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Since the 2008 global economic crisis, South Korea has actively invested in R&D for technological competitiveness and new market access. Systematic strategies and cooperation between government departments investing in R&D are needed for maximum impact of these investments and efficient use of limited government financial resources. However, technology roadmaps established by individual ministries of the Korean Government lack linkages with national goals and do not provide clear guidance. Additionally, existing technology roadmaps provided by the Korean Government include only technology trees and timetables, but no other technology-supporting measures. This paper provides a strategic technology roadmapping process for inter-ministry R&D cooperation and offers selection criteria for the roadmap's target technologies and supporting measures such as improved legal systems, professional personnel training, and infrastructure replenishment for commercialisation of the target technologies. Finally, the paper presents a process to align national technology roadmaps with the government's R&D programs and budget allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new model of the fundamental makeup of the firm. The model is a typology of the firm as conduit versus content. Firms are classified in this model by their function in the marketplace and the contributions they bring to their environment. The firm as conduit has a function of intervening in a market transaction as a go-between or facilitator. The firm as content has a function as a provider of its outputs to the market. The CVC model also describes the strategic competitiveness of the firm as CVC, and the differences between how the firm as conduit conjures its attributes into a competitive architecture, versus how the firm as content behaves. The unique contributions of the CVC model to the strategy and organisational analyses are described. Examples of the explanatory power of the CVC model are given in the case of the Uber transportation company, and in the case of the failed merger between AOL and Time-Warner. Further research is suggested to empirically test the CVC model, and the paper concludes with the potential applications of the model in a variety of sectors and industries, including the area of technology management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open innovation paradigm has created opportunities for the emergence of new actors to provide support for open innovation. It is acknowledged that knowledge creation is pivotal to innovation, but this has yet to be discussed in the context of open innovation intermediation. This paper based on a longitudinal study of SAFER, a traffic and vehicle safety research centre in Sweden, explores the role of an actor whose objective is to support joint knowledge creation in open innovation. Theoretical models of knowledge creation are used in the analysis and the identified activities go beyond intermediation, and include peer collaboration and mobilisation of a collective strategic body. These activities are fundamental to an open innovation arena - here introduced as a new type of actor. The paper challenges the established focal firm perspective in open innovation and introduces the open innovation arena to underline knowledge creation among peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research on coopetition has lately experienced a flourishing chapter, it has developed in rather disjointed and bewildering fashion. This paper aims to explore the various definitions of coopetition and how such variety of definitions might hamper the knowledge accumulation about the concept. We organise the paper in two key steps. First, by means of a survey analysis involving participants to a relevant international strategy conference, we explore the status of implicit consensus on coopetition. Second, drawing on a systematic review of extant coopetition literature, we investigate the explicit consensus of coopetition as it emerges from previous studies. Finally, we juxtapose the two consensus building segments and clarify how from a remote corner of the strategy domain, coopetition has recently turned into a relevant area of strategic management for theorising multifaceted strategic relationships that is developing a sense of collective identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how component manufacturers can change from a customisation to a product platform strategy. This change requires component manufacturers to deal with issues related to the product architecture of the component itself and to the product development process required to sustain the platform strategy. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the change in product strategy of Mabuchi Motors, a specialised DC motor manufacturer that sells DC motors for an average of 50 yen and that has enjoyed long-term stability and high profitability. The process involved in changing product strategy is analysed from two perspectives, the design concept (product architecture) of the DC motor, and its product development process. Academically, this study may contribute to enhancing the quality of product platform strategies by expanding these strategies from end product manufacturers to component manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological entrepreneurship concerns the transformation of potentially viable technological opportunities into profitable businesses. Technological entrepreneurship is recognised as a key driver of successful technological innovation. In addition, matching technological opportunities with local market needs is a characteristic feature of Chinese technology firms' catch-up and innovation potential. However, extant research on technology and innovation management has yet to fully include entrepreneurship insights in the study of innovation, especially in Chinese