Science,technology and innovation studies at a crossroad: SPRU as case study

The setting up of the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at Sussex University 50 years ago represented a “transformative change” in the research on science policy and the understanding of the nature and origin of technological change and innovation studies. It influenced policymakers across the world in both the mature Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries and the developing world. It made the topic of science, technology and innovation (STI) familiar to business studies scholars. Today though, the analysis of STI appears to be somewhat in crisis. On the one hand, there is growing evidence that the growth and welfare gains of new technologies and innovation are no longer forthcoming in an automatic “trickle-down” fashion. The knowledge and technology diffusion “machine” appears broken. On the other hand, there are growing environmental concerns about the negative externalities of unsustainable fossil-fuel-based growth as industrialization spreads across the globe. STI policy appears somehow stuck in an industrial efficiency and consumerism mode that is unable to address in a satisfactory way the impact of such negative externalities. Can the broader historical approach as popularized within the so-called Science and Technology Studies (STS) tradition provide additional, complementary insights? Yes, if STI and STS scholars are prepared to leave their respective conceptual comfort zones and address in complementary fashion some of the major societal policy challenges confronting science, technology and innovation policy today.     

Towards alternative trajectories? Reconfigurations in the Dutch electricity regime

In the early 2000s Dutch electricity companies are increasingly investing in technologies that enable them to replace coal with biomass. Replacing large amounts of coal (up to 40%) requires the companies to invest in technological trajectories alternative to the ones they have supported over the past decades. This paper aims to understand why these incumbent firms in the Dutch electricity regime are developing alternatives. The second aim of the paper is to provide a way for assessing the potential of innovations. The paper does so by bringing together insights from literature on (socio-) technical regimes and insights from literature on technological and market niches (strategic niche management). The main conclusion is that both niche processes (at the level of experimenting with alternatives) and changes in the incumbent regime are necessary for understanding the innovation journey of a new technology. A two-by-two matrix is developed that can be used for both analysis and governance purposes.     

The governance and performance of Xerox’s technology spin-off companies

Companies that conduct internal research cannot fully specify the output from that research in advance. Inevitably, spillovers may result. A company might choose to create a technology spin-off company to realize value from such research spillovers. But how is such a spin-off to be governed? Effective spin-off governance structures in a highly uncertain environment must promote experimentation and adaptation, in order to unlock the latent value in a technology. These can conflict with structures intended to manage coordination with the parent firm’s complementary assets.This paper analyses 35 spin-off organizations that arose from the Xerox Corporation. Xerox’s own initial equity position is negatively correlated with the subsequent performance of its spin-offs, but this is due not to their equity per se, but Xerox’s practices in managing its spin-offs. Spin-offs with a higher percentage of venture capital investors on their Boards were associated with higher financial performance, while spin-offs with a Xerox insider as CEO were associated with lower financial performance. Qualitative interview data suggest that Xerox’s practices caused its spin-offs to search locally near Xerox’s own business, while spin-offs governed by outside investors’ practices searched a broader space for commercializing their technologies.     

资源视角下的衍生战略:适用性及有效性

衍生战略作为企业培育新生业务的一种方式,其适用性与有效性受到母体企业资源禀赋程度、资源结构、业务间的资源关联程度、资源载体等因素的影响。本文从以上角度对企业衍生战略进行了研究,并结合联想个案对相关假说进行了初步考察。     

论大学衍生企业的能力进化格局——基于东北大学和东软集团的精致案例分析

大学衍生企业是推动大学技术转移并实现产业化的重要模式,不同大学推动企业衍生的效果存在着明显的不均衡.以往的研究大都基于资源基础理论,检视母体大学影响企业衍生的静态因素,探寻这些差异性特征.只有打开衍生过程黑箱,才能够在微观层面上充分展现大学衍生企业的动态格局,才能够揭示大学衍生企业的本质.通过对东北大学衍生东软集团的过程进行精致的案例分析,提炼出大学推动企业衍生的三组能力,即技术商业化能力、管理创新能力和网络化联盟能力,三组能力逐层进化,嵌入在大学创新活动的各个层面和环节之中.创新型大学可以借鉴相关经验,通过制度创新等途径变革大学组织惯例,提升衍生能力,进而推动大学的技术转移和衍生企业的发展.     

