International Journal of Innovation Science

Ko, Andrea; Fehér, Péter; Kovacs, Tibor; Mitev, Ariel; Szabó, Zoltán

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-01-2021-0007

This research aims to discuss the success of digital transformation focusing on the role of IT and management commitment in digitalization together with sectorial relevance as influencing factors. According to the literature, these dimensions are key elements of digitalization, and there is no consensus on their decisiveness. The authors measure the success of digital transformation with the digital innovation. The research is part of ongoing work, in which the IT-related practice of Hungarian organizations has been explored on an annual basis since 2009.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology is a combined one; both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied including surveying digital transformation literature, interviews with key representatives of Hungarian organizations, developing a survey to collect quantitative data, data collection and processing with PLS-SEM.FindingsThe results revealed that the digital innovations are strongly determined by business, management commitment and, to a far lesser extent, by strategy. In the case of digital transformation, the role of IT departments and the services they provide are less relevant.Research limitations/implicationsThe most important limitation of the research is the size and composition of the sample. Results do not present the situation of a specific industrial sector.Originality/valueDigital technologies influence and disrupt practically every industry; the development of information and communication technology has changed economies all over the world. Decisive factors of digital transformations are widely researched, but there is no consensus about them. This research contributes to understanding the role of IT department and their services in this process together with leadership, sectorial relevance as influencing factors.

Costa, Vianey Oliveira; Rocha, Raquel Rodrigues; Madeira, Maria Jose

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-09-2020-0140

The purpose of this paper is to understand the innovative scenario in Portugal, assess the patterns of goods and service change in the past decade and evaluate several essential characteristics from innovation and its relevant aspects.Design/methodology/approachThis research is a case study with secondary data obtained from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) in which it is applied to the constant comparative method of data analysis proposed by Spiggle (1994).FindingsThe innovation of products and services in Portugal increased over the entire period analyzed although not linear, the financing programs contributed to the recovery and growth of innovation and small companies presented the most significant increase in product innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThis investigation has limitations related to the data collected because the secondary data analyzed generalize the indicators and make it impossible to comprehend each aspect analyzed in this study in detail. This study also pointed out that Portuguese small- and medium-sized enterprises are more easily able to innovate in times of difficulty when compared to large companies. However, it is necessary to understand this phenomenon and present elements that can support or refute this discovery.Practical implicationsThis paper offers a broad view of product and service innovation in Portugal for companies, entrepreneurs, universities and researchers, in addition to facilitating the creation and structuring of policies, research and financing that can develop innovation processes.Social implicationsBy presenting a macro view of product and service innovation, this paper may facilitate the creation of incentives for innovation in Portugal and, consequently, to improve economic and development indicators.Originality/valueThis paper is unique in showing the patterns of innovation in the product and service in Portugal over almost a decade and in demonstrating important indicators that can be used in future research.

Mady, Khalid; Abdul Halim, Muhammad Abi Sofian; Omar, Khatijah

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-01-2021-0016

This study aims to investigate the drivers of three main eco-innovation types within the manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt, as well as to examine the impact of these types in sustaining competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachThe positivist methodological paradigm is adopted in this study, with 183 valid questionnaires collected from the owners and executives of manufacturing SMEs. The SmartPLS has been used to analyse the data.FindingsResults show that internal drivers (organisational capabilities, absorptive capacity and strategically environmental orientation) affect eco-innovation types. External drivers (regulation, eco-friendly products demand and competitive advantage) do not significantly affect eco-innovation types. The results also reveal that both eco-organisational and eco-process innovations significantly affect sustainable competitive advantage.Practical implicationsThis study has presented valuable insights for owners and executives of SMEs and policymakers in the business and manufacturing industry.Originality/valueThis study has presented valuable insights for literature on eco-innovation, owners and executives of SMEs and policymakers manufacturing industry to depth-understanding of drivers of eco-innovation types. in addition, the role of eco-innovation types in sustaining competitive advantage for SMEs has been a significant contribution to eco-innovation literature.