firms. With this aim, the paper identifies and investigates the relationships between a number of internal and external factors and technological entrepreneurship. Using a multi-disciplinary and multi-level literature review and findings collected through case studies and interviews in 74 Guangdong technology firms, the paper presents possible explanations concerning the relationship explored and discusses their theoretical and practical relevance, with particular reference to the role of support policies, IPR enforcement and personal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open innovation paradigm represents one of the most debated topics in technology and innovation management research in the last decade. Concurrently, different modes of collaboration involve different strategic trade-offs. Scholars operating in the technology management field have investigated the distinction between brokers who provide knowledge and mediators who provide contacts with other actors. While the former exploit their network position to connect separated worlds, the latter introduce disconnected organisations and facilitate their coordination. This paper explores the differences between technology brokers and mediators to provide guidelines that can orient managers to identify the appropriate bridge strategy towards radical innovation. Specifically, this paper leverages the rich literature about brokers. From an empirical point of view, the research relies on a multiple case study that focuses on two collaborative projects undertaken by Material ConneXion with BMW and PUMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas there is a wealth of contributions on the topic of continuous innovation (CI) in firms, there is still a clear need for works addressing how the existing knowledge on combining various types of innovation with operational excellence and strategic flexibility in a fruitful manner. Any attempt to generate actionable knowledge about CI that at the same time lives up to the traditional academic requirements of rigor and relevance poses significant challenges to researchers, calling for a more comprehensive and multi-faceted methodological approach, attending to multiple evaluation criteria and possible revisions of research roles and processes. This paper aims to recommend how to produce CI actionable knowledge and to take the first steps in progressing from this form of knowledge to a universal theory of CI. In doing so, the paper calls for a 'continuous innovation' in the way CI research is accomplished, and aims at proposing some key building blocks and evaluation criteria of a basic framework able to overcome the pre-paradigmatic stage in which CI research seems to be stuck. Moreover, it presents four papers from the International CINet Conference held in 2007 at Göteborg (SE) and one from the 2010 Zürich Conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruptive innovation, by its very nature, is a social activity among a large diversity of collaborating actors. However, literature addressing social processes in innovation is scarce, especially on the micro-level of interactions between the innovating actors involved, the inter-subjective level. This paper focuses on closing this gap by investigating the social dimension of innovation. It first examines the literature looking for social processes described in some detail. It goes on to present two empirical studies that each investigated a different co-creational setting. One aimed to identify the basic social process between actors from NPD and manufacturing, whereas the other investigated the interaction process of idea development in a consultancy firm. The literature and the two studies helped conceptualise a framework of aspects representing the inter-subjective dimension of innovation. The paper concludes with ideas for future research which use the framework for more fundamental theorising on the phenomenon of (disruptive) innovating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical contribution of this paper is that it identifies, explores and explains the stimulating impact of four reverse logistics concepts - which are: drivers and barriers, product types and characteristics, process and recovery options, and actors - on firms' waste reduction practices. The paper builds upon a theoretical framework of reverse logistics and an empirical study of firms in the Dutch metal industry. Its aim is to develop a model of four reverse logistics concepts that enables an analysis of waste management practices in industry. Although the model is based on a young and emerging field in the literature, and is applied in one-single specific industry and country, the model provides a useful analytical frame of reference for further research in the same and in different empirical settings. This paper's contribution to good practice is that it provides various avenues for practitioners to develop and employ a waste management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate responsibility (CR), as a business contribution to sustainable development, implies that the environment affects the organisation and the organisation reacts to its changing environment. In this way, CR can be understood as a cybernetic system operating across the interface between the organisation and its environment. This paper elaborates a cybernetic model of CR, and uses it to distinguish ways that managers sense change in their environment. Three ways to 'sense' change are compared: following trends, issues and events; picking up signals from stakeholders; and adjusting to sustainable development as a specific definition of 'progress'. The paper discusses the merits and limits of each approach. Conclusions are drawn in terms of implications for managing CR. Moreover, the cybernetic model is held to provide for a theory of CR that is more in line with the multi-disciplinary nature of practice than is found in ideas