This thesis is about How External Uncertainties Affect the Innovation Process. Written during the spring term of 2020 by Simon Algotsson and Johan Öhlander. The thesis main goal is to generate knowledge about the properties and sources of external uncertainties and create an understanding of how they can come to affect an innovation process. This research encourages organizations that are planning to participate, or currently resides in an innovation process to give it a read. Anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of the impact of external uncertainties may use our findings as a source of inspiration. The research question we have answered is: How do external uncertainties affect the innovation process? As the title and research question shows, innovation and uncertainties are the two most common denominators in this work. Presented in the theoretical framework is previous research done concerning the innovation process, and what it consists of. As well as how other researchers describe different types of uncertainties. We have also constructed our own model of how external uncertainties can give rise to internal uncertainties. For this type of research, a qualitative method has been selected, since it enabled us to go in-depth in one specific innovation process. We have conducted two interviews with the CEO and CFO of a company referred to as Gamma. They have both shared their own perspectives of the innovation process their company has gone through. The data collected from the interview has been transcribed separately and is later presented in the empirical evidence. The final sections of this thesis include the analysis and the conclusion. In these chapters we draw parallels between the research presented in the theoretical framework and Gamma's innovation process. The process we have investigated for this thesis encountered several uncertainties, both internal and external. In the analysis we present the authors own model of how external uncertainties came to affect Gamma's innovation process. The conclusion discusses the significant findings of the research such as how Gamma's innovation turned into a 'black hole' for the profits generated by the company.

This thesis examines innovation and design processes in small established companies. There is a great interest in this area yet paradoxically the area is under-researched, since most innovation research is done on large companies. The research questions are: How do small established companies carry out their innovation and design processes? and How does the context and novelty of the process and product affect the same processes? The thesis is built on three research papers that used the research method of multiple case studies of different small established companies. The innovation and design processes found were highly context dependent and were facilitated by committed resources, a creative climate, vision, low family involvement, delegated power and authority, and linkages to external actors such as customers and users. Both experimental cyclical and linear structured design processes were found. The choice of structure is explained by the relative product and process novelty experienced by those developing the product innovation. Linear design processes worked within a low relative novelty situation and cyclical design processes worked no matter the relative novelty. The innovation and design processes found were informal, with a low usage of formal systematic design methods, except in the case of design processes for software. The use of formal systematic methods in small companies seems not always to be efficient, because many of the problems the methods are designed to solve are not present. Customers and users were found to play a large and important role in the innovation and design processes found and gave continuous feedback during the design processes. Innovation processes were found to be intertwined, yielding synergy effects, but it was common that resources were taken from the innovation processes for acute problems that threatened the cash flow. In sum, small established companies have the natural prerequisites to take advantage of lead-user inventions and cyclical design processes. Scarce resources were found to be the main factor hindering innovation, but the examined companies practiced several approaches to increase their resources or use existing scarce resources more efficiently in their innovation and design processes. Examples of these approaches include adopting lead-user inventions and reducing formality in the innovation and design processes.

This case study analyzed the innovation processes that led to the adoption of a work-integrated learning program among several sport organizations. A comparative case study analysis was used to deduce the commonly shared determinants between each of the sport organizations. Notably, having an innovation champion was a key determination. As well, lack of resources regarding staffing, the involvement of the managers with the participating higher education institution, the ease of contract design, and access to good candidates for the program were also influential in the innovation process. This study revealed, for sport organizations facing similar issues, that the graduate apprenticeship program could provide benefits. As well for sport management program, it could provide a stronger relationship with regional sport organizations. This research also extends the body of research regarding the underlying mechanisms by which sport organizations innovate generally.