Xia, Huosong; Weng, Juan; Zhang, Justin

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-08-2020-0122

Industry–university–research cooperation (IURC) is a crucial way to build an innovative country. How to improve the effectiveness of IURC has become an important issue to be solved urgently.Design/methodology/approachThis paper studies the data of industry, university and research activities in various regions of China from 2016 to 2018 and analyzes the impact mechanism of innovation input and open innovation environment on the effectiveness of IURC based on innovation value chain theory.FindingsThis research finds that innovative talent input has an inverted U-shaped impact on the effectiveness of IURC. When there are more innovative funds invested, the marginal effect of IURC will decrease. When innovative talent input exceeds a certain value, the open innovation environment can alleviate the positive marginal effect of its decline.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature and provides practical guidelines for improving the efficacy of IURC.

Phukrongpet, Pimporn; Daovisan, Hanvedes; Satsanasupint, Panarat

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-02-2021-0028

The purpose of this study is to explore the drivers of innovative behaviour of sustainable community-based enterprises (SCBEs) in the Mahasarakham province, Thailand.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on insights from a qualitative case study method, this paper uses a purposive sampling technique with 30 SCBEs from December 2019 to December 2020. This study uses in-depth interviews and applied content analysis (e.g. theme, categorisation, quotation and coding), using the ATLAS.ti software.FindingsThis case study shows that transforming the community into an enterprise is related to creation, venture and innovative management, sustained in community-based enterprises. The findings reveal that innovative behaviour is associated with intention, thinking, orientation, product development, service, collaboration, competition and technology, which drives SCBEs.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the understanding of community-based group and cooperative community-based enterprise with innovative behaviour, which can drive SCBEs growth.

Duran, Halit; Temel, Serdal; Scholten, Victor

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-12-2020-0277

Context characteristics of emerging economies differ significantly from those in developed economies. Considering this substantial difference, this study aims to identify the drivers and barriers for new product development (NPD) success in the context of an emerging economy by drawing on the resource-based view.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from firms in different sectors in the Aegean Region of Turkey using the Wageningen Innovation Assessment Tool. Of 189 responses, 94 fit the criteria and used for statistical analysis. The data is analyzed using a two-step procedure, namely, a confirmatory factor analysis followed by a binary logistic regression that is used to model the probability in the study of the success of NPD.FindingsThe results reveal that along with the context characteristics of an emerging economy setting, internal capabilities matter for NPD success. Based on interviews with NPD managers, it was found that, among other factors, the close relationship with local customers is key for new product success, while introducing high innovative products to the market of an emerging economy may not be appropriate due to the specific conditions of such economies.Practical implicationsThis study will be useful to the managers to understand the extent to which the degree of newness of a product affects NPD success in an emerging economy setting. It also highlights the importance of securing firm resources before starting an innovation activity in this setting where resources such as financial resources, knowledge and physical resources are limited. From a policy perspective, this study provides certain insights as well. That is, government officials in emerging economies should be very careful about their informal actions that might disrupt the investment and innovation environment.Originality/valueEmerging economies are important for large firms seeking growth. They initiate manufacturing activities and increasingly perform innovation activities in those countries. However, the conditions to innovate are different from those in developed economies. Research into the factors that drive innovation is largely in an embryonic state. This study offers NPD researchers a deeper understanding of the drivers and barriers to innovation, particularly internal ones that may affect the NPD success in an emerging economy setting, in this case, that of Turkey. The results provide suggestions for policymakers to consider during the development of new innovation policies. For practitioners, this study outlines novel combinations of internal factors that lead to NPD success.