that derive from business ethics or stakeholder theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outsourcing of research and development (R&D) activities has grown rapidly in recent years. Outsourcing has major implications for how knowledge and R&D activities are organised and coordinated in a wider open innovation environment and creates major challenges for firms and their managers. This paper explores the implications of outsourcing and the increasingly distributed nature of research and innovative activities using primary survey data collected from the UK pharmaceutical industry. These issues are uniquely examined at both firm and activity level. This paper then seeks to set the findings of the study within the context of the wider debate and conceptual frameworks surrounding R&D outsourcing and offshoring in terms of the increasingly open and distributed nature of research operations. This paper concludes by exploring the implications for this for firm strategy and the open innovation agenda and for future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product platforms are applied in order to increase the stability of the product architecture and to reap benefits of scale and scope. However, many firms face a dynamic environment with quickly changing market demands. In such an environment, firms may have to continuously renew and improve their product platforms to achieve desired flexibility. The modifications comprise two types of innovations, component as well as architectural innovations. Combining these types to simultaneously achieve stability and strategic flexibility demands continuous innovation capability. This paper provides a viable approach to coordinate architectural and component innovations. The paper is based on a case study of an international truck manufacturer. Two major issues, decision-making and the management of knowledge, stand out as important for realising continuous innovation and improvement of product platforms. Moreover, product platform management needs to consider modularity and its related economies of substitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on innovation development in small enterprises. It explores what kinds of innovations have been developed in small enterprises and what is the diversity of innovation types. In addition, this paper examines the features characterising the journey of a small enterprise from a non-innovator to a diversified innovator. The empirical evidence is based on quantitative data gathered through an e-mail questionnaire, which yielded 733 qualified responses from the representatives of Finnish small enterprises with fewer than 50 employees. The results suggest that the degree of innovation capabilities, R&D investments and profitability are associated with the diversity of developed innovation types. The findings display four alternative routes when a small enterprise moves from a non-innovator to a diversified innovator. Applying these results will provide more specific questions for studying innovation development in the smallest enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper suggests a process to help virtual teams define their requirements and set up their mix of Web 2.0 tools. It is based on four steps: definition of the requirements of an aided competence management for virtual team building system (aided CMVTB system) and formulation of its functions, tools' identification, evaluation of their response to each function and, as a consequence, designation of the Web 2.0 tools which are most correlated. The process has been applied to the requirements in terms of project virtual teams. The outcomes are compared to the actual use and evaluation of the Web 2.0 tools by 34 marketing managers who are used to working with virtual teams and work in large companies with over 5,000 employees. The final section of this paper deals with managerial recommendations. It contains the concluding remarks and perspectives for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Services are playing an increasingly important role in modern economies. But services and innovations in services are not only a phenomenon in the service sectors, they also occur in the manufacturing industry. Services in the manufacturing industry are product-related services which are offered to customers together with the main products as an integrated solution. Based on firm level data from the European Manufacturing Survey 2006 for Germany, this paper explores the empirical relevance of product-related services and service innovations for manufacturing enterprises. The paper empirically analyses which types of traditional and advanced services manufacturing firms offer to their customers. Furthermore, it is shown that product-related services and service innovations significantly contribute to the sales of manufacturing firms. Using a multivariate regression model, it can be shown that services are particularly important for manufacturers of complex products and single unit or small batch size manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the early design phases of innovative projects. More precisely, the question of the innovation opportunities development and management is addressed here, starting from a theoretical model and methodology, until precise tool perspectives. The key elements of our approach are the potential technology concept (PTC) multi-input model and the C-K theory. Our PTC model is based on three dimensions (concept, technology and potential) and highlights the need of interactions between them regarding strategic and operational levels. Starting from the analysis of these three dimensions, different opportunities for the innovation are identified. In order to develop every identified opportunity, the three dimensions have to be explored with specific workshops and the C-K theory resulting in a tree diagram. The paper presents also tool perspectives dedicated