Innovation is what makes a business sustainable. For an organization to progress in their realization of innovations, a vital aspect is the process from where innovations transfer from ideas to valuable realities. Recent studies have addressed the capabilities required in order for an organization to innovate. This paper aims to investigate what key elements that are missing through the different phases of the innovation process, in terms of different capabilities and personas within an organization. Not many studies have previously done this connection to each phase of the process. We would like to address this fact and as such contribute to the scientific research by directing all missing elements to the phase in which they are of importance. This is done by quantitative measures through data supplied by the company Innovation360, combined with qualitative interviews of organizations within the manufacturing industry. The main findings suggest that organizations struggle with customer insights in the ideation phase, and a structured selection phase before conducting almost functional prototypes. Mostly, this is a result of too close relationships and collaborations with current customers and a short term focus on innovation to reassure return on investment. / Innovation är det som gör en verksamhet hållbar. För att en organisation ska kunna utvecklas i arbetet med innovation är det av hög vikt att ha en fungerande process på plats som stödjer transformationen av en idé till värdefulla realiteter. Tidigare forskning har kommit fram till ett antal viktiga förmågor som är nödvändiga för att en organisation ska lyckas med innovation. Den här studien syftar till att undersöka vilka nyckelfaktorer som saknas i de olika stegen av innovationsprocessen, både vad gäller olika förmågor och personas representerade i en organisation. Det finns inte många studier som har gjort kopplingen till varje steg i innovationsprocessen tidigare. Därför vill vi adressera det och därmed bidra till forskningen genom att härleda de saknade faktorerna till den fas där de är viktiga. Studien är utförd med kvantitativa mätningen genom data tillhandahållen av företaget Innovation360, kombinerat med kvalitativa intervjuer av företag inom tillverkningsindustrin. Vårt huvudresultat indikerat att organisationer kämpar med att erhålla kundinsikter i den första idégenereringsfasen, samt att det generellt råder en avsaknad av en strukturerad urvalsprocess innan man utvecklar nästan helt fungerande prototyper. Detta går mestadels att knyta an till för nära relationer och samarbeten med befintliga kunder och ett kortsiktigt fokus på innovation för att säkra upp för avkastningen.

Syftet med fallstudien är att undersöka hur bioteknikföretaget agerar på en marknad med flertalet stora aktörer som tillsammans skapar ett brus som är svårt att höras genom samt kartlägga hur bioteknikföretaget agerar på den komplexa marknaden. Syftet är även att skapa en helhetsbild över bioteknikföretaget och deras strategiska beslut samt nästkommande steg. För att genomföra fallstudien på bioteknikföretaget användes en kvalitativ metod där tre semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes på företaget. Därefter samlades sekundärdata in inom de uppkomna teman från empirin. Det insamlade materialet bearbetades sedan i en analys för att underbygga slutsatserna. Forskningsfrågor: - Hur ser bioteknikföretagets situation ut som helhet och hur har deras tidigare beslut påverkat det nuvarande utgångsläget? - Hur kan bioteknikföretagets situation beskrivas i den nuvarande innovationsteorin? - Vilka utvecklingsmöjligheter finns det för bioteknikföretagets fortsatta affärsutveckling och implementering på marknaden? Slutsats: - Bioteknikföretaget har gått från att ha en innovativ produkt utan avgränsningar till att bli en entreprenöriell aktör med tydliga strategier. - Den kritiska framgångsfaktorn för bioteknikföretaget var när uppfinnaren insåg sina begränsningar och lämnade över ansvaret till nuvarande VD. - Bioteknikföretaget genomgår en innovationsprocess och är nu i en implementeringsfas. - Övergripande utmaningar har varit finansiella, företagets storlek och att höras genom bruset som uppstår på marknaden. - Väsentliga aspekter uteblev i uppstartsfas vilket har påverkat bioteknikföretagets utveckling. - Det går att ifrågasätta dagens innovationsprocesser då de är inte är fullständiga. - Det finns en del utvecklingsmöjligheter för bioteknikföretaget dock är de begränsade då de till stor del efterföljer det teorin redogör. / The purpose of this case study is to identify how the biotechnology company operates in a market with several large players, which together creates a climate that is difficult to be heard through and how they act on that complex market. The purpose is also to create an overall picture of the biotechnology company and their strategic decisions for the next coming move.  To accomplish this case study on the biotechnology company a qualitative method was used and three semi-structured interviews at the company were performed. Secondary data was gathered based on the upcoming themes from the empiricism. The collected data was processed in an analysis to substantiate the conclusions. Research Question: - How is the biotechnology company described as an entirety and how have their previous decisions affected their current state? - How can the situation of the biotechnology company be described in current innovation theory? - What possibilities for development are there for the biotechnology company’s continued business development and implementation in the market? Conclusion: - The biotechnology company has gone from having an innovative product without delimitations to being an entrepreneurial actor with clear strategies. - The critical success factor of the biotechnology company was when the inventor realized his limitations and handed over the responsibility to the current CEO. - Overall challenges include finances, company size and to be heard through the noise that occurs in the market. - Essential aspects did not occur in the start-up phase, which has affected the progress of the biotech company. - Today´s innovation processes are questionable because they are not complete. - There are some development potential for the biotechnology company, however, those are limited since they largely comply with what the theory describes.