Boamah, Fredrick Ahenkora; Zhang, Jianhua; Wen, Dandan; Sherani, Mrs; Hayat, Adil; Horbanenko, Oleksandra

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-09-2020-0142

To effectively implement knowledge management, one prerequisite is to understand and implement the knowledge management enablers in the sense of optimal institutional efficiency. This paper aims to analyze and measure the significant enablers in overseeing knowledge management in the construction sector.Design/methodology/approachThe mixed-method technique was used to achieve the objective of this study and involved the application of detailed questions to project engineers and project managers within leading construction engineering companies, provided by the Institution of Engineering and Technology Ghana. In total, 150 questionnaires were collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences v. 26.FindingsThe study confirms that the knowledge management enablers such as employees knowledge, motivations, effective decisions and strategic planning are some of the important ways in which construction professionals can achieve different strategic goals in many processes and concluded that the progress of the next generation knowledge management strategy will be based on content sharing, decision-making and by promoting the free flow of ideas.Originality/valueThe study offers perspectives into knowledge management enablers and recommends key performance factors, championed by Ghanaian construction contractors for institutional knowledge capture.

AlAnazi, Amer Ahmad; Kura, Kabiru Maitama; Suleiman, Ebi Shahrin; Abubakar, Ramatu Abdulkareem

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-03-2021-0051

To address this question, this study aims to drew from resource-based view to examine the mediating role organisational innovation in the relationship between change-oriented leadership and organisational performance.Design/methodology/approachGiven that the unit of analysis is an organisation, 219 principal officers, including Presidents/Rectors, Vice Presidents/Vice-Rectors, Registrars and Deans, were invited to complete the survey on behalf of their universities.FindingsResults of the partial least squares structural equation modelling confirmed the positive relationship between change-oriented leadership and university performance. The results provide evidence that organisational innovation directly facilitates university performance. As expected, the relationship between change-oriented leadership and university performance was found to be mediated by organisational innovation.Practical implicationsOverall, this study successfully modelled organisational innovation as an underlying mechanism behind the change-oriented leadership – university performance relationship, thereby by testing resource-based theory in Saudi Arabian context. From a practical perspective, results suggest that to improve their performance is imperative for executive leaders in Saudi universities to focus on several specific work design strategies, obtaining feedback about their change-oriented leadership style from followers.Originality/valueWhilst there has been a considerable amount of research emphasising the importance of change-oriented leadership, there has been little research linking this fundamental aspect of leadership to organisational performance. Yet an understanding of the possible mechanisms behind this linkage has not received attention.

Albuquerque, Rafael P.; Ferreira, João J.

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-06-2021-0101

This paper aims to verify co-creation behavior and understand a relationship between perception of service quality, loyalty and co-creation, from Starbucks customers' perspective.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology was carried out, operationalized by applying a questionnaire to a sample of 385 respondents.FindingsThe results showed that service quality has a positive impact on loyalty and co-creation behavior in all its aspects; loyalty can be considered an important attribute in the intention of co-creation by customers.Originality/valueThis research extends the current knowledge on the subject and examines the associations between other attributes discussed. The implications of the study suggest strategic directions for using the clients' co-creation as a competitive alternative and generating value.

Hu, Yanrong; Liu, Hongjiu

2022 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-04-2021-0068

This paper aims to evaluate innovation capability of companies based on comprehensive methods.Design/methodology/approachThis paper used principal component analysis (PCA), kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and principal component cluster (PCC) analysis to analyze the listed companies’ innovation capability. On these bases, mean method, Borda method, Copeland method, alienation coefficient method and fuzzy Borda method were used separately for the comprehensive evaluation.FindingsThe results show that the comprehensive evaluation can overcome the shortage of the single method and improve the reliability of the innovation ability evaluation. In addition, the method also reveals that the innovation ability of the listed companies is closely related to the innovation investment and their industry and further regional economic development level of each province (city and area).Originality/valueThis paper uses PCA, KPCA and PCC to evaluate and study their innovation ability. On the basis of these, five methods (mean method, Copeland method, Borda method, divorced coefficient method and fuzzy Borda method) are applied respectively to combine the sort results of PCA, KPCA and PCC. The results show that combination methods have better theoretical and practical significance for innovation ability.