Conceptualising the heterogeneity of research-based spin-offs: A multi-dimensional taxonomy

Research-based spin-offs (RBSOs) have become an important aspect of the technology transfer process. Emanating from what is conventionally a non-commercial environment, RBSOs pose major challenges if they are to realise their potential to meet the objectives of their founders and the parent research organisations (PROs) from which they emerge. An important issue is to understand the heterogeneity of RBSOs. This paper reviews the literature on RBSO typologies to develop a taxonomy of RBSOs. We identify common themes in relation to these typologies in relation to (1) spin-off creation and (2) spin-off development. The dimensions that differentiate between firms are the type of resources, the business model and the institutional link. We identify gaps in current typologies in order to propose avenues for future conceptual and empirical research.     

技术生态位与技术范式变迁

 生态学中最基本的生态位概念及其思想,也适用于技术创新和技术范式研究。生态位理论在企业管理和产业发展中得到广泛运用,在技术分析研究领域,基于技术生态位概念建立的战略生态位管理理论,是结合案例归纳出的独特的思想方法,作为技术范式演化的分析模型,在生态学、演化经济学和技术研究之间架构了现实的桥梁,为技术变迁研究提供了综合分析的新思路。     

学术创业企业从0到1的成长

学术创业企业的成长伴随着从科研网络向产业网络的跨越,为了解析其成长机理,本文以中美两国共14个学术创业案例为依据,从“社会网络—合法性”视角分析企业网络的动态演化,并着重探讨了各阶段合法性约束的种类、身份转化劣势的作用机制以及合法性策略选择的情境条件。研究发现：（1）学术创业者在创业者存在身份转换劣势,并给企业带来合法性约束。（2）根据网络边界跨越方式的不同,创业者建立合法性的策略可分为直驱型策略和迂回型策略。（3）合法性策略的选择受到企业所在网络的多样性和自身技术新颖性的影响。基于学术创业的特殊情境,论文提出身份转换劣势的概念,并为企业成长理论和合法性理论做出贡献。     

Ontology-driven approach for KPI meta-modelling,selection and reasoning

A key challenge in current Business Analytics (BA) is the selection of suitable indicators for business objectives. This requires the exploration of business data through data-driven approaches, while modelling business strategies together with domain experts in order to represent domain knowledge. In particular, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) allow human experts to properly model ambiguous enterprise goals by means of quantitative variables with numeric ranges and clear thresholds. Besides business-related domains, the usefulness of KPIs has been shown in multiple domains, such as: Education, Healthcare and Agriculture. However, finding accurate KPIs for a given strategic goal still remains a complex task, specially due to the discrepancy between domain assumptions and data facts. In this regard, the semantic web emerges as a powerful technology for knowledge representation and data modeling through explicit representation formats and standards such as RDF(S) and OWL. By using this technology, the semantic annotation of indicators of business objectives would enrich the strategic model obtained. With this motivation, an ontology-driven approach is proposed to formally conceptualize essential elements of indicators, covering: performance, results, measures, goals and relationships of a given business strategy. In this way, all the data involved in the selection and analysis of KPIs are then integrated and stored in common repositories, hence enabling sophisticated querying and reasoning for semantic validation. The proposed semantic model is evaluated on a real-world case study on water management. A series of data analysis and reasoning tasks are conducted to show how the ontological model is able to detect semantic conflicts in actual correlations of selected indicators.     

Do you have confidence in how your rolling stock has been maintained? A blockchain-led knowledge-sharing platform for building trust between stakeholders

This study explores the potential of blockchain technology in enhancing trust among the stakeholders responsible for the maintenance of rolling stock. Although the technology has been widely successful in the financial sector, it is still novel in the maintenance field. Given the customized nature of maintenance processes, it is unclear if a suitable consensus protocol can be identified that can enhance trust among stakeholders. This problem is investigated through the lens of the Design Science Research Methodology. First, the theoretical background of blockchain technology and its role in enhancing trust are explained, followed by the analysis of a current case at a Railway company to test the proof of concept. A business network archive is developed for the maintenance management of the sliding step of the train door system. The archive encompasses the business logic and transactional data required to enhance trust among stakeholders in the quality of performed maintenance. The developed archive is deployed on Hyperledger Fabric and the effectiveness of the solution is evaluated through a survey. The results show that the developed business network, deployed on a customized Hyperledger Fabric consensus protocol, enhanced trust among the stakeholders involved.     