Geographical regions as diverse as Silicon Valley, California and Linköping, Sweden have been the sources of new technology and endogenously created innovations. Scholars and policymakers recognise that specific regions or clusters of businesses have the capability to engage in more innovative activities and new business formation and to experience higher employment growth than others. This dissertation uses qualitative methods to study various aspects of regional development and innovation. It is based on five papers by the author and colleagues with levels of analysis ranging from regional to firms’ first sales in order to capture the dynamics of both the top and bottom levels of regional development. It then uses these papers’ empirical material to address the research questions of (a) how a new scientific knowledge base becomes established and exploited in a spatial context, and (b) how people create and diffuse innovations in a social and spatial context. This dissertation’s main findings are that (a) regional leadership involving the building of alliances with triple-helix actors is crucial for initiating a knowledge-based regional development process, (b) a consensus space is a catalytic mechanism for ensuring the speed and effectiveness of regional development, (c) lowering the barriers for the actors involved boosts participation and the rate of innovation, and (d) users’ perspectives are essential for social, institutional and commercial innovation. This dissertation’s main implications are that knowledge-based regional development’s initial stages require leadership that (a) builds alliances and establish an arena for the triple-helix actors, (b) analyses the regional barriers to the commercialisation of knowledge, and (c) utilises both endogenous and exogenous resources. / Kännetecknande för regioner som Silicon Valley, och även Linköping, medstark närvaro av kunskapsproducerande aktörer, som ett universitet, är att det frekventoch kontinuerligt genereras nya teknologier som utgör grunden för innovationer ochaffärsmöjligheter. Under de senaste tjugo åren har det från policysynpunkt funnits ettstort intresse hur vida man kan stimulera kunskapsbaserad regional utveckling i formav exempelvis nya universitetssatsningar, riskkapitalinitiativ ochentreprenörskapsprogram. I den här avhandlingen studeras dynamiken i kunskapsbaserad regionalutveckling och innovation. Av särskilt intresse är framväxten av en ny kunskapsbas ien region och dess möjlighet att generera innovationer. Där av avhandlingens tvåfrågeställningar: (a) Hur etableras en ny kunskapsbas sett ur en regional kontext? (b)Hur skapas och sprids innovationer inom en social och spatial kontext? Avhandlingen har en kvalitativ ansats med fallstudier som metod. Fem bidragutgör basen för själva avhandlingen. I huvudsak genereras följande slutsatser vilka ärcentrala för att förstå själva problematiken i kunskapsbaserad regional utveckling: (a)Närvaro av regionalt ledarskap med en triple helix orientering är centralt förkunskapsbaserad regional utveckling. (b) En arena för samförstånd bidrar till snabbareoch mer effektiv utveckling. (c) Det finns barriärer i kommersialiseringsprocessen avden nya kunskapen, exempelvis svårigheter för aktörer med ett problem och aktörermed lösningar att finna varandra, som hindrar utvecklingen. (d) Användarperspektivetfinns i alla typer av innovationer; kommersiella, institutionella, och sociala. De främsta implikationer för praktiker baserat på den här avhandlingen är attför att etablera en kunskapsbaserad regional utvecklingsprocess krävs ett ledarskapsom (a) kan bygga allianser med andra triple helix aktörer och skapa en arena församstånd, (b) kan förstå vilka barriärer för kommersialisering som finns och (c) kananvända sig av både endogena och exogena resurser.

