Alueellisen innovaatiojärjestelmän kehityspolku - case Kouvolan seutu

Tutkimus on esiselvitystyö, jonka tavoitteena oli selvittää miten luoda innovaatiojärjestelmä Kouvolan seudulle. Lisäksi tavoitteena oli selvittää alueen innovaatiojärjestelmän nykytila, tutkia miten toimijat saadaan sitoutumaan ja toimimaan kohti yhteistä päämäärää sekä kuvata prosessi kehitystyölle. Kouvolan seudulla on tapahtunut lähiaikoina runsaasti muutoksia, jotka vaikuttavat myös innovaatiotoimintaan. Kehitystä on tapahtunut, mutta kehitystä on kiihdytettävä, jotta alue on tulevaisuudessa elinvoimainen seutu asua ja yrittää. Suoritettujen kahdeksan asiantuntijahaastattelun pohjalta voidaan todeta, että Kouvolan seudulla ei nykyisellään ole innovaatiojärjestelmää. Kouvolan seudulla on innovaatiojärjestelmän osia, mutta toiminta on hajanaista ja toimijoilla ei ole selkeää kuvaa omasta roolistaan osana kokonaisuutta. Innovaatioiden syntyä ei voi jättää sattuman käsiin, vaan uusien innovaatioiden syntyminen vaatii yhteistyötä ja vuorovaikutusta eri yritysten ja organisaatioiden välillä. Innovaatiojärjestelmän luomiseen Kouvolan seudulle ei ole yhtä oikeaa ja helppoa tietä. Harmaakorven alueellinen kehitysalustamenetelmä tarjoaa selkeän prosessin kehitystyöhön, mutta onko Kouvolassa tarvittavia resursseja ja osaamista prosessin läpivientiin? Tulisiko lähteä liikkeelle pienistä asioista, yhteisesti määritellyistä käsitteistä, päämääristä ja rooleista. Yhtenä ratkaisuna on Kouvolan seudun innovaatio-ohjelman rakentaminen, jossa nämä määritellään. Ohjelman kehittämisessä on syytä olla mukana mahdollisimman laajalti innovaatiojärjestelmän toimijoita, mutta kehittämisprosessin on syytä olla kevyt. Jo ohjelmaa kehittäessä tarvitaan erilaisia pilot-projekteja ja foorumeita, joiden kautta Kouvolan seudun innovaatiojärjestelmää saadaan kehitettyä ja pikku hiljaa rakennettua luottamusta ja yhteistyötä. Tekemisen kautta tietoisuus toiminnasta ja sen eduista leviää, ja Kouvolan seudun saadaan luotua toimiva alueellinen innovaatiojärjestelmä.

Coopetitive advantage – How firms create and appropriate value by collaborating with their competitors

Collaboration between competing firms (coopetition) has emerged as an important issue forn business practice in many industries. Extant literature has examined coopetition on many levels of analysis, but lacks clarity in distinguishing it explicitly from cooperation between noncompeting organizations. Because of this, the performance implications of coopetition from the perspective of an individual firm are still ambiguous – some research suggests positive results whereas other studies suggest detrimental outcomes. The aim in this dissertation is to narrow these gaps by exploring how firms create and appropriate value through collaboration with their competitors. The dissertation is divided into two parts. The first part comprises an overview of the relevant literature, as well as the conclusions of the whole study, and the second part includes six research publications. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies are utilized. The results suggest that coopetition embodies the distinctive logic of value creation and appropriation from the perspective of an individual firm, and thus differs in terms of performance implications from cooperation between non-competitors. The distinction comes from the fact that competitors have somewhat similar understanding, capabilities and interest related to certain markets, which is potentially both challenging and beneficial in terms of the individual firm’s competitiveness. It appears from the findings that there are distinctive firm-external and firm-specific factors affecting the success of a coopetition strategy. This study makes three main contributions. First, on the conceptual level it shows the distinction between coopetition and cooperation between non-rivals as a collaborative inter-organizational relationship. Secondly, it sets out a framework and propositions that enhance understanding of how value is created and appropriated in coopetition from the perspective of an individual firm. Thirdly, it offers empirical evidence of how coopetition affects firms’ innovation and market performance, and identifies the focal internal and external factors involved. In general terms, the thesis adds to our knowledge of how a firm can successfully utilize a coopetition strategy in its pursuit of improved performance.

