International Journal of Innovation Management

There is evidence that intra-firm collaboration and inter-firm collaboration are important for new service development (NSD) and new product development (NPD) success. However, evidence of the contributions of each to innovative outcomes is inconsistent. This inconsistency is associated with the tendency of studies to examine the impact of intra-firm collaboration or inter-firm collaborations exclusively. However, most firms involved in NSD or NPD engage simultaneously in intra-firm and inter-firm collaborations. Using a multi-dimensional conception of collaboration we advance a deeper understanding of the relative contributions of these attributes in intra-firm versus inter-firm collaborative environments during NSD versus NPD. Analyses of survey data from 134 innovations confirm that collaboration clearly matters for both NSD and NPD success, but its impact differs depending on (a) whether a new product or service was developed, (b) on the collaborative environment (intra-firm or inter-firm), and (c) on the collaborative attributes examined. Implications for advancing innovation theory and practice are provided.

This article gives a general decision framework for companies outsourcing strategic decisions. The authors argue that a consistent outsourcing strategy, strategic evaluation and searching of external sources, and effective implementation processes are three essential steps toward successful innovation outsourcing. The article points out that outsourcing strategy is embedded in a company's overall technology strategy, and analyzes the decision context of the sourcing strategy. The new theoretical idea is the portfolio view of outsourcing strategy. The soul of innovation outsourcing should be a mix of different external sources and different levels of integration and a match with the proper organizational structure. Examples of generic portfolios are given at the end of the article.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of interpersonal networks on the innovativeness of inventors. A significant amount of literature has been devoted to the analysis of network effects in the economic and managerial sciences. The main research works in this field have emphasized the strong relation between interpersonal networks and cooperation. Cooperation is the best way to succeed in complex and innovative projects. We make here the hypothesis that repeated collaborations in a network of inventors have an influence on their innovativeness, i.e., on their dynamic innovative capacity. On the one hand, we propose some theoretical clarifications regarding interpersonal networks and innovativeness, and we summarize the main conclusions of the more important empirical work connected with this subject. On the other hand, we run an empirical study involving 1,157 French prolific inventors who obtained 30,477 patents for the period 1975–2002. Logistic regressions results underline the significant impact of extended collaborations on the innovativeness of inventors.

This research includes an examination about the impact of three organisational factors upon the perceived usefulness of workplace social networks for problem solving in engineering SMEs. As well this research examines the impact of the perceived usefulness of workplace social networks upon the innovative behaviour of engineering SME employees. More specifically, the dimensions of Social Capital Theory are applied as a lens to develop an understanding into the effect of the strength of workplace social network ties, sociability and organisational culture upon the perceived usefulness of workplace social networks for problem solving. This study examines the proposed model by applying mixed methods. The research method includes a survey with engineering employees' and interviews with senior management. The findings confirm that the organisational factors tested (tie strength, sociability and organisational culture) impact upon the perceived usefulness of workplace social networks for problem solving. Furthermore, the findings also confirmed that the perceived usefulness of workplace social networks affects the innovative behaviour of engineering SME employees. Therefore, this research adds to the current body of literature by providing insight into the usefulness of workplace social networks for problem solving and the impact this has on the innovative behaviour of engineering SME employees.

The present study aims to validate the current best-practice model of implementation effectiveness in small and mid-size businesses. Data from 135 organizations largely confirm the original model across various types of innovation. In addition, we extended this work by highlighting the importance of human resources in implementation effectiveness and the consequences of innovation effectiveness on future adoption attitudes. We found that the availability of skilled employees was positively related to implementation effectiveness. Furthermore, organizations that perceived a high level of benefits from implemented innovations were likely to have a positive attitude towards future innovation adoption. The implications of our improvements to the original model of implementation effectiveness are discussed.

This paper explores the front end innovation activities in a multinational Global Healthcare Company (GHC). A questionnaire was designed and distributed to front end innovators from 20 operating companies to understand team composition, essential skill sets, and the methodology used to assess customer needs, generate ideas, and define the selection criteria used during the go/no go decision. For each category the current state and best practice (based on the views of the individual respondents) for front end innovation was analyzed and reported in this paper. The results of this study reflect the opinions and suggestions of 37 respondents (23 that were at directorship level or above). These results were amalgamated and used to develop existing models of innovation to produce a framework (termed the Total Front End Framework (TFEF)) that should be useful for both senior managers and innovation teams to optimize their activities and increase the efficiency of the innovation process.

While many of the factors which help explain the rate and scale of innovative technology adoption have been identified, one important variable (the influence of insider, practitioner-developed versus commercial, externally-developed technology) has been under-explored. Focusing on healthcare in particular, the purpose of this paper is to explore the insider-innovator/user dynamic. Relevant literature is used to draw-out and examine the prima facie reasons why insider innovator status might enhance, or conversely impede, widespread adoption. From the literature, a model depicting adoption activity pathways and adoption processes is developed. The paper concludes with a research agenda for future empirical study.

This paper identifies differences in institutional contexts (legislation) between Sweden and the UK and their effects on technology transfer policies. It then proceeds to examine how such activities are organized by universities. Empirical evidence from surveys conducted with technology transfer managers at eight Swedish universities and eleven UK universities gathered in Sweden and the UK during 2004 is analyzed. It is argued that the historical developments of these systems depend on different institutional contexts, which influence the modes of organization. The UK technology transfer system is based on similar legislation to that of the US, with IPRs being granted to the universities. The Swedish system, however, grants IPRs to the individual researchers, though with some new features — such as science parks and incubators — suggesting a change towards greater agent (university) involvement in encouraging technology transfer. This change indicates a breakthrough for the "entrepreneurial university" in Sweden.

With the advent of new technologies, one successful case of technological transition is Fanuc Ltd., a company that successfully introduced Intel MPUs (Microprocessor Units) to NC (Numerical Control) machines in 1975 and has since continued to achieve sustained growth. This adoption of MPU caused a change in NC architecture.

Through an in-depth case study of Fanuc, we show how adopting MPU to an NC system destroys the usefulness of accumulated hard-wired architectural knowledge in that firm due to changes in architecture. We also show how Fanuc developed the new architectural knowledge necessary for MPU-based soft-wired NC systems. This study is not an analysis of the causes of failure, but rather focuses on the aspects of successful management of architectural change. By analyzing and studying a successful case, we can gain valuable insights into managing architectural knowledge.

At present, R&D managers have little guidance on how to design organizations with respect to organizational affiliation of process innovation. While process innovation in the process industries traditionally accounts for a large share of the company's total development resources it has nevertheless not received much attention in academic studies. In this paper four variables: (1) Industry category, (2) Size of R&D organization, (3) Process innovation intensity and (4) Newness of process innovation are statistically tested against the organizational affiliation of process innovation, based within either R&D or production. The study provides new empirical support for the positive association between the degree of newness and the organization of process innovations. By extensively analysing and discussing the findings in terms of both pros and cons for different organizational structural choices for process innovation, the paper also offers managers practical guidance in making organizational design decisions.