Traditionally, innovation processes have often focused on creatively solving problems with the help of new technology or business models. However, when describing products in terms of function or visual appearance, the reflection on a less visible dimension, the product meaning, is left out. The perspective of meaning is an alternative path to innovation that pays attention to the reason for using a product, its “why” rather than its “how”. Nevertheless, within the field of innovation management, research on meaning is still in its infancy and lacks well developed frameworks. The objective of this study is to increase the understanding of the dimension of meaning within the innovation processes in companies and - in particular - the practices that support such a process, looking particularly at nine cases where managers sought to develop directions of new product meaning - spanning businesses within manufacturing, consumer goods and fashion. The study shows that companies used practices often opposite to what is described in innovation literature. Rather than taking out and leaving their opinions behind to reach a “beginner's mind”, the managers showed a silent evolving of interest and a conscious exposing of their own personal beliefs. They moved beyond standard procedures of information sharing to a practice of a multifaceted criticizing. Rather than outsourcing the product solutions, a practice of embodying the proposed product meaning was observed. In-depth studies showed that when the participants do not expose their thoughts with conviction, the process of searching to innovate product meaning seems to struggle. The act of exposing does not happen in a moment but when individuals open up and let old interpretations fade away, leaving room for new perspectives. Moreover, these studies showed that external sources, so called interpreters, fuel discussions on product meaning by leveraging a critical ability that includes practices described as asking, giving, daring and playing. The study contributes with an increased understanding of the meaning dimension within innovation management by leveraging theories of hermeneutics, design and leadership. It shows that this type of innovation process is relevant but differs from processes of creatively solving problems. Rather than being driven to find solutions, a meaning perspective includes a process of striving towards new potential product meaning. / Innovationsprocesser handlar ofta om kreativ problemlösning. En ny produkt beskrivs ofta genom användandet av ny teknik eller en ny affärsmodell. Men med fokus på det visuella såsom utseende och funktion utelämnas en parameter - nämligen den som rör produktens mening. Meningspespektivet utgör ett alternativ för innovation. Det lyfter frågor kring anledningen till att använda en produkt med fokus på ”varför” vi ska använda den snarare är ”hur”. Inom innovationsområdet befinner sig forskningen kring mening i ett tidigt skede utan väl utvecklade ramverk. Målet med denna studie är att öka förståelsen för ett meningsperspektiv inom företags innovations processer - speciellt de tillämpningar, eller praxis som stödjer denna process. Studien har haft en retrospektiv och tolkande ansats i kombination med ett aktivt deltagande perspektiv. Nio fall inom tillverkande industri, konsumentvaror och mode har studerats med fokus på ledare som sökt finna en ny riktning för sin produkt genom att tillämpa ett meningsperspektiv. Studien visar att företagens tillvägagångssätt ofta stod i motsats till de som finns beskriva i befintlig litteratur inom innovationsområdet. Istället för att dela sina åsikter med varandra och sedan lägga dem åt sidan för att tillämpa ett ”nybörjar-sinne” så visade ledarna ett stilla intresse som utvecklades över tid. De blottlade medvetet sina egna personliga övertygelser och gick längre än att endast dela information i projekten. Istället utvecklade de ett mångfacetterat och kritiskt synsätt. Till skillnad mot ett användande av ”outsourcing”, att leja produkt lösningar på extern part, observerades en typ av förkroppsligande, eller införlivande, av den nya föreslagna meningen av en produkt. Mer djupgående studier visade att när deltagarna inte delar sina åsikter med genuint engagemang så vacklar en innovationsprocess inriktad på att finna ny mening för en produkt. Tillämpandet av detta blottläggande sker inte direkt utan när individer öppnar upp och låter gamla tolkningar blekna till förmån för nya perspektiv. Vidare, att externa källor, så kallade ”tolkare”, gynnar diskussioner kring en produkts mening genom en kritisk förmåga bestående av fyra delmoment kallade fråga, ge, våga och leka. Studien bidrar med en ökad förståelse för meningsperspektivet inom innovationsområdet genom att hämta teorier från fälten hermeneutik, design och ledarskap. Den visar att den här typen av innovationsprocess är relevant men att den skiljer sig från processer som fokuserar på kreativ problemlösning. Istället för att drivas att finna lösningar innebär detta meningsperspektiv att sträva framåt mot en produkts nya potentiella mening.

