The rise of the digital economy, in terms of digital innovation (DI), requires the reconsideration of the notion of innovation to clarify its conceptualisation in a post–industrial digital economy. ...The current science, technology, innovation (STI), and social studies of innovation are lacking conceptual, theoretical, and analytical grounds for the exploration of DI, despite their pervasive impact on our lives. The aim of this study is to provide a conceptual framework for the exploration of DI, driven by growing recognition of the fact that the concept of innovation is faced with contemporary crises due to the theoretical and analytical limits of industrial innovation when adapting to socio-economic changes. This article discusses the ways in which intrinsic features of DI differentiate from industrial innovation, constructing the concept of DI around its two distinctive features: raising social inequality through four selected mechanisms and disrupting business models with ambivalent consequences. These characteristics have been identified to be the most intriguing when attempting to understand the nature of DI in today’s digital society. This research applies an intersectional and interdisciplinary approach, allowing for a critical and qualitative analysis of the current concepts of DI in different scientific fields and their convergence into a common theoretical ground for the social science of DI.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between the three components of intellectual capital (IC) (human, structural, and relational), and contextual factors relating to ...organisational climate (OC) and innovation culture, together with their influence on business performance (BP). Design/methodology/approach This empirical research is based on an online questionnaire, which collected data from a non-probability quota sample consisting of 253 Croatian SMEs. The scales for IC, OC, and innovation culture were constructed to test the relationship between these dimensions and assess the BP of the SMEs. Findings Based on a survey on 253 SMEs in Croatia, the analysis shows that the key dimensions of IC, innovation culture, and OC are vital to a company’s success and are strongly inter-correlated. Higher BP is positively related to higher levels of both IC and innovation culture. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of the research is the subjective aspect of the study. The data used in the study were self-reported where respondents in a survey gave their assessment of firm performance. Although this was necessary because of the absence of other data, it is an issue that must be taken into account when interpreting the findings in the study. Practical implications Understanding the role of IC, OC, and innovation culture in relation to BP, particularly in former transition countries, can have important implications for managers and enterprise owners, as well as policy makers and the academic community. Social implications The findings emphasise the important role of tacit knowledge in the innovation process, of which IC and OC are good examples. Originality/value This empirical study brings evidence from the understudied country of Croatia. Croatia is a post-transitional country and the last accessed member of the EU, on the dividing line between a modest and a moderate innovator. This is the first empirical study conducted in Croatia that explores the association between three concepts that are typically investigated separately (IC, OC, and innovation culture).
PurposeThis study, an exploratory one, aims to empirically investigate the association of national intellectual capital (NIC) with the national digital transformation readiness of the European ...Union's (EU’s) member states. Apart from building the conceptual model of NIC, this study explores the role of NIC dimensions in the digital divide between European countries.Design/methodology/approachBased on the literature review and the available EU statistical data and indexes, the theoretical framework and conceptual model for NIC were developed. The model explores the relation of NIC and its dimensions (human, social, structural, relational and renewable/development capital) on the readiness of European countries for digital transformation and the digital divide. Significant differences between EU countries in NIC and digital readiness were tested. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the association of each NIC dimension with digital transformation and digital divide within the EU.FindingsDespite a positive association between all dimensions of NIC and digital transformation readiness, the proposed model of NIC was not confirmed in full. Regression analysis proved social capital and working skills, a dimension of human capital, to be the predictors of digital transformation at a national level, able to detect certain elements of digital divide between EU member states. Structural capital, knowledge and education, as dimensions of human capital, were predictors of the digital divide in terms of the integration of digital media in companies.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has a limited propensity for generalisation due to the lack of common measurement models in the field of NIC exploration.Practical implicationsThis research offers policy makers an indication of the relationships between NIC and digital transformation, pointing out which dimensions of NIC should be strengthened to allow the EU to meet the challenges of digital economy and to overcome the digital divide between EU member states.Social implicationsThe use of digital technologies is key in creating active and informed citizens in the public sphere and productive companies and economic growth in the business sphere.Originality/valueThis study provides an original theoretical framework and conceptual model through which to analyse the relationship between NIC and digital transformation, which has thus far not been explored at the level of the EU. This research makes an original contribution to the empirical exploration of NIC and produces new insights in the fields of digital transformation and intellectual capital.