Influence of Institutional Environment on Companies’ Innovation Activity

At the time of moving towards knowledge-based economy, countries pay much attention to innovations by making them a central issue in countries’ innovation policy development. Innovations are influenced much by the institutional environment, in which they are created. That is why exploration of National Innovation Systems, as an important part of such an environment, became central in works of different researchers all over the world.

The Digital Book as a Disruptive Innovation

Whether digital book will become the dominant design of books and be a widely accepted format for reading is a question that is currently asked by every e-publisher, publishing industry worker and many book consumers. This study is the first to holistically approach Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory for an instrument of measuring the phenomenon of the digital book. The disruptiveness of an innovation could be measured by it’s disruptive potential and the disruption process it passes. The empirical part of the thesis is designed so to investigate the digital book‘s features as an innovation for disruptive potential and then the current digital book market, monitoring it for disruption processes. Proving that the digital book is a disruptive innovation may allow understanding it’s prospects and even help in making a pattern of the innovation’s market infiltration in the future. The framework created for answering the research question could also be used in a similar way to analyze other E-publishing products (e.g. e-newspapers, emagazines).

Projektijohtamisen prosessit ja kriittiset menestystekijät, Case Lappeenranta Innovation Oy

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli kartoittaa case-yrityksen vakiintuneet projektijohtamiseen liittyvät prosessit ja selvittää miten projektipäälliköt ja -koordinaattorit näkevät projektijohtamisen menestystekijät. Projektijohtamiseen liittyvän kirjallisuuden perusteella koostettiin projektijohtamisen optimiprosessi ja prosessivaiheittain listattiin myös eri menestystekijöitä. Tätä kuvausta verrattiin case-yrityksen projektijohtamisen prosessiin ja koettuihin menestystekijöihin, ja näiden pohjalta pohdittiin case-yrityksen projektijohtamisen prosessin parantamista. Projektijohtamisen prosessin lähes kaikissa vaiheissa löytyi tekijöitä, jotka ovat osatekijöitä projektin menestyksen kannalta. Yksi keskeisimpiä havaintoja oli projektin tarvelähtöisyyden merkitys projektin onnistumisessa ja projektitiimin sitoutumisessa. Kumppaneiden sitoutuminen yhtenä tärkeänä tekijänä nousi myös esille. Tutkimuksen tuloksena syntyi myös mekanismi kohdennettujen projekti-ideoiden keräämiseen hajautetussa ympäristössä.

The Role of Preannouncing In Innovation Launch Strategy

The objective of this master’s thesis was to examine the role of preannouncing in innovation launch strategy. Preannouncing was studied from three different angles that were preannouncement usage, preannouncement timing and preannouncement goals and from two different perspectives that were the firm’s internal strategy and the external circumstances. The firm’s internal strategy encompassed the product strategy the firm had chosen. The external circumstances consisted of the industry, the nature of competition and the nature of market. Additionally, the product’s performance in the short term was studied in order to be able to speak out whether it is advantageous to preannounce. The empirical study was conducted as a partial replication study. The data for the empirical part was collected with a wide mailing and Internet enquiry in October 2008 – June 2009. Sample (N = 713) consisted of Finnish firms representing different industries and innovation activities. The data collection produced 272 answers and thus, the final response rate of the study was 38.15 %. The data was analyzed by using Microsoft Excel and statistical analysis program SAS Enterprise Guide. As a conclusion, the major results indicate that even if the firms use preannouncing quite often (54.8 % of the respondents), preannouncing behavior cannot be explained by industry. However, out of other external circumstances, the customer related turbulence affects on preannouncing usage. It was also revealed that the product type has an effect on preannouncing behavior. Additionally, preannouncement timing was noticed to differ according to audiences (distributors and end users).