A case analysis of managing “Maverick” innovation units

This case study illustrates the issues that arise when a separate “maverick” business unit focusing on developing a new and disruptive innovation is spun off from the parent company. Companies in the high technology manufacturing and development sector have to continually innovate in order to survive and grow in increasingly turbulent and competitive markets. It is common practice for the parent company to spin off separate business units that can incubate and capitalise on the development of new technological innovations in order to grow and create new markets. The case analysis underlines the problems that arise when ICT systems and operational processes are not strategically aligned and imposed by the parent company. It also demonstrates how innovative business units can harness their unique talents and apply them to solving operational problems. By developing a new bespoke system aligned with the maverick unit’s emergent processes, the maverick business unit was pulled back from the brink of disaster to a successful and profitable business unit.     

跨国公司的技术关联性对产业集聚的影响机理

跨国公司的FDI和技术转移与技术的关联性有关,并且对产业集聚产生影响．对相关技术和衍生技术予以界定,在熊彼得关于技术创新与产业集聚关系、佩鲁的“增长极理论”,以及邓宁的“三优势理论”等基础上,进一步剖析跨国公司技术关联性对产业集聚的影响机理,对产业集聚与跨国公司的相关技术和衍生技术的互动效应作了深入的探讨．     

Science, technology, and regional economic development: Review and prospects

This paper reviews the literature on the location and regional effects of science and technology (S&T) in the context of developed economies. Two processes associated with the creation of new products, agglomeration and spin-off, act to attract further innovative activity in those regions. Other regions, where R&D and related activities do not take place, are unlikely to be the locations of new-product production, and instead will tend to specialize in the production of standardized products. Both corporate and government R&D rely on pools of technical labor for technological and new-product activities; these pools of mobile workers are most attracted to large urban areas. In only some of these areas, however, does the spin-off process result in the generation of new technology-based firms. The availability of local venture capital appears to be the principal influence on this variation. Government policy regarding science and technology has impacts on regions by contributing to the agglomeration of R&D. Government policy also often fails to recognize that S&T policy and industrial policy have regional effects that may be long-term in nature and most detrimental to those regions whose economies are least competitive. Finally, some priorities for future research on innovation in a regional setting are identified.     

大企业衍生创业对创业集群形成的影响研究

提出"大企业衍生创业"的概念,并构建以创业能力形成为中心环节的衍生创业的过程模型;在文献分析基础上通过定性分析并辅以案例验证,认为大企业衍生创业是产业相关企业不断创建产生并最终推动集群形成的重要动因;建立以大企业衍生创业为核心的集群形成解释模型,并据此提出通过创业-集群的方法来促进区域经济成长和创新发展的政策建议。     

科技伦理化何以可能?

面临着科技活动已上升为一种高风险程度时,人们提出了科技伦理化来消解这种"高后果风险"。从理论层面看来,科技伦理化是不是人类良性的认知活动?它能否解决人类现实的生存危机?科技(知识)能否以德性(伦理)为前提?这是当代人类得以解决的棘手的一系列问题。实际上,只有保障伦理在科学正确引导的前提下,科技伦理化才能得以可能;而且,科技与德性处于平衡状态中,人类的生存危机才能得以缓解。     

企业生态位演化研究:联想跨国并购案例

战略定位是企业管理的核心问题，企业生态位则是战略定位的核心。本研究采用案例研究方法，以联想跨国复杂嵌套型研发组织为研究对象，探索企业生态位演化的规律。本研究深入探讨了企业生态位空间拓展的过程模型，系统讨论了企业生态位的生命周期。同时，本研究揭示了企业生态位空间拓展与生命周期演化的深层次原因--研发组织双元化的复杂嵌套过程的三阶段促进企业生态位演化，所推导的三个演化模式有利于丰富组织双元化理论。研究结论有助于中国等新兴市场企业通过跨国并购，成功实现企业生态位的全球空间拓展，提升其全球持续发展的能力。     

