Harnessing creative tensions: A micro-level study of value creation

A collaborative school innovation project is explored as a pivot for the professional development of the teachers involved. The Second Chance School (SCS) of Acharnes in Greece constitutes such a collaborative innovative project, regarding the underlying theory of multiliteracies, its decentralised character, respect for student individuality, and collaborative orientation. The programme is examined both regarding its role in the development of innovation in school and in terms of teachers' development, empowerment and active involvement. Thanks to the educational and supportive role of the scientific advisers, not only did the teachers get actively involved supporting the development of innovation, but they were also able to deal successfully with thorny issues, including school‐based curriculum development, the production of learning material, alternative teaching and assessment methods, and combining research and teaching (through action research and student and teacher portfolios). Despite the difficulties faced (variety of stakeholders, time limits, demand for tangible results, research versus teaching), it seems that teachers learned to value implicit theory, adult education theory was enriched with practical knowledge, and new theory was produced on gaining teacher support for top‐down innovations.

Purpose Manufacturers increasingly resort to digital transformation to shape their competitiveness in the digital economy era, while supply chain (SC) collaborative innovation helps them cope with market uncertainties. However, whether and how digital transformation can facilitate SC collaborative innovation remain unclear. To address this gap, we aims to investigate the effects of digital transformation (strategy and capability) on SC collaborative (process and product) innovation and market performance. Design/methodology/approach We use partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with a sample of 210 Chinese manufacturers to investigate the effects of digital transformation (strategy and capability) on SC collaborative (process and product) innovation and market performance. Findings The results show that digital strategy and capability positively impact SC collaborative process and product innovation, which enhances market performance. In addition, SC collaborative innovation mediates the relationship between digital transformation and market performance. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by identifying how digital transformation drives SC collaborative innovation towards improving market performance and providing practical guidance for enterprises in promoting digital transformation and SC collaborative innovation.

ABSTRACTProximity and power in collaborative innovation projects. Regional Studies. The proximity literature has so far paid little attention to power relations in collaborative innovation projects. This paper draws on contributions from international business to examine if power constellations between collaborators in innovation projects influence the effects of proximity. An analysis of two cases of collaborations between headquarters and subsidiaries of multinational companies highlights that specific power constellations indeed influence the effects of proximity. While some forms of proximity allow subsidiary-specific capabilities to diffuse throughout the organization and pose a threat to the powerful subsidiary, the weaker subsidiary considers proximity as a possibility to learn from the headquarters.

Innovating for and with your service customers: An assessment of the current practice of collaborative service innovation in Germany

International audience

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), as a key driving force in the digital economy era, is profoundly reshaping enterprises' value creation methods and industry chain collaboration models. This paper focuses on GAI, systematically analyzing its internal mechanisms and evolutionary pathways in restructuring the digital economy industry chain, and constructs a path model for GAI-driven structural transformation. The study reveals that GAI promotes industry chain evolution towards intelligentization, platformization, and high-value segments through three core mechanisms: value creation, collaborative innovation, and platform ecosystems. Furthermore, GAI-driven industry chain restructuring undergoes a dynamic evolutionary process consisting of technological empowerment, organizational collaboration, and value innovation. The effectiveness of this restructuring is influenced by key factors such as enterprises’ GAI technology integration capability, data resource openness and utilization capability, digital transformation level, and cross-enterprise collaboration capability. The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in enriching the research system in the fields of GAI and industry chain management, while practically, it offers a clear pathway for enterprises to achieve product innovation, process optimization, and collaborative upgrading based on GAI. However, this study primarily adopts a theoretical approach and lacks empirical validation at specific industry or enterprise levels. Future research could integrate typical industry cases to further explore application differences and governance strategies of GAI across various industry chains.

In a progressively challenging environment, innovation is extensively considered as the most vital source of competitiveness, because it creates a constant improvement that assists the organizations to endure. Innovation also leads to product and process enhancements thus enhancing efficiency. Innovation is often a necessity for organizations with strictly limited funds and resources yet are trying to remain profitable and competitive. Therefore, this study sought to establish the influence innovation strategies on performance of small and medium enterprises in Nairobi City County. The specific objectives were to determine the effect of product innovation, service innovation, marketing innovation and process innovation on organizational performance in SMEs. The study used a descriptive research design. A total of 398 Small and Medium Enterprises was used where the enterprise owners was used as the respondents. Primary data was collected through the administration of the questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics analysis was conducted. A regression model was used to determine the effect of innovation strategies on performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nairobi County. The regression of coefficients results show that product innovation and organizational performance of SMEs is positively and significantly related. The results further indicated that service innovation and organizational performance of SMEs is positively and significantly related. The results further indicated that marketing innovation and organizational performance of SMEs is positively and significantly related. Lastly, results showed that process innovation and organizational performance of SMEs is positively and significantly related. The study concluded that innovation strategies positively influences performance of SMEs in Kenya. The study recommends that the SMEs should invest in innovative technology to survive intense competition currently experienced in the SMEs. Further, the study recommends that the SMEs should continuously produce new products and re-engineer existing products to prolong the product life cycle. Further, the study recommends that the SMEs should design an innovative marketing strategy that makes customers feel a part of the enterprise through social responsibility and promotions. The study recommended that the SMEs should invest in benchmarking with the technology in the industry. Keywords: Product Innovation, Service Innovation, Marketing Innovation, Process Innovation & Small and Medium Enterprises.

