transfer and technological innovation of firms based on individual-level data and according to the theory. This findings suggest that measurement of technology transfer and its specific channels should be developed further as it is important in firm competitiveness and innovativeness level of firms.peer-reviewe

The TRIZ-CBR synergy: A knowledge based innovation process

Today innovation is recognised as the main driving force in the market. This complex process involves several intangible dimensions, such as creativity, knowledge and social interactions among others. Creativity is the starting point of the process, and knowledge is the force that transforms and materialises creativity in new products, services and processes. In this paper a synergy that aims to assists the innovation process is presented. The synergy combines several concepts and tools of the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) and the case-based reasoning (CBR) process. The main objective of this synergy is to support creative engineering design and problem solving. This synergy is based on the strong link between knowledge and action. In this link, TRIZ offers several concepts and tools to facilitate concept creation and to solve problems, and the CBR process offers a framework capable of storing and reusing knowledge with the aim of accelerating the innovation process

Organizing Innovation Complementarities between Cross-Functional Teams

Cross-functional teams play a potentially important part in the innovation process enabling knowledge sharing, the development of trust and overcoming spatial and organizational barriers. Using a supermodularity approach, we focus on potential complementarities which may arise when cross-functional teams are used in different elements of the innovation process in UK and German manufacturing plants. Using optimal combinations of cross-functional teams in the innovation process increases innovation success in the UK by 29.5 per cent compared to 9.5 per cent in Germany. Patterns of complementarity are complex, however, but are more uniform in the UK than in Germany. The most uniform complementarities are between product design and development and production engineering, with little synergy evident between the more technical phases of the innovation process and the development of marketing strategy. In strategic terms, our results suggest the value of using cross-functional teams for the more technical elements of the innovation process but that the development of marketing strategy should remain the domain of specialists.Innovation; cross-functional terms; complementarities; UK; Germany

Factors affecting multifunctional teams in innovation processes

Structuring the innovation process and managing multifunctional teams is a basic prerequisite successful innovation. A well-structured process gives the possibility to implement effective multifunctional teamwork. Meanwhile, multifunctional teamwork helps to optimise and accomplish the innovation process. Organizational support is necessary to achieve effective teamwork. Designing or changing the organizational structures for multifunctional collaboration is an important issue. Changing the system of performance measurement and setting up a multifunctional organizational culture gives employees strong signals that multifunctional integration is encouraged. --product development,innovation process,multifunctional team

The innovation process: an introduction to process models

In research as well as in practice, process models are an expatiated element of innovation management. They fulfill different tasks. In practice, for instance, process models are used as a management tool to standardize development activities. Researchers try to identify activities to be found in every product development process. The design of the different process models is as manifold as their application. It heavily depends on the intention of the practitioner or academic. Therefore, there exists no one best way. Partially, one academic uses different process models for different research designs. The aim of this working papaer is to give management scholars and practitioners a review of different fields of application and design of innovation process models. For this purpose, a brief retrospection of the emergence and advancement of process models and a selection of process models is provided. --innovation management,new product development,concurrent engineering,success factors,stage-gate-process

Contracting and Ideas Disclosure in the Innovation Process

We analyze the contract between an innovator and a developer, when the former has private information on his idea and the latter must exert efforts but may also quit the relationship after having been informed. We show that the equilibrium contracts distort downwards the developer's incentives but in different ways according to the strength of intellectual property rights (IPR). For example, with intermediate IPR, only pooling contracts arise with a limited amount of information revealed.

The Innovation Process: Practices in Food and Agribusiness Companies

Agribusiness,