Upgrading the technological capabilities of foreign transnational subsidiaries in developing countries: The case of electronics in Thailand

Although substantial research shows the importance of transnational corporations (TNCs) to export-led growth in some developing countries, it cannot be assumed that TNC subsidiaries will automatically upgrade their capabilities through time or in a uniform fashion. This paper explores the pattern and pace of a sample of exporting TNC subsidiaries operating in the electronics industry in Thailand, showing how the different architectures of global value chains (centralised versus decentralised) shaped the technological progress of subsidiaries in this country. The case evidence suggests a wide variety in upgrading through time, with some subsidiaries failing to develop capabilities and remaining as ‘assembly only’ plants. Other more dynamic plants developed process engineering and product design skills, investing heavily in capability building. One common determinant in capability building appears to be the overall technology strategy of the global value chain leader (or parent company). In those subsidiaries which did not upgrade beyond assembly, technology decisions and processes were tightly controlled within the parent headquarter locations in relatively centralised international value networks. By contrast, the more dynamic plants exercised more discretion over local capability building. The latter operated in relatively decentralised networks, more open to domestic policies to encourage upgrading. The study suggests that governments should tailor upgrading policies not only according to the approximate level of capabilities attained by local subsidiaries, but also according to how receptive subsidiaries are to upgrading, arguing that capability building and policy receptiveness go hand-in-hand. Other countries hoping to upgrade the quality of foreign direct investment might also wish to focus policies on the more technologically capable, ambitious and receptive categories of foreign subsidiary.     

Long-term research on technology innovation in the form of new technology patents

Recent changes in innovation development are related to the new technological revolution (Industry 4.0), pandemic, economic crises, and new legislation. These trends provide new opportunities for the improvement of production materials, construction, processes, and capacities. Innovative technologies improve the processes of business analyses and forecasting, as well as new product development, order processing, logistics, production automation, quality control, and marketing. Modern technologies are gradually replacing ergonomically demanding and dangerous occupations. Such innovations are particularly necessary for the transformation of problem companies and regions, as they often have a significant impact on economic development. This study is part of our long-term research on the technology innovation of problem companies and regions. Its primary goal is to methodically emphasize the importance and role of technology innovation management, mainly in problem companies, and analytically compare the innovation success of regions and countries from a global perspective. The study was carried out from 2015 to 2021. The time scope of the analyzed data is 2000–2018. The results show a certain Asian dominance in technology innovation management, in terms of the number of technology patents as well as of the growth dynamics and the ability to overcome the pandemic and crises in general.     

The critical success factors of business process management

Although business process management (‘BPM’) is a popular concept, it has not yet been properly theoretically grounded. This leads to problems in identifying both generic and case-specific critical success factors of BPM programs. The paper proposes an underlying theoretical framework with the utilization of three theories: contingency, dynamic capabilities and task–technology fit. The main premise is that primarily the fit between the business environment and business processes is needed. Then both continuous improvement and the proper fit between business process tasks and information systems must exist. The underlying theory is used to identify critical success factors on a case study from the banking sector.     

数字技术背景集成电路产业颠覆创新模式构建

数字技术背景下集成电路产业颠覆性创新模式是什么？现有理论鲜有系统性研究。为弥补空白,基于颠覆性创新理论并有机整合数字技术文献、产业技术轨道理论、商业模式创新理论,对欧比特与乐鑫两企业运用探索性多案例法,首先界定数字技术背景集成电路产业颠覆性创新概念,然后形成3项研究成果：①阐释数字技术创新轨迹与产业技术轨道“螺旋同构上升”机制,提出“双轨匹配结构”;②揭示商业模式创新“螺旋迭代上升”机制,提出“价值闭合循环系统”;③明晰“双轨匹配结构”与“价值闭合循环系统”作用机制,构建数字技术背景我国集成电路产业“双螺旋同构迭代上升”颠覆创新模式。