to structure the preliminary exchanges among all stakeholders using criteria to consolidate new ideas. Two case studies are finally proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with security problems in the context of records systems, collaborative environments which due to the importance of the knowledge that they manage must implement consistent security and confidentiality policies and comply with the regulations in force. The study presented describes the design and implementation of a security model applied to the records management in an organisation in the nuclear energy sector. The aim of this paper is to present the security model in operation, transmit the acquired knowledge and analyse the advantages offered by the model for security management on the basis of the experience of the last three years. The ultimate purpose of the paper is to act as a guide to other kinds of organisations for the secure management of their records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing companies continuously deal with development of innovations. Many of these are cancelled on the way, in gate meetings. This paper investigates why technologies are cancelled, and on which basis managers make decisions. The paper is based on a study from the automotive industry with interviews with different stakeholders in the gates. The most common reasons for stopping projects were time, cost and technology readiness. Gut feeling is found to be an important factor when evaluating projects. This paper concludes that managers need to understand the role of intuition and query for this subjective information in addition to objective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the influence of the innovation process on organisational learning. To achieve this goal, we decompose innovation into two components, innovativeness and the capacity to innovate. This paper proposes theoretically the concept of Operative Real Options (OROs) and empirically seeks to measure their influence on the relationship between innovation and organisational learning. Using empirical data gathered from 204 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in European firms, the findings support the hypothesis that innovation and its two components improve the learning process in the organisation. However, we do not find support for the hypothesis that OROs moderate the relation between innovation and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhythm of production as one of the major characteristics of manufacturing and technological processes is considered in this paper. Various rhythmicity indices, often yielding different results for the same initial data, are used to determine the pace of work. The paper presents some axioms stating the conditions which methods of determining rhythmicity indices of manufacturing and technological processes should satisfy. Several methods of determining rhythmicity indices are offered and their effectiveness is validated. It has been found that the above axioms are satisfied by the Atkinson's and variation coefficients and Theil's index, which may be recommended for practical application. A case study of the calculation of monthly and quarterly rhythmicity indices for a consortium of three construction firms is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable growth and technological development are achievable. This is possible when there is good governance striving for a vibrant entrepreneurship, with innovation at its very centre. In this regard, North African countries' records are strikingly lagging. Progress has been made, but remains far from expectations and potentialities. As globalisation has now pushed innovation to the top of the development agenda, new policies and strategies are needed. Successful integration into the world business requires innovation-based growth using all qualified people and initiatives. In these countries, competencies and creative forces do exist, but their effective utilisation requires greatest attention. As little is written about the issue, this paper aims at discussing obstacles of innovation in the countries in question and proposes some feasible solutions. The paper will draw from published and unpublished work and make reference of some factual records. Policy implications will be identified and specific actions will be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the relationship among information, knowledge and technology management, with special emphasis on their applications in developing economies and how they relate to sustainable development. It also discusses the role of the national Information Technology (IT) policies in providing enabling environments for Knowledge Management (KM) for sustainable development. Finally, the paper appraises the national IT policies in two African countries (Nigeria and Ethiopia) to further provide insight into the provision of enabling environment that can lead to the process of KM for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on developing a new model of broadband internet regulation. It attempts to shed new light on the concepts that could enhance the effectiveness of broadband internet regulation, with particular reference to the principles of technology management. Broadband internet service differs from telephone service in many ways. Governments, however, promote competition in broadband internet service by employing traditional telecommunications regulation of telephone service without adaptations to suit broadband internet characteristics. As there is the trade-off between regulatory methods and the competition is based on an uneven playing field, broadband internet regulation is ineffective in promoting fair competition. Taking various established concepts in technology management, this paper proposes a new model of broadband internet regulation and applies the model in Thailand. The proposed model shows that