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The focus of this thesis is the outsourcing of activities in the New Product Development (NPD) process. Outsourcing of NPD refers to the outsourcing of development activities for the developing of new products (goods and/or service), where all or just the innovative part of the NPD process is purchased externally based on a contract with organizational units separate from the outsourcing firm. This definition implies that (A) the activity should be an innovative part of the NPD process, (B) the activity should have previously been conducted internally, and (C) the activity should be purchased under a contractual agreement between the organizations. This thesis focuses on the outsourcing of NPD in medium sized firms. Although the framework is probably also useful for small and large firms, the three empirical studies in the thesis explored samples of medium sized firms. NPD is a knowledge intensive activity that requires the ability to handle uncertainties and is very dependent on the individuals involved in the process. In this way it differs from production, which (especially when producing standard items on a large scale) is easier to control, monitor and to evaluate the costs. Therefore, some considerations connected to knowledge acquisition and uncertainty needs to be addressed. A literature review reveals that research on outsourcing often focuses on A) Large firms and B) outsourcing of production activities. In addition, research on NPD usually involves large firms, despite the fact that the interest in product development in small and medium sized firms has grown rapidly in recent years. Since outsourcing of NPD is a method frequently used to access competence, and reduce costs and/or uncertainty, it seems motivated to study the outsourcing of NPD in medium sized firms. The thesis presents a decision framework that is based on three empirical studies (two survey studies and one case study) and a theoretical framework. The theoretical framework presented in the thesis is commonly used to understand outsourcing questions in general. In the present thesis the framework is applied in the specific situation of outsourcing a knowledge intensive activity (such as NPD) in the context of medium sized firms. Transactions cost, resource based, resource dependency, knowledge based, agency cost, and institutional theories are revisited in the thesis. Outsourcing can lead to advantages in form of lower costs, access to knowledge or other resources, as well as access to markets, but it can also result in a knowledge drain, lower motivation among in-house staff, or an increased level of dependency on external organizations. Therefore the decision to outsource is not always a good one, and the pros and cons must be carefully evaluated. The result of the thesis is a decision framework that maps factors affecting the decisions that need to be made when outsourcing NPD. The implications can be of value to the outsourcing firm as well as to the potential outsourcing partner. The framework has been presented to the firms in the studies and thus has already proved its value to some extent. The framework will also be used for the design of the studies that will hopefully take me towards my PhD degree, including a new survey study as well as a case study focusing on knowledge integration.

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Die Fraktion BÜNDNIS 90 / DIE GRÜNEN im Sächsischen Landtag hält es für ihre Aufgabe, die Öffentlichkeit über die Initiativen und Aktionen, die Ideologie und Strategie der NPD zu informieren. Sie sucht bewusst die Diskussion mit der Öffentlichkeit, der Wissenschaft und den Initiativen gegen Rechtsextremismus. Ein erster Schritt war die gut besuchte Veranstaltung des Workshops zu „Strategie und Ideologie der NPD-Fraktion im Sächsischen Landtag“ vom 24. Mai 2006, dessen Materialien und Ergebnisse hier vorgelegt werden.

Innovation is a crucial activity to ensure companies’ viability and is increasingly important to sustain competitive advantage. Globalization and the accelerating technological development are creating new markets previously not explored. Companies’ capability to execute New Product development (NPD) under these circumstances is limited since this is a new setting for most companies. Literature reveals that developing highly innovative products entails higher potential of economic growth and this incentivizes companies to explore opportunities in unfamiliar markets. It is also previously empirical shown that the NPD process for products targeting unfamiliar respectively familiar markets should differ due to their varying nature. Despite this, companies tend to use the same NPD processes regardless of the market situation which furthermore can hinder companies from succeeding with innovations targeting unfamiliar markets. Considering this, the purpose of this thesis is to explore and identify which aspects within the execution of the NPD process that enable respectively inhibit companies to achieve commercial success in markets of different characteristics. To investigate this, a multiple case study was conducted at a Swedish manufacturer of industrial machines. Two cases representing unfamiliar respectively familiar markets were studied through employee interviews, observations, reading internal documents and informal meetings. The study was conducted with an abductive approach, investigating the empirical reality and existing literature simultaneously. The result of this study reveals aspects that are challenging for companies to contemplate when executing NPD in unfamiliar markets and how it contrasts to the conditions for familiar markets. Raising companies’ awareness of this enables