Promoting collaborative innovation within the emergency industry has become a crucial task, which is of great significance for enhancing emergency response capabilities and ensuring public safety. On the basis of considering the economic attributes of the emergency industry and the uncertainty characteristics of market returns, this study constructs an evolutionary game model for collaborative innovation among emergency enterprises, universities and research institutions (UR), and government departments, which are the main entities considered. It analyzes the evolutionary process of the strategy choices and equilibrium states of different entities, thereby revealing the key factors and intrinsic mechanisms affecting collaborative innovation pathways. The study results indicate that the economic attributes of the emergency industry and the uncertainty of market returns are key factors that constrain the collaborative innovation and development of the emergency industry. The economic attributes of the emergency industry determine the applicable boundaries of government regulation and market mechanisms in the collaborative innovation process of the emergency industry. Due to the "marketization paradox" in the emergency industry with weak economic attributes, and the fact that emergency enterprises and UR are more likely to face the "prisoner's dilemma" in the process of collaborative innovation, collaborative innovation via the government regulation-driven pathway is more feasible; In contrast, for the emergency industry with strong economic attributes, the government can effectively strengthen the market-oriented profit mechanism by enhancing public safety emergency awareness, thereby promoting collaborative innovation driven by market mechanisms in the emergency industry. Based on the analysis of the effects of different regulatory measures, it is found that government procurement is more effective than R&D subsidy policy. R&D subsidies are not only ineffective in avoiding the "prisoner's dilemma" in the collaborative innovation process, but also have a "double-edged sword" effect. Excessive subsidy intensity can actually inhibit the enthusiasm of emergency enterprises and UR for collaborative innovation. When government departments adopt regulatory actions, focusing on balancing incentive and punitive measures, and emergency enterprises and UR focus on establishing a reasonable benefit distribution mechanism, which can more effectively improve the efficiency of collaborative innovation and form a good situation of win-win for all parties. The above findings provide certain decision-making references for the promotion of innovative development in the emergency industry.

A collaborative approach involving public, private sector and citizen volunteers has been used to generate new ideas and design new solutions for government management and service. This study explores how collaborative innovation works in the field of data analysis by examining five data-centric collaborative projects initiated by a private company in Taiwan. These projects address important social issues such as domestic violence and poverty. Interviews of government and non-government actors revealed that these collaborative projects are suitable for experiments with new ideas and systems. The transformative learning process that occurred in the collaboration project illustrates the advantage of enlisting the support of people from different fields. The outcomes of collaboration brought new insights to predict the risk of domestic violence or other threats to children and adolescents, or the success rate of participants in job training programs. The diffusion of the collaborative model was also observed. However, there are several barriers to collaborative innovation and issues of equity, challenges to privacy and accountability, and the application of collaborative outcomes. This study brings us closer to understanding how collaborative innovation operates and can inform public managers on how to promote data-centric collaborative innovation in the future.

Supply chain integration (SCI) is crucial for the success of innovation projects led by focal firms in collaboration with customers and suppliers. However, prior research offers limited insights into how SCI configurations may vary according to project characteristics and project management (PM) methods. As alternatives to the traditional stage‐gate PM approach have emerged, SCI has become increasingly complex. Drawing on project complexity theory, we seek to understand how different SCI configurations and PM methods intersect in 15 cases of collaborative innovation projects across 11 multinational firms. Our findings reveal that projects with varying levels of supply, customization, and technological complexity require distinct arcs of integration, paired with appropriate PM methods. The implementation of these strategies hinges on the PM capabilities of the focal firm and its supply chain partners. This study contributes to the SCI literature by theorizing how different sources of project complexity shape choices regarding PM methods and the arcs of integration that focal firms adopt.