governments are able to manage the trade-off and create a level playing field by separately regulating internet service and broadband network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to analyse the interface between and among innovation, technology, knowledge and intellectual property in today's global Internet society. The purpose of this paper is twofold. We analyse the role of measurement and intangibility in the standard-making process of intellectual property, especially differences in intellectual property across regions of the world. Secondly, we emphasise the importance of measurement costs, and intangibility of value in technology management, and knowledge in organisations, institutions and society in the 21st century. Such factors have been relatively under researched in technology and innovation management research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International standardisation contributes to market expansion. The standardisation also leads to the rapid spread of the technology and allows easy entry for many competitors into the market. This often leads to severe price erosion, with the result that a company which develops business opportunities from innovation fails to profit therefrom. This paper examines the way in which Sony could succeed in profiting from the business of 130 mm MO media in spite of the fact that the media was standardised. A key factor for the success is a strategy of repeated 'open' and 'narrow' approaches. One approach is to build an entry barrier by creating a market in demand for highly reliable media. The other approach is periodic introduction of a new generation of the media with double capacity and its periodic standardisation. The market, which is once open to competitors through standardisation, is narrowed again by the aforementioned strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic capabilities view has emerged as the central approach for addressing the question of how firms cope with technological change. Capturing the essence of dynamic capabilities and understanding what they are and how they actually support technological innovation and change, however, has hitherto posed an exacting challenge. This paper addresses these issues; 1) by reviewing the current state of research; 2) by investigating the role of three established theoretical lenses - ambidexterity, absorptive capacity and technology management - for dynamic capability-driven adaptation to technological change. In particular, we analyse how these three concepts unfold as dynamic capabilities and facilitate technological change through strategic managerial decision-making, resource reconfiguration and continuous learning. We subsequently propose a comprehensive framework that provides an integrative perspective on how dynamic capabilities support the management of technological change, e.g. developments toward digital transformation, new ICTs or cyber physical systems. Finally, we discuss future research directions based on the findings of our synthesis and framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation with competitors (coopetition) is receiving increasing attention as an innovation strategy. This paper explores how different proximities facilitate innovation development in a coopetition alliance through a longitudinal qualitative case study of firms of different sizes and capabilities within a Norwegian coopetition alliance. We found that the development of cognitive and technological proximities is essential for the development of innovations from coopetition, especially for smaller firms that can exploit the initial levels of proximity facilitated by coopetition to increase their cognitive and technological proximity to the larger firms. We also find that building social proximity in coopetition leads to less tension in the interaction between competitors and thereby less tension in the development of the other proximities important for innovation development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the competitive and cooperative behaviour of firms within an industrial cluster. The theory suggests that industrial clusters are a playground where even competitors cooperate on specific issues. It is for this reason that we have made clear distinctions between different technology areas within industrial clusters and present when and where cooperation between firms occurs. This research suggests that distinctions between key supporting and new/emerging technologies are of extreme relevance. Firms show reluctance to cooperate in the joint development of key technologies, especially when those key technologies are similar and thus they compete regarding similar products. No such reluctance can be observed when new and emerging technologies are considered. The cooperation mechanism also prevails in the cases of supporting technologies that are common to other cluster members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores opportunities for supporting the orchestration of innovation ecosystems, hence contributing to a fundamental capability in the networked world. We present analysis, evaluation and interpretation toward the objective of decision support and insights for transforming innovation ecosystems with a case study of EIT ICT Labs, a major initiative intended to turn Europe into a global leader in ICT innovation. Towards this, we use a data-driven, relationship-based and network centric approach to operationalise the 'innovation ecosystems transformation framework'. Our results indicate that with coordinated and continuously improved use of visual and quantitative social network analysis, special characteristics, significant actors and connections in the innovation ecosystem can be revealed to develop new insights. We conclude that the IETF transformation framework can be used to develop shared vision and to support the orchestration of innovation ecosystem transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study on the extent to which three dimensions of proximity - geographic, cognitive, and organisational - impact knowledge transfer and innovation post-merger and acquisition (M&A). Findings show that the elements of proximity substantially influence both knowledge transfer and innovation although the nature of the impact varies and is influenced by the type of management interventions or lack thereof post-M&A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper gives various indications of market and technology diversification as well as of global market and technology convergence (rather than specialisation) in the context of management, legal and economic convergence. The results show that different countries focus on a wider but increasingly similar set of markets for R&D outputs in the form of patents, which implies increasing intra-national market diversification and inter-national market convergence. The results also show that different countries focus on a wider but (to some extent) increasingly similar set of technologies that are patented, which implies increasing intra-national technology diversification and inter-national technology convergence. In addition, intellectual property (IP) legal convergence takes place as newly industrialised countries (NICs) have strengthened their IP regimes in compliance with TRIPS and subsequently do so in the context of their indigenous innovation policies. Asian NICs have significantly increased their international patenting and supply of patented inventions. Altogether, this puts new demands across countries on multinational technology and innovation management skills, and in particular multinational IP management skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced technologies are able to influence tourists' decisions. They can be exploited for attracting touristic flows towards cultural destinations. In particular, virtual tours are new tools based on advanced 3D graphics that can be useful for promoting arts and culture. In this paper, we test users' acceptance of virtual tours as a tool supporting their decision to visit a touristic destination. A new virtual tour has been developed for promoting a site with a high archaeological value in the south of Italy. Acceptance of this system has been tested on a sample of 100 interviewees. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). All the hypotheses were supported indicating the robustness of TAM model for explaining the intention to use virtual tours while deciding on touristic destinations. Results also showed the importance of enjoyment while using the tool to explain acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper present the study that was carried out in the PURA scheme villages of Thanjavur District, India. The investigation was to determine the impact of education on green technologies and business practice among the villagers, who deals with micro-enterprises. The data were collected from PURA villages that consist of seven clusters. Each cluster has been allocated an activity that yield production from natural resources. A random sampling method was used in collecting the data among clusters of the villagers. Chi-square test and T-test was used in determining the role of green technologies on the villagers' performance towards green technology management and practices. The research study was carried out before and after the implementation of green technologies-based farming. The result revealed that the villagers have changed their method of farming after the education of green technologies and business practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing variability and turbulence of the external environment have brought more uncertainty to enterprises' survival and development. To enhance the capability of adapting to the external environment, enterprises have to constantly improve their organisational flexibility. Organisational unlearning has positive effects on organisational flexibility since it can eliminate the internal factors that conflict with the external environment. In this paper, a conceptual model is established and examined based on the data of 248 questionnaires from Chinese enterprises to reveal the relationships among organisational unlearning, organisational flexibility and organisational innovation capability. Our research results reveal that organisational unlearning has significant effects on both incremental innovation and radical innovation. Furthermore, we also find that organisational flexibility partly mediates the relationship between organisational unlearning and incremental innovation, and fully mediates the relationship between organisational unlearning and radical innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to provide a description of how different information and communication technology (ICT) sourcing strategies can impact on the organisational characteristics of the ICT department, its competences and on its continuous innovation. ICT sourcing can be a strategic lever to guarantee effectiveness and, at the same time, to increase an enterprise's dynamic capabilities and foster continuous innovation. Innovation and learning can be enabled by collaboration with a network of specialised and integrated suppliers of ICT services and technologies. The work is based on a survey of 79 enterprises and an empirical study involving 40 cases. Evidence derived from the sample supports the identification of suitable sourcing models, coherent in terms of strategy, organisation and competence management, in order to manage suppliers as a potential source of innovation. Research results also pinpoint the barriers keeping ICT suppliers from carrying out their role as true innovators in an enterprise's continuous innovation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the development path of four knowledge management (KM) projects