Curriculum innovation in teacher education : exploring conceptions among Tanzanian teacher educators

The focus of the study is to understand curriculum innovation from the perspective of Tanzanian teacher educators. It is argued that the deterioration of quality of education in schools is partly to be attributed to the way in which teachers are educated. Curriculum innovation is considered as an essential strategy for bringing about improvement in teacher education. Therefore, in 2000 a new curriculum was introduced; however, right from the inception the curriculum was criticised by teacher educators. The overall aim of the study is to investigate teacher educators’ conceptions of curriculum innovation. In the theoretical framework the main focus is on discussion about different curriculum approaches for teacher education and innovation. In order to achieve the aim of the study, a phenomenographic approach is employed. This approach is used in order to identify similarities and variation in educators’ conceptions of curriculum innovation. The empirical basis of the study consists of interviews with thirty teacher educators working in eight teachers’ colleges situated in various parts of Tanzania. The findings, in brief, reveal variation in teacher educators’ conceptions of the dominant domains of innovation. Two broad conceptions of teaching with six aspects are identified. Conceptions of educational studies are presented in four broad categories of description with four aspects. Similarly, in methodology subjects two conceptions are described with four aspects. On the integration of subject matter studies and subject methods, two broad conceptions are presented with six aspects. Conceptions of textbook prescription policy are characterised in two broad categories of description with four aspects. With the use of modules two broad conceptions are identified with six aspects. In addition, the study identifies four broad conceptions of future curriculum approaches with eight aspects. Looking across the categories of description, the results indicate that educators cope with innovation individually. Three character types of teacher educators are presented: loyal, creative and critical. Furthermore, four types of phenomena suggesting critical areas about teacher educators’ conceptions of innovation are described: educators’ prior educational background, technical factors, student teachers’ factors and shifting from teaching to learning. On the whole, educators express a number of frame factors in the process of change towards the aim of curriculum innovation. This indicates that the new curriculum (2000) is not implemented as intended by curriculum developers. Constraints to the implementation are presented and discussed in detail. From these findings, two models of educators’ stance towards curriculum innovation are presented and can be used as a framework for planning successful curriculum innovations and analysing practice in teachers’ colleges.

From pioneering mission to autonomous church : Lutheran mission cooperation and church building in Thailand 1976-1994

Det lutherska missionsarbetet i Thailand startade inte förrän år 1976 då norska lutherska missionärer anlände till landet. Ett par år senare inledde Finska Missionssällskapet samarbete med norrmännen och med tiden anslöt sig även tre asiatiska lutherska kyrkor till missionssamarbetet i Thailand. Från första början var målet för missionsarbetet att grunda en självständig luthersk kyrka i Thailand. Detta skedde år 1994, 18 år efter att arbetet i Thailand hade inletts. I avhandlingen granskas vilka arbetsmetoder och verksamhetsformer som användes och hur grundandet av en självständig nationell luthersk kyrka förbereddes och förverkligades. I avhandlingen synas även den lutherska missionen i Thailand i förhållande till samtida internationellt missionstänkande och strömningar inom den kristna världsmissionen. Slutligen sätts den lutherska missionen i Thailand in i en thailändsk kulturell och religiös kontext.

Webometric network analysis : mapping cooperation and geopolitical connections between local government administration on the web