The transition from a socialist economy to one of capitalism brought, to many countries that had previously been socialist, a drastic decline in their technological competences, technological ...transfers, and research activities after the 1990s. This research seeks to assess whether or not the policy of technology transfer practised during the socialist era improved for these countries following their entry to a capitalist regime and their subsequent joining of the European Union, and whether or not these two processes (which historically coincide for many previously socialist countries) correlate. Croatia is used as an example of a typical transition country possessive of a specific type of market socialism, with controversial outcomes arising from its particular transition process in comparison to its peers. Despite the assistance of the European Union, which helped many new members from socialist backgrounds to recover their economies by upgrading their technological capabilities, this research reveals that technology transfer in less technologically developed countries is unfolding very slowly. Technological transfer occurs as a highly contextual phenomenon, dependant not only on the structure of the economy and technological and research capacities, but also on the political economy and the type of capitalism. This research identifies the three phases of the evolution of university technology transfer: science based models in socialism; endeavours towards an innovation based model throughout the transition period; and the bureaucratic model, driven by the EU cohesion policy and facilitated through access to the European Structural Funds. This research points out that bureaucratic-driven types of technology transfer should be coupled with nationally concerned actions on overall economic and political reforms in order to gain efficient results from their technology transfer efforts.
The research peripheral countries (RPCs) are faced with the need to provide transformative change for long term sustainable development with scarce research and development resources which rests upon ...strengthening science base and the transformative innovation policy focused on societal and environmental challenges. The European Commission's proposal of a new recovery instrument – the Next Generation EU, incorporating the Recovery and Resilience Facility as a key instrument - is focused on green, sustainable, and digital economies, paving the way for a shift from the standard science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy towards transformative innovation policies which foster innovation focused on systematic change and sustainable socio-technical systems.
This research seeks to understand the ways in which STI policy can contribute to the economic resilience and sustainable development of research peripheral countries and how STI policies can respond to new innovation policy paradigms, avoiding Europeanisation of STI policies and, ultimately, a peripheral policy paradox. Overcoming of the periphery paradox in STI policies requires unorthodox policy solutions to avoid inefficient replication of policy measures from advanced countries which pertain to science – industry cooperation to foster high tech industries and frontier research.
This research proposes a new STI policy approach, based on interactions and interdependencies between standard STI policies for fostering scientific research and science-industry cooperation through transformative innovation policies. This policy allows for an experimental approach to policy-making, finding a way to best suit the national socio-economic context for the gradual replacement of the established socio-technical regime towards sustainable transitions. The fourth component of the new STI policy approach is the concept of the mission-oriented policy, which draws on frontier knowledge and large investments. Both new policy paradigms are discussed in order to highlight the pros and cons of their application in RPCs with regards to research capacities, socio-economic regimes/landscapes, and societal challenges.
•Research peripheral countries suffer from the periphery paradox in STI policy.•Uncritical replication of policy measures focused on high technologies from advanced countries needs to be avoided.•Transformative and mission-oriented innovation policies - are analysed vis-à-vis the needs of RPCs.•A new STI policy approach is recommended in order to bring about balance between emerging societal challenges and economic growth.