in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that lead to the emergence of dynamic capabilities. First, we empirically show how KM projects create a learning context in which KM routines emerge that function as dynamic capabilities for adaption, absorption, or innovation to enable SMEs to remain competitive in a dynamic environment. In particular, KM projects aiming at adaption and absorption (efficiency, transfer of knowledge and experience) achieve sufficient results for obtaining enough resources and attention for a further development. Once the structure of the KM routine is established, the content migrates towards innovation. Second, we also provide an in-depth description of the evolutionary learning path from establishment to routinisation of KM projects winding up as dynamic capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on continuous innovation in healthcare examining the implementation of lean thinking in the English National Health Service(NHS). Using interviews and non-participant observations, this study focuses on the dynamics of actor associations as they are manifested in the efficiency innovations in specimen turnaround times in a pathology unit of an NHS hospital, under actor-network theory principles. We illustrate the emergence of continuous innovation as an actor-network, which is responsible for creating the necessary conditions and behavioural changes for continuous innovation. Furthermore, we explicate the mechanism of translation to represent the 'glue' that keeps the corresponding actors together, contributing to the success of lean in the hospital and subsequently continuous innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are faced with the challenge of responding to the emergence of new technologies. To reduce uncertainties, there is an incentive for companies to get involved in a new technology while continuing to use their existing technology until final decisions can be made, a strategy called 'parallel development'. Parallel development is good for companies because it provides more options and defers the need for decision making until uncertainties about the new technology are sufficiently reduced. However, parallel development does not just simply consist of developing new technologies alongside existing ones. Moreover, to date there has not been sufficient research into the management of parallel development. This paper will describe a framework of parallel development for successful technological transition, and then illustrate the effectiveness of parallel development through the successful examples of Fanuc, Ltd., and Matsushita Electric Industrial Corporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a quantitative analysis of different equilibrium concepts employed in the literature on the cartel-fringe models. It is shown that small changes in parameter values can greatly affect outcomes due to changes in extraction schedules. Furthermore, it is shown that results of the closed-loop Stackelberg equilibrium are often closer to the results of the open-loop Nash equilibrium than to those of the open-loop Stackelberg equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability discourse has largely played out in the domains of natural sciences and technology, with recent contributions from the social and political sciences. These contributions have been significant and our understanding of sustainability challenges has improved greatly over the past three decades. However, our individual, organisational and collective actions have lagged behind and the actual problems of sustainability have become worse in the same period. In this paper we argue that we can get better action and behavioural commitments to sustainability by using the arts, art-based methods, and aesthetics to develop passion and emotional connection for sustainable organising and living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causal link between accessibility to resources and economic development is frequently claimed, but not always supported by evidence-based studies. This is also the case for increased access to public sector information which is believed to offer major opportunities to boost innovation and growth, and contribute to reducing current economic difficulties. Recognising that little is present in the literature to support conclusively this belief, this paper discusses the main issues that arise when trying to assess the impact of open public sector data on innovation and growth in the private sector. The authors focus in particular on the impact of publicly accessible spatial environmental information on small and medium enterprises, presenting some research questions and proposing a research strategy to address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China became the second-largest economy behind the USA in 2010. While there is quite some macroeconomic research documenting the technological catching-up of China as a nation, there is only little research studying how individual Chinese firms are catching up. This paper draws on the open innovation perspective to explore how Chinese firms improve their innovative performance. Our empirical analysis is based on a sample of 91 native Chinese firms in high-tech industries. The results indicate that Chinese firms widely implement an open innovation approach to strengthen their innovative performance. These firms use: 1) technology in-licensing agreements to obtain access to technologies; 2) long-term alliances with foreign partners to access state-of-the-art technologies; 3) collaboration with local universities and R&D institutes to broaden their technological strengths; 4) collaboration with the local industrial community to deepen their technological skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology research has emerged as a monumental scientific endeavour worldwide. Over the past decade, China's nanotechnology publication activity has grown