them to be better equipped for executing NPD under unfamiliar market conditions. The main challenges concluded are allocation of human resources and competency utilization, deficient collection of market and customer information, and insufficient communication routines. Moreover, companies fail to evaluate the potential and risk of innovations and have a hard time developing and implementing an NPD process that supports both structure and flexibility in markets with different characteristics. The biggest difference with NPD for unfamiliar market is the level of uncertainty. The challenge of understanding the customer needs and the competitors becomes more tangible for unfamiliar markets, and further places agreat demand on a working communication system, flexibility, cross-functionality, good risk assessment and well-defined product requirements. / Innovation är avgörande för att säkerställa företagens lönsamhet och blir allt viktigare för att upprätthålla konkurrenskraft. Globaliseringen och den accelererande tekniska utvecklingen skapar nya marknader som tidigare inte utforskats. Företagens förmåga att genomföra utveckling av nya produkter (NPD) under dessa omständigheter är begränsade eftersom detta är en ny miljö för de flesta företag. Litteratur visar att utveckling av mycket innovativa produkter skapar större potential för ekonomisk tillväxt och detta uppmuntrar företag att utforska möjligheter i okända marknader. Det är också tidigare empiriskt visat att NPD-processen för produkter som riktar sig mot okända respektive kända marknader bör skilja sig åt på grund av deras varierande karaktär. Trots detta tenderar företag att använda samma NPD-processer oavsett marknadssituation, vilket dessutom kan hindra företag från att lyckas med innovationer som riktar sig mot okända marknader. Med bakgrund i detta är syftet med detta examensarbete att utforska och identifiera vilka aspekter inom genomförandet av NPD-processen som gör det möjligt, respektive hämmar för företag att nå kommersiell framgång på marknader med olika karakteristik. För att undersöka detta genomfördesen fallstudie hos en svensk tillverkare av industrimaskiner. Två fall som representerade okänd respektive känd marknad studerades genom intervjuer, observationer, läsning av interna dokument och informella möten. Studien genomfördes med ett abduktivt tillvägagångssätt, som undersökte den empiriska verkligheten och befintlig litteratur samtidigt. Resultatet av denna studie identifierar aspekter som är utmanande för företag när de utför NPD i okända marknader och hur detta kontrasterar mot förhållandena i kända marknader. Genom att öka företags medvetenhet om detta kan de bli bättre rustade för att utföra NPD under olika marknadsförhållanden. De främsta utmaningarna som har identifierats är allokering av personalresurser och kompetensutnyttjande, bristfällig insamling av marknads- och kundinformation samt otillräckliga kommunikationsrutiner. Dessutom misslyckas ofta företag med att utvärdera innovationers potential och risk, och har svårt att utveckla och implementera en NPD-process som stödjer både struktur och flexibilitet i marknader med olika egenskaper. Den största skillnaden med NPD i okända marknader är nivån av osäkerhet. Utmaningen att förstå kundernas behov och konkurrenterna blir mer påtaglig i okända marknader och ställer vidare stora krav på ett fungerande kommunikationssystem, flexibilitet, tvärfunktionalitet, riskbedömning och väldefinierade produktkrav.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to address the, by scholars and managers alike, expressed need of development in the project portfolio selection. The research will aim to investigate how the selection of innovation projects portfolios could change if flexibility, and with it uncertainty, were added to the project portfolio selection. The aim is further to investigate how options value can be incorporated as additional value to a portfolio selection decision, with the goal to choose projects that maximize the goal function of the firm. Method: This thesis takes a qualitative approach as such approach is favourable when studying social science. The empirical research is carried out at a large international company conducting in an extensive amount of R&D as well working with innovation projects. The data is collected by unstructured and semi structured interviews with management at the company subjected to the study. Results: The results show, that by adapting the real options framework to a static way of selecting projects, the incorporation of flexibility to the selection process can add economic value by accounting for options value and handle uncertainty. The real options framework will substantiate a dynamic approach to the selection process of innovation projects, as flexibility is changing the selection process from individual project selection to the selection of portfolios. / Syfte: Syftet med följande uppsats är belysa och utveckla det, av forskare och chefer, uttryckta behov av utveckling av projektportföljval. Uppsatsen syftar till att undersöka hur valet av innovationsprojekt genom portföljvalsmodeller kan förändras om flexibilitet och osäkerhet adderas till beslutsprocessen. Syftet är vidare att undersöka hur ytterligare värde kan inkorporeras i ett beslut, med målet att välja den portfölj som maximerar företagets målfunktion. Metod: Denna uppsats tar en kvalitativ metodansats då ett sådant tillvägagångssätt är fördelaktigt i studier av samhällsvetenskap. Den empiriska undersökningen har bedrivits på ett stort internationellt företag vilket deltar i ett omfattande FoU arbete, samt i stor skala arbetar med innovationsprojekt. Data har samlats in genom ostrukturerade samt semistrukturerade intervjuer med ledningen