This article examines the uncertain and ambivalent position of professions and professionalism in the post-industrial service economy driven by the collapse of the concept of the knowledge worker ...with which professions have largely been identified since the 1990s. The poor definition of knowledge activities, which are uncritically identified with service activities and creativity of all types, including low-skilled/wage occupations, suggests that the service-dominated economy has significantly challenged the classical concept of professions. In order to understand directions of change in the concept of professionalism the article discusses the reasons for the rise and fall of the knowledge worker and the evolution of the technical-rational to ‘creatocratic’ model of profession. It critically examines the statistical measurement of ‘knowledge-intensive activities’ (KIAs), which is based on poor definition of ‘knowledge intensity’ and cannot serve as a proxy to measure the extent of knowledge occupations in the service economies. Although many concepts for new types of professions have been devised which follow either ‘idealistic’ or ‘realistic’ discourse, the theoretical and normative aspects of new professionalism have not been captured, which makes the idea of a profession a fluid and ephemeral concept. This calls for a more precise definition of occupations and professions in a service economy and their working conditions to understand structural changes and polarization of the labour market, particularly the aspects related to growing social inequalities among new type of professions with the aim to better value professional work and reduce disparities.
This research aims to present a synopsis of four eminent theoretical concepts that scholars have expended to help understand how digitalisation has changed the workplace as we used to know it. The ...research is based on a conceptual approach. It aims to critically synthesise the relevant literature as the principal methodology for analysing work in the selected four research domains where the perspective on digital work is most controversial. The study shows two central chronicles that have emerged due to workplace digitalisation - utopian and dystopian perspectives. The research sheds light on controversial discourses regarding changing nature of work in the digital era, particularly concerning work polarisation, non-standard employment, unemployment and platform work. The study also provides guidelines for change that help minimise the dark side and harm to the worker of digitalisation by developing appropriate capabilities for the new digital environment.
PurposeThe main purpose of this research is to analyse the efficiency of the main European monitoring frameworks to estimate the transition of the countries within the European Union (EU) towards ...circular economy (CE) using the example of Croatia.Design/methodology/approachAssessment methods with reliable data and appropriate indicators are essential when it comes to measuring transition and progress towards CE. The methodology employed in this research is a systematic and critical analysis of the seven European measurement frameworks employed to assess Croatia's progress towards CE.FindingsThe analysis revealed how EU's monitoring frameworks have developed over time and how useful they are in evaluating country's progress towards CE. The measurement tools and indicators proved, in the case of Croatia, insufficient for clarifying and understanding its progress towards CE. Selection of indicators within monitoring frameworks is arbitrary while their interpretation is highly contextual, dependent on policy targets and local conditions. These results can be extrapolated to other EU member states.Practical implicationsPolicy recommendations for more efficient CE transitions are provided.Originality/valueThis research sheds light on the CE development in Croatia – an understudied European country in this context – and discusses the country's goals towards sustainability. The limited success of developed CE indicators is discussed.
The aim of the article is to explore the possible impacts of culture on in-country regional differences in innovation capacities and propensity to entrepreneurship using the Hofstede’s model of ...national culture. There is a number of studies that proved the profound influence of culture on innovation and entrepreneurship capacities. By contrast to cross-country cultural studies, the cross-regional cultural research on innovation and entrepreneurship within a country, especially in Europe, is an under-researched area. The research is based on national survey data (N = 1000) in Croatia, the country that suffers from weaknesses in innovation and entrepreneurial capacities with great regional development disparities. This suggests it as a good example for exploring regional cultural differences.
The research proved that Croatian regions are culturally heterogonous but the correlation between regional culture and regional entrepreneurship and innovation capacities was not found. Hofstede’s model appeared as having little practical value for strategic management and development and suggest that other factors, presumably more structural than cultural, that mediate poor innovation and entrepreneurship performance should be taken into account. The article contributed to the conceptualization and empirical research of regional innovation culture and provide evidence of the limited explanatory power of Hofstede’s model in explaining regional differences by cultural factors.
•Impact of culture on in-country regional differences in innovation capacities and entrepreneurship is explored.•Cultural dimensions based on Hofstede’s model failed to explain propensity to innovation and entrepreneurship.•Structural factors rather than cultural values determine regional innovation and entrepreneurship propensity.
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