Webben är en enorm källa för information. Innehållet på webbsidorna är en synlig typ av information, men webben innehåller även information av en annan typ, en mera gömd typ i form av sambanden och nätverken som hyperlänkarna skapar mellan webbsajterna och –sidorna som de kopplar ihop. Forskningsområdet webometri ämnar, bland annat, att skapa ny kunskap ur denna gömda information som finns inbyggt i hyperlänkarna samt att skapa förståelse för hurudana fenomen och förhållanden utanför webben kan finnas representerade i hyperlänkarna. Målet med denna forskning var att öka förståelse för användningen av hyperlänkar på webben och speciellt kommunernas användning av hyperlänkar. Denna forskning undersökte hur kommunerna i Egentliga Finland skapade och mottog hyperlänkar samt hurudana nätverk formades av dessa hyperlänkar. Forskningen kartlade nätverk av direkta länkar mellan kommunerna och av samlänkar till och från kommunerna och undersökte ifall dessa nätverk kunde användas för att undersöka geopolitiska förhållanden och samarbete mellan kommunerna i Egentliga Finland. De övergripande forskningsfrågorna som har besvarats i denna forskning är: 1) Från ett webometriskt perspektiv, hur använder kommunerna i Egentliga Finland webben? 2) Kan hyperlänkar (direkta länkar och samlänkar) användas för att kartlägga geopolitiska förhållanden och samarbete mellan kommuner? 3) Vilka är de viktigaste motiveringarna för att skapa länkar mellan, till och från kommunernas webbsajter? Denna forskning kom till ovanligt tydliga resultat för en webometrisk forskning, både när det gäller upptäckta geografiska faktorer som påverkar hyperlänkningarna och de klassificerade motivationerna för att skapa länkarna. Resultaten visade att de direkta hyperlänkarna mellan kommunerna kan användas för att kartlägga geopolitiska förhållanden och samarbete mellan kommunerna för att de direkta länkarna var motiverade av officiella orsaker och de var klart påverkade av distansen mellan kommunerna och av de ekonomiska regionerna. Samlänkningarna in till kommunerna visade sig fungera som ett mått för geografisk likhet mellan kommunerna, medan samlänkningarna ut från kommunerna visade potential för att kunna användas till för att kartlägga kommunernas gemensamma intressen. Forskningen kontribuerade även till utvecklandet av forskningsområdet webometri. En del av de viktigaste kontributionerna av denna forskning var utvecklandet av nya metoder för webometrisk forskning samt att öka kunskap om hur existerande metoder från nätverksanalys kan användas effektivt för webometrisk forskning. Resultaten från denna forskning och de utvecklade metoderna kan användas för snabba kartläggningar av diverse förhållanden mellan olika organisationer och företag genom att använda information gratis tillgängligt på webben.

Analysis on firm innovation boundaries

Innovation has been widely recognized as an important driver of firm competitiveness, and the firm’s internal research and development (R&D) activities are often considered to have a critical role in innovation activities. Internal R&D is, however, not the source of innovation as firms may tap into knowledge necessary for innovation also through various types of sourcing agreements or by collaborating with other organizations. The objective of this study is to analyze the way firms go about organizing efficiently their innovation boundaries. Within this context, the analysis is focused, firstly, on the relation between innovation boundaries and firm innovation performance and, secondly, on the factors explaining innovation boundary organization. The innovation literature recognizes that the sources of innovation depend on the nature of technology but does not offer a sufficient tool for analyzing innovation boundary options and their efficiency. Thus, this study suggests incorporating insights from transaction cost economics (TCE) complemented with dynamic governance costs and benefits into the analysis. The thesis consists of two parts. The first part introduces the background of the study, research objectives, an overview of the empirical studies, and the general conclusions of the study. The second part is formed of five publications. The overall results firstly indicate that although the relation between firm innovation boundary options is partly industry sector-specific, the firm level search strategies and knowledge transfer capabilities are important for innovation performance independently of the sector. Secondly, the results show that the attributes suggested by TCE alone do not offer a sufficient explanation of innovation boundary selection, especially under conditions of high levels of (radical) uncertainty. Based on the results, the dynamic governance cost and benefit framework complements the static TCE when firm innovation boundaries are scrutinized.