<p>Design has always played a role in the process of production, transformations in society and the economy, shifts in technology and impacts on the environment. The nature of the changes created by our post-industrial era is challenging the character of design and its role in society. The post-industrial era is creating complex projects for technology, service, systems, strategy and products. Clients are even becoming undefined stakeholders, and this can be extended to the entire community and the environment.</p><p> The rise of digital technology and the knowledge society are introducing a new culture, which can be open, participatory, shared and collaborative. Here the designer is acting as a researcher, always questioning the character of the project, its outcomes and process. Open access, co-design, crowdfunding, digital manufacturing, open-source, DIY, enabling systems and networking can be included in the toolbox of the designer and can create opportunities to drive the change towards sustainability, equity and democracy. Social innovation is leveraging forms of collaboration and co-production in which designers, innovators, users and communities co-create knowledge and solutions for a wide range of social needs, exploiting the networking technologies.</p><p> This book explores a number of areas where design can contribute to face the contemporary transformations in our society with real-life collaborative research and innovation projects. Through a number of Canadian social innovation case studies collected in social, environmental and technological fields, we recognize how the role of the designer cannot be limited to the production of finished objects; rather, designers can create tools and platforms to help users and citizens participate in projects, even allowing forms of personalization.</p>

Collaboration plays a critical role in fostering innovation and value creation in the aviation sector. However, how factors and connections relate to the achievement of innovative outcomes in aviation require further investigation. This study investigates the key factors that create a conceptual framework by conducting a literature review and an archival analysis of news articles. The model proposed involves factors such as strategic decision-making; networking and partner choice; cultural context, values, behaviour and compatibilities; collaboration configuration; issues and risks shared; skills, capacities and experience; infrastructure and resources available; engagement activities; knowledge transfer, absorption and appropriation; collaboration management; communication flows; external environment and demand; and expectations and outcomes. Promising collaborations are also indicated in areas where the framework could be adopted to increase partnerships and outcomes. Also, we highlight best practice examples from leading organizations, such as International Airlines Group (IAG), Emirates Airline, Singapore Airlines, Boeing and JetBlue, to provide insights into existing collaborations that have led to innovation and value creation in this sector.

PurposeThis paper aims to contribute to theory concerning collaborative innovation through stakeholder engagement with reference to Glasgow City Marketing Bureau’s (GCMB’s) management strategies, which represent UK best practice in events procurement, leveraging and destination branding.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopts a case study design to facilitate an in-depth evaluation of the destination marketing organisation’s (DMO’s) critical success factors. Multiple perspectives on GCMB’s collaborative innovation are achieved through semi-structured interviews with senior managers from the bureau, key stakeholders and other DMOs.FindingsGCMB’s success results from long-term, extensive, collaborative engagement, a unique institutional structure and sustained political and financial support through to transformational leadership, strategic event selection and targeted marketing through “earned” distribution channels.Research limitations/implicationsThe study takes a single case study approach and focusses on GCMB’s event-led branding strategy. Given the importance but relative neglect of long-term inter-personal relationships in collaborative innovation, future research should focus on the development of social capital and adopt a longitudinal perspective.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insights into the collaborative innovation process with a range of stakeholders, which underpins GCMB’s events strategy and its leveraging of the city brand. In particular, the study highlights the need for entrepreneurial leadership and the development of long-term relationships for effective engagement with stakeholders.Originality/valuePrevious research has focussed on outcomes and neglected pre-requisites and the process of collaborative innovation between destination stakeholders. This study examines this issue from the perspective of a successful DMO and presents a conceptual framework and new engagement dimensions that address this gap in knowledge.

This paper examines the influence of boundary-spanning knowledge search on cooperative innovation performance and explores the moderating role of innovation passion in Chinese firms. We collected 229 valid responses from Chinese firms participating in collaborative innovation projects and applied confirmatory factor analysis to test the reliability and validity of the constructs, multiple stepwise regressions to verify the direct effect, and the PROCESS macro to test the moderating effect. The results show that all three dimensions of boundary-spanning knowledge search (i.e. network capability, IT capability, and absorptive capacity) positively affect cooperative innovation performance. Harmonious innovation passion positively moderates the relationship between network capability and cooperative innovation performance. In contrast, compulsive innovation passion plays a negative moderating role in the relationship between absorptive capacity and cooperative innovation performance. This study further enriches and extends the theoretical framework of cooperative innovation performance by emphasizing the impact of the three dimensions of boundary-spanning knowledge search.

The application of information communications technologies (ICTs) in higher education institutions has created opportunities for improving teaching and learning. One such avenue is innovation. However, in the Tanzanian HEIs environment little is known on the extent ICTs tools are utilized for innovative teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to find the extent ICT infrastructure, teachers’ skills, and readiness influence innovative teaching and learning. Guided by the Activity Theory, the sample for the study was 80 teachers and Information Technology (IT) staff from three HEIs. Data was collected through an administered survey questionnaire and interviews. The results indicate that the infrastructure is adequate and teachers have skills and are ready to use ICT tools in classrooms. However, wireless technology is inadequate in all the three HEIs. Furthermore, the results show that innovative curriculums and collaborative innovation projects among the different HEIs are factors for improving innovative teaching and learning.