•Technological innovations tend to rely primarily on the STI mode.•Non-Technological innovation tend to rely priimarily on the DUI mode.•Context-specificity matters in relation to the effectiveness ...of local vs. global collaborations.
In this paper, we join the debate on business innovation modes that originates from the wider literature on innovation systems. These specific contributions identify and study the impact of different innovation modes, particularly the mode focused on scientific and technologically-based innovation (STI) vs. the mode based on learning-by-doing, by-using, and by-interacting (DUI). Echoing the seminal contribution by Jensen et al. (2007) and a range of other studies, we confirm the importance of the combined STI&DUI interaction mode, which has a stronger impact on innovation output (technological and non-technological) than the two separate individual modes. Additionally, we propose a novel hypothesis on the effectiveness of firm's interaction modes. We argue that the independent STI mode has a stronger effect on technological innovation, whereas the independent DUI mode has a stronger impact on non-technological innovation. In addition, in line with works on the geography of innovation, and innovation systems, we try to determine the impact of regional vs. global DUI and STI interactions on technological and non-technological innovations. In this case, we expect that in diverse geographic locations, businesses tend to adopt their own context-specific interaction modes, which produce a differentiated impact on innovation output. This study is applied to a large sample of firms in the context of the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain.
This study analyzes the most effective innovation modes (‘science and technology-based innovation’, STI, and ‘doing, using and interacting-based innovation’, DUI) for business innovation performance ...in the context of post-Soviet Transition Economies (PSTE). Their specificities are expected to influence both their business innovation modes and their impact on innovation output. In particular, we aim at identifying the specificities of PSTE in that the DUI mode alone (and its specific drivers) is more relevant than the STI mode alone (and its drivers). In our hypothesis, this outcome should be even stronger in the context of non-technological types of innovation (e.g. organizational innovation).
•Analysis of STI and DUI modes of innovation in a post-Soviet transition economy.•Impact of the STI and DUI modes on product and organizational innovation.•Identify firm specificities associated to post-Soviet transition economies.
Abstract Drawing on coopetition‐based and values‐based business model networks, we explore competitors' coevolutionary interactions to drive sustainability. Using a specialty coffee industry case ...study in Colombia, we propose an analytical framework for collaboration, leveraging resources to transform neglected industry values. We apply the congruence analysis method to compare theoretical expectations with empirical findings, providing rigorous evidence. Our study reveals that developing values‐based networks through coopetition allows collective problem resolution and offers new opportunities for value creation. This research contributes to coopetition and values‐based network theories, emphasizing practical implications for sustainability‐focused business models. By highlighting competitor collaboration intricacies, our study enhances our understanding of the dynamics of local markets.
Purpose
This paper aims to propose an analytical framework in which to study ambidexterity in the management of policy networks. The paper is inspired by the concept of organizational ambidexterity ...in the public sector (Smith and Umans, 2015). By focusing on policy networks fostered by public administration with the aim of supporting small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) innovation, the paper elaborates on the links between firm innovation and performance and regional development. The cases analyzed are policy networks fostered by two publicly owned county development agencies in the Basque Country (Spain). An analytical framework emerges from bridging the gap between theory and practice. By understanding ambidexterity as a dynamic capability, the authors found that key ambidexterity drivers are related to network features (motivation to balance exploration and exploitation and diversity in terms of participants) and the individual feature of diversity within the network management group. However, other individual characteristics (leadership style) and territorial features (local institutional capacity) did not provide conclusive insights, calling for a deeper analysis and complex models to capture specific nuances.
Design/methodology/approach
The method used in the empirical part of the paper is the case study, as it considers the contextual conditions pertaining to a phenomenon (Yin, 2009) and helps understand present dynamics in specific contexts (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 2009). Flyvbjerg (2006) examines common misunderstandings about case studies to conclude that social science may be strengthened by the execution of greater number of good case studies. Following his arguments, the authors consider that practical knowledge is also valuable together with theory, that is why the framework is not derived exclusively form theory but from the interaction and mutual influence of theory and practice.
Findings
The case studies lead to a discussion on the effect of network, territorial and individual characteristics (including management/facilitation modes) on network outcomes, including innovation performance of firms and network sustainability. Additionally, these cases show the importance of different factors as necessary conditions and key discriminants when supporting ambidextrous networks. The case analysis and the integration of the theory in this analysis allow observing the evolution of both networks, developing some conclusions on the core factors that influenced these trajectories, thus proposing an analytical framework. Specifically, it can be seen that some of the factors conditioned the ambidextrous strategy of the network.
Practical implications
The main implication of the paper in practice is that the concept of ambidexterity and the framework developed to understand some of its features are a useful tool to diagnose policy networks. The impact in society inspired in this implication is that authors, through the discussion workshops mentioned in the methodology section, have helped the community of policy network managers in Gipuzkoa reflect and improve their strategies and consider the potential of not exclusively focusing on exploration or exploitation. Consequently, the impact on society, in this case on policy networks in the region, has gone beyond the cases studied.