Integrating eco-innovation principles into regional strategy and policy: case of Päijät-Häme region, Finland

This study focuses on the integration of eco-innovation principles into strategy and policy at the regional level. The importance of regions as a level for integrating eco-innovative programs and activities served as the point of interest for this study. Eco-innovative activities and technologies are seen as means to meet sustainable development objective of improving regions’ quality of life. This study is conducted to get an in-depth understanding and learning about eco-innovation at regional level, and to know the basic concepts that are important in integrating eco-innovation principles into regional policy. Other specific objectives of this study are to know how eco-innovation are developed and practiced in the regions of the EU, and to analyze the main characteristic features of an eco-innovation model that is specifically developed at Päijät-Häme Region in Finland. Paijät-Häme Region is noted for its successful eco-innovation strategies and programs, hence, taken as casework in this study. Both primary (interviews) and secondary data (publicly available documents) are utilized in this study. The study shows that eco-innovation plays an important role in regional strategy as reviewed based on the experience of other regions in the EU. This is because of its localized nature which makes it easier to facilitate in a regional setting. Since regional authorities and policy-makers are normally focused on solving its localized environmental problems, eco-innovation principles can easily be integrated into regional strategy. The case study highlights Päijät-Häme Region’s eco-innovation strategies and projects which are characterized by strong connection of knowledge-producing institutions. Policy instruments supporting eco-innovation (e.g. environmental technologies) are very much focused on clean technologies, hence, justifying the formation of cleantech clusters and business parks in Päijät-Häme Region. A newly conceptualized SAMPO model of eco-innovation has been developed in Päijät-Häme Region to better capture the region’s characteristics and to eventually replace the current model employed by the Päijät-Häme Regional Authority. The SAMPO model is still under construction, however, review of its principles points to some of its three important spearheads – practice-based innovation, design (eco-design) and clean technology or environmental technology (environment).

Regional innovation strategies and sustainability in selected EU countries

This study focuses on regional innovation strategy (RIS) and sustainability aspects in selected regions of European Union (EU) countries. It is known that RIS helps a region to innovate locally and to compete globally and it is considered as one of the main policy tools of the EU for innovation support at a regional level. This study is conducted to explore the existence and adoption of RIS in different regions of selected EU countries, and to highlight and compare regional RIS characteristics. The study is also aimed at identifying the factors that characterise the formulation and implementation of RIS as well as the problems associated thereof. In this study, six regions of EU countries are considered: Päijät-Häme Region (Finland); London Region (United Kingdom); Mid-West Region (Ireland); Veneto Region (Italy); Eastern Region (Poland); and West Region (Romania). Data and information are collected by sending questionnaires to the respective regional authorities of these selected regions. Based on the gathered information and analysis, RIS or equivalent strategy document serves as a blueprint for forwarding innovative programmes towards regional sustainability. The objectives of RIS in these regions are found to be dependent on the priority sectors and state of the region’s development. The current environmental sustainability aspects are focused on eco-design, eco-products, and eco-innovation, although each region also has its own specific aspects supported by RIS. Likewise, regional policies typically follow the RIS yet translated in various sectoral focus or priority areas. The main enhancing factors supporting RIS among selected regions have some similarities and variations; among others, some regions are strongly supported by EU while others have support from own regional agencies, organisations and professional networks. RIS implementation is not without challenges and despite the differences in challenges, almost all of reviewed regions consider financial resource as a common problem. Generally, it is learned from this study that RIS and regional sustainability are reinforcing each other mutually. In this study, the strong focus is given towards environmental sustainability in the regions although regional sustainability also includes economic and social aspects. A well-focused and prioritised RIS is beneficial for regional sustainable development.

Contemporary art galleries innovation management

This paper focuses on capabilities implemented by micro firms in actual art sector. After last two decades, since establishment of new art selling ventures has started, current art market of Russia is still in its emerging phase. Art galleries, who preserve to be the main place where the art is purchased, today have to survive in the hostile business environment. Whereas the rivalry does not affect gallery performance significantly, the major challenges for these micro firms are customer unawareness and shortages of financing. The business environment requires capabilities inherited by galleries to sustain the performance. Such capabilities may lead to innovation adoption. This paper represents the first explorative study on contemporary art market of Saint-Petersburg. In order to gain an understanding of the topic, qualitative method was chosen and in-depth interviews were done with 7 different micro firms using key informant method.