exponentially at an annual rate of about 20%. International collaboration plays a major role in this Chinese research advance. This paper explores these nanotechnology collaboration patterns and collaborators' performance through bibliometric and text mining analyses to draw policy implications for promoting further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses current organisational innovations in intellectual property (IP) management that, with recent advances in networking technology, have arisen from the integration of patents and standards, and the effects of this integration on corporate innovativeness. Through case studies of Japanese electric machine corporations (NEC, Fujitsu and Hitachi), a new IP organisational evolutionary model that accounts for standardisation is presented, and organisational innovations are identified, including patent and standard information management (PSIM) and expanded IP management. PSIM is an information exchange system for the patent clearance of essential patents, and expanded IP management is IP management that considers both standardisation and patent activity. The evolutionary model shows that the exchange of information about patents and standards within an organisation becomes more oriented towards interdivisional exchange of information rather than intradivisional exchange. As a result, organisational innovations arising from the integration of patents and standards are expected to improve corporate innovativeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the impact of strategic R&D alliances on biomedical product innovation by small biotechnology firms in the USA. Inferential statistics involving logistic regression modelling was applied to analyse the influence of different types of collaborators on innovation success. The results showed that for start-up companies, an increase in the number of corporate partners was both positively and significantly associated with the firms' innovation success, as measured by successful product development to the commercialisation stage, but such relationship did not hold for older firms. Moreover, an increase in the number of alliances with universities had no statistically significant association with an improvement in the innovation performance of start-ups nor of older firms. These findings may help inform alliance management by technology managers as they assess and balance the composition of their network of R&D partners to optimise their strategic benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyse the incidence of the implementation of ERP systems on the profitability of the biggest Spanish firms. To reach this objective, we sent a questionnaire to a sample of companies. We also gathered the financial statements of these companies. The main results indicate a significant decrement in the profitability of the companies that implemented an ERP system. The reason for this decrement was a reduction in the profit margin, which was caused by an increase in the operational expenses. The results also suggest that adopting firms manipulated earnings to hide the deterioration of their performance. The profitability of non-ERP firms remained unchanged, so the productivity paradox assumption is not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation policy instruments in OECD countries are developed from different streams of policies related to the suppliers and the users of knowledge. They are also integrated into different levels of implementation (supranational, national, regional and local). Such complexity leads policy actors and stakeholders to experience a lack of coordination in their innovation efforts. This paper, based on a broad cross-country analysis of 844 innovation policy instruments implemented in 27 OECD countries, aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge on this issue by: 1) validating a conceptual framework as a tool of policy instrument coordination; 2) conducting an innovation policy instrument framework based both on the conceptual framework and a on diversity of instruments. The innovation policy instrument framework has been devised to be used as a roadmap to link innovation policy instruments and innovation functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many strategic technology management methods and tools have been proposed and deployed by academics and practitioners. Each approach, with its advantages and disadvantages, provides a particular perspective for supporting understanding, analysis, decision and action. Many approaches overlap in function, the interfaces with other methods are not clear, and many variants of tools are often available with little guidance provided for their application. As a step towards the construction of a flexible toolkit for supporting strategic technology management, this paper sets out a workshop-based approach that comprises functional modules that can be combined to address a range of management challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on extensive theoretical research and literature reviews, from two cases, and presents one case to illustrate practical application. It seeks to define and understand how lean product development integrates with current lean manufacturing strategies, and how the principles of the lean product development process can successfully be applied to improve the operations of a high variable-low volume product mix business. This work aims at delivering a unique conceptual model that demonstrates how businesses can improve their profitability through the utilisation of lean product development concepts. Through our conceptual model, business firms achieve the systemic integration of lean product development concepts with their downstream operations. The case presented of a high variable-low volume business organisation offers useful insights into how to implement this in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]