Background Understanding the benefits from the environment of municipally-owned energy firms in Sweden, through the perspective of the network theory, the triple helix model and knowledge transfer. Aim To construct a model describing the resources flowing within the network of relationships within the specific context of operations. Methodology The study is centred on a case company where two specific departments are put in focus: the energy recovery department and the business development. The case study aims to be descriptive, according to the data collected from interviews of relevant respondents. Findings - The benefits derived from a collaboration with a knowledge centre is the legitimate creation of exploitable innovation for the firm, as well as the creation/improvement of hybrid platforms where mobility of personnel is seen as a central communication factor. - When it comes to the income generating activities the main benefits that arose within the collaboration was the creation of opportunities for growth and business networks as such.- Power on influencing the context generates policies and favourable network oriented circumstances.

The aim of this research is to develop an understanding of factors that enable innovation teams to conduct agile innovation work in an industrial context. The background and reason for this research are not only that innovation is necessary for companies that want to stay in business, but also that these companies need to increase the speed of their innovation work to stay competitive. Research has demonstrated that cross-functional (X-functional) innovation teams are fast and agile, and are therefore assumed to be suitable for these activities. Still, there is much knowledge to be gained. Prior research has identified factors that are seen as important from an organizational, team, and individual perspective to enable teams to work with potentially innovative outcomes. However, in cases where teams have been created with the purpose of conducting innovation work, i.e. innovation teams, problems related to e.g. performance and learning have occurred, and the innovation work has stopped shortly after conducted research projects due to the high level of complexity. The research question (RQ) that this thesis explores is the following: “Which innovation enablers are important for innovation teams when conducting agile innovation work in an industrial context?” Based on the RQ, two sub-questions are formulated and operationalized to answer the RQ. Qualitative data have been collected from five innovation teams in two phases. Two innovation teams in two small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were studied in the first phase to clarify the situation for innovation teams before innovation work is begun. In the second phase, which built on the first one, three innovation teams in a large industrial company were studied as they conducted three separate innovation projects. This research revealed five main findings: first, knowledge about important innovation enablers (Enablers) revealed from a literature study; second, the Innovation Team Model (ITM), demonstrating innovation teams before innovation work is begun in relation to the individuals and organization in a holistic way; third, the innovation team creation process (CIT-process), a stepwise process in how to create an innovation team; fourth, the innovation facilitator, who supports and facilitates the innovation team throughout the CIT-process and the innovation projects; and fifth, the Extended Innovation Process (EIP), an extension of the traditional innovation process by a pre-phase, i.e. a Preparation-phase, to gather and prepare the innovation teams for forthcoming work. The findings regarding the importance of the CIT-process, the EIP, and the innovation facilitator were unexpected. The findings formed the Innovation Team Framework (ITF), which represents all of the findings in relation to each other. The EIP is used as the basis for which the other innovation enablers are provided to the innovation teams through an innovation facilitator’s competence throughout the innovation project. The ITF is multidimensional: it could serve as a tool to describe both the simplicity and the complexity when creating an innovation team and forthcoming work and activities. All separate findings within this research contribute to prior research in individual ways, however, the ITF is the main scientific contribution of this study to Innovation management. Practitioners can use the ITF as a complement to already established methodologies for product development or similar; however one should be aware of the limited nature of the data set that served as the basis for analysis and development of the ITF. Further studies regarding the ITF and its detailed models and processes are suggested.

This thesis deals with the technology platforms that bring together different types of actors in the same sector by supporting the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation. The aim was to use three case studies to assess the functioning of technology platforms and their benefits to its members. The thesis is mainly qualitative in nature. Research questions focus on the membership structure and activities of technology platforms, the importance of various types of proximity in cooperation with its members and the impact on their competitiveness. Thanks to the paper I found out the benefits of technology platforms to deepen relationships and mutual trust, which proved important for the mutual cooperation. Social and cognitive proximity are the two most important types of proximity in cooperation with actors. The thesis also revealed deficiencies in meeting the objectives of technology platforms consisting in the definition and implementation of the vision of the field. Negative finding is the absence of government among members of the technology platforms. Technology platforms are with their activities shaping the emergence and spread of knowledge and innovation for mutual cooperation among actors from different backgrounds. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)