Originality/value
The paper proposes the concept of ambidexterity as one that helps analyze the ability of policy networks to foster SMEs innovation. Managerial literature has extensively analyzed the importance of modes to foster ambidexterity within organizations (Gibson and Birkenshaw, 2004; He and Wong, 2004; Levinthal and March, 1993; Lubatkin et al., 2006) and also its individual dimension (Volery et al., 2015). Managerial focus on policy networks and its link to organizational ambidexterity thus remain understudied. Although private sector literature has explored both concepts, the relation between them has not been analyzed (Smith and Umans, 2015).
Firms engage in contractual R&D agreements for several reasons, including product innovation motives, firm performance goals, and technological diversification. This article demonstrates that firms ...also might enter into external collaborations to penetrate new markets. This study therefore explores both the effects and the strategic risks of contractual R&D agreements and their related knowledge structures for a firm's capacity to diversify into new markets. Drawing on a novel panel data set obtained from 102 Fortune high‐tech firms, the authors demonstrate that strategic alliances enable knowledge‐integrated firms to penetrate new businesses; however, these organizations should be cautious about engaging in licensing‐in agreements, which have negative effects on product diversification.
Many experimental projects towards Person-Centred Care (PCC) are successful in the early stages, but founder when the attempt is made to scale them up to encompass the whole organisation. This case ...study therefore focusses on one manager's attempts to extend the successes of a preliminary project 'Etxean Ondo' that aimed to provide adequate support for the elderly living at home or in nursing homes, as well as for their families and care professionals. Through in-depth interviews with stakeholders, this qualitative study, based on Grounded Theory, sets out to analyse which behaviours, attitudes and values on the part of management appeared to favour full-integration of PCC in this wider context. Analysis of the data gathered allowed the researcher to generate an experimental case model which suggests how the extrinsic, intrinsic and transcendent motivation of stakeholders can be aligned with the goals of upper management to promote full-integration of PCC in such a way as to generate trust, increase participant engagement and create a win-win situation for all. Whilst this is clearly an experimental project, it is hoped that the model provided may prove helpful to other researchers and managers interested in pioneering this type of comprehensive organisational strategic change towards integration.
More and more, the ability to innovate can be considered as an explanatory factor
in determining the long-term potential of firms to be competitive. Therefore, it is
of increasing importance to ...understand the critical success factors behind notably
radical product innovations. The present paper explores the yields and results in
terms of a
series of competitiveness indicators that domestic and foreign firms in
the Basque Country obtain from technological collaboration practices. In particular,
the study seeks to assess differences in the way these two groups of firms organize
their technological partnerships (in terms of the geographical spread of partners
with whom they cooperate and the purposes for which they deploy collaboration: for
commercial or science/knowledge generation), and the comparative differences that
stem from their respective practices. The study uses firm level data from the Euskadi
Innovation Survey 2011, for firms located in the Basque Country. The paper finds
that (a) technological collaborations comprising different types of partners have the
greatest positive impact on innovation novelty, and (b) when looking at the firm’s
nationality, collaboration strategies developed by foreign firms have a
higher impact
on achieving novel innovation. We posit that the higher degree of product innovation
we observe among foreign firms – as opposed to domestic firms in the Basque
Country – relies on their ability to benefit from both inter-regional partnerships and
commercial-based networks for the sake of innovation purposes
Purpose
The literature stresses the importance of collaboration patterns and the role of public funding in regional competitiveness. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of this ...subject by focusing on two key dynamics of technological cooperation. First, the authors focus on the ability of public funding to support regional technological demand through the promotion of science and technology-based innovation (STI) and innovation based on learning-by-doing, learning-by-using, learning-by-interacting (DUI) cooperation. Second, the authors investigate whether such cooperation patterns influence the companies’ ability to support the development of novel products through the effective transfer of knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
The data used in this longitudinal study are taken from the Basque statistics agency’s (EUSTAT) technological innovation survey, which compiles activities, personnel, funding sources, support institutions and other innovation-related aspects of businesses in the Basque region. The survey was carried out following the methodology of the community innovation survey (CIS). CIS data are used to generate official innovation statistics for the EU and its member countries and have been used extensively for analysis in economics. The sample included an unbalanced panel of 17,431 companies that reported research and development expenditure for the period 2013‐2017.
Findings
The results of the analysis confirm that the relationship between STI cooperation and regional funding is positive (Piñeiro-Antelo and Lois-González, 2019), but regional DUI cooperation will have a greater impact than STI cooperation on a company’s ability to generate novel products. The authors can, therefore, say that public funding is successful at supporting cooperation between science and technology agents and firms but fails to promote the transfer of knowledge and subsequent development of novel products in companies in the region.
Practical implications
Following a quadruple helix approach, it is important to underline the need for public policies to strengthen the connections between all the key agents in the ecosystem (where the research community, industry, public sector and citizens are all active actors), promoting technology transfer and dissemination, as well as trust among the parties, absorptive capacity and business access to resources and financing. Thus, the design of public policies should be oriented to support a firm’s innovation, balancing the exploration and exploitation of STI and DUI regional cooperation.
Originality/value
The contribution of this research is threefold. First, it serves to emphasize the importance of the impact of regional innovation systems on business innovation modes and their performance. Second, it takes the study of innovation systems and their impact on companies a step further by examining the impact of public funding on the companies’ ability to explore and exploit regional innovation modes. Thirdly, the authors offer a dynamic view of the region’s ability to support its own demand for technology and study the impact of regional business modes on the firms’ ability to support novel products.
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