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Rundquist, Jonas; Emmitt, Stephen; Halila, Fawzi; Hjort, Bengt; Larsson, Bengt
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
The construction sector is often accused of being inefficient, conservative and non-innovative, although some commentators have suggested that the construction sector is not backward, it is merely different to other industries. One of these differences is the uniqueness of construction projects, which are determined by the characteristics of the site, interaction of project participants (also partly site specific) and the relationship between contractors and building product producers (which changes from one project to another). These factors are known to colour construction innovation. Previous research into the Swedish construction sector has identified a significant gap between the building product producers who are ‘product focused’ and the contractors who are ‘project focused’, with concerns expressed about effectiveness of communication between two. The findings of previous research imply, both implicitly and explicitly, that this gap may be hindering innovation within the construction sector. This appears to have implications for those concerned with construction, the building users and society as a whole. In this paper the authors provide an extensive review of the literature and research findings from which a number of unique insights are offered. The reasons for the gap between producers and contractors are discussed and a number of innovative measures are proposed that may help to bridge the gap, and hence improve innovation systems. The paper concludes with some practical findings for producers and contractors as well as some thoughts on where future research should be targeted.
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
The cluster concept has had great influence on national and regional policies for growth and innovation in Sweden since it was introduced in the late 1990s. This article argues that while the cluster concept has been relatively uncontested on the national policy arena, it has been contested on the regional arena regarding its meaning and proper use. We scrutinize this contestation as a matter of power struggles between different actors concerning the preferential right of interpretation of which organizations, areas and innovations are to be considered as important in policies and practices promoting clusters. The article thus highlights the tricky balance act performed by policy makers and civil servants when deciding on prioritization versus diversification. The article contributes to the further development of both policies and theories on growth and innovation by empirically mapping and discussing the impact of power struggles on clusters as pathways to innovation. In order to exemplify these struggles, our study draws upon two separate studies: one of how the cluster concept has been used as a policy measure over time on national and regional level in Sweden (Säll, 2012) and another of the organization of alternative clusters by Women Resource Centers throughout Sweden (Lindberg et al., 2012). Comparing these two cases makes it evident that the perceptions of clusters that harmonize with prevalent hegemonic discourses of growth and innovation have to large extent enjoyed the preferential right of interpretation, however are at the same time challenged by alternative conceptions of clusters. When highlighted in relation to existing research on innovation, growth policy and power relations, the two empirical examples stand out as interesting cases of how innovation policy has been introduced as academic theory, translated to a political context and subject for contestations that has changed the initial meaning of the concept. Ultimately, it is concluded that the pathways to innovation in the Nordic countries are paradoxical, due to the paradoxical pathway of policies and practices to evoke innovation and change as the same as preserving traditional regional power structures.
Nahnfeldt, Cecilia; Lindberg, Malin
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
Innovations have hitherto mostly been acknowledged in terms of new technical products in both theories and policies on innovation. The public support to the transformation of research results and new ideas into new goods and services, provided by the state as well as by several universities, has thus primarily been adapted to the conditions prevalent in technological and manufacturing industries. Since the Nordic countries have a long tradition in policy and research focusing social aspects of societal development, there ought to be a potential in supporting innovations emanating from the social sciences as well. Social science innovations could then better serve to solve the great economic and social challenges identified on the global level by OECD, on the European level by EU and on the national level by the EU member states, not least the Nordic countries. But as the public support system for innovations is adapted to technological standards and conditions, what possibilities are there to promote and enhance ideas coming out social science driven innovations? Based on an empirical example of a specific social science innovation, this article explores how existing support systems could be adapted to enhance innovation in other disciplines and spheres outside or beyond technological ones. The empirical example emanates from a university in the middle parts of Sweden, where the Grants and Innovation Office engaged themselves in a process of intense adaptation of their services to meet the need of a social science researcher who presented on the idea of an innovation based on research on the area of gender equality. The article describes this particular innovation process step by step from research result to commercialized service using a participatory research design, autobiographical method and experimental method. Based on this empirical example of realizing a specific social science innovation, this article outlines a model for analyzing and promoting and recognizing these type of innovations. The model enables an analysis of the innovation process by its power dimensions, affecting the prospects of realizing the original idea and pinpointing key aspects for promoting social science innovations.
Fri, William; Pehrsson, Tobias; Søilen, Klaus
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
Both Volvo and SAAB are now Chinese owned car companies. This means that a substantial amount of Swedish innovation takes place in China. In order to understand this phenomenon better and what it means to innovation strategy we look at how industrial clusters in the automobile industry in different phases of development differ. The Diamond Model is used to explain and measure the competitive situation in three cluster regions in China. The new automobile manufacturing clusters of Chongqing and Chengdu (2C) is compared with two well-developed clusters in Shanghai and Jiangsu, and Beijing and Hebei. Although Shanghai is the most attractive automobile cluster, automobile manufacturing firms choose to locate their production in other regions. The move is also related to the level of innovation in different regions.
Chang, Sheng-Yen; Lu, Hsi-Peng; Liang, Chiung-Ju
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
The following teaching case study details an exciting and modern case of an integrated circuit distribution company in Taiwan (the Sunnic Group) as it transitions through several major innovation initiatives creating new products and a new role for itself in the industry while simultaneously fending off market forces, competition, and degrading profits. This case study delivers important lessons about conducting innovation via four major areas. The first area details how market forces, intense competitions, entry barriers, and corporate growth can create situations where innovating on a large scale has strong advantages over the alternatives. The second area shows how theories on innovation and customer value propositions are used to create realistic strategies for new products and feasible plans for organizational change. Topics like knowledge management, creating new capabilities, and key performance indicators are discussed. Next, the actual implementations of several innovation initiatives are explained in dramatic fashion with characters demonstrating resistance to innovation, competitor's reactions, and conflicts of interest; more importantly, it demonstrates how product development strategies can actually play out. This section also captures how transforming an organization can be stressful, leadership intensive, and difficult. Finally, the case reviews the results of the transformation and innovation efforts via the patent and financial results. This case is designed to teach students a mix of theory and practical skills. A lengthy list of questions for students is also provided and a teacher's edition from page 21 onwards of this text contains lecture notes that help in guiding class discussions and aid in creating assignments.
Harrington, James; Voehl, Frank
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
In part one of this article on innovation management we address the theory and practices related to managing innovation within an organization. Probably the best way to demonstrate the effectiveness and application of innovation management is through the use of real case studies. Theoretical concepts often create new thought patterns that sometimes work and more often result in failure. It's only when we apply these concepts to real applications that the proof of the pudding is realized. In part two of this article we will provide a series of case studies that document real applications and results of applying innovation management within organizations. It is our belief that through the review of the surreal life experiences you'll gain a deep insight into the practical application of innovation management and be more able to provide examples of innovation. The following organizations are used as examples to demonstrate innovation principles: Tyson Food, Hughes Aircraft, DirecTV, Thomas Edison GE, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BMW, KB home builders, GE, Callaway Golf, Phillips Electronics, Eureka Ranches, Motel 6, Southwest Airlines, Men's Wearhouse, Virgin Atlantic, Home Depot, Amway, Mary Kay, Tupperware Avon, Dell, J.D. Power & Associates, among others.
Temel, Serdal; Glassman, Brian
2013 International Journal of Innovation Science
Companies in developed countries have clearly benefited from university-industry collaborations but emerging nations around the world have a different series of challenges and barriers to overcome in establishing strong university-industry collaborations. The following article discusses the barrier that 202 Turkish companies experienced while collaborating with local universities. Establishing trust and awareness were found to be major barriers preventing deep research collaborations. Interestingly, Turkish companies did take great advantage of universities' technical infrastructures being their equipment and laboratory facilities to test products, conduct research, and run experiments without formally collaborating, the authors term this "light collaboration." To accelerate university-industry collaborations in Turkey and other emerging nations a simple three tiered model is presented herein and is composed of: building awareness, building trust and exposure, and transitioning companies to full research projects. It is hoped that the ideas proposed herein will positively generate new concepts for grants and programs for emerging countries to support their university-industry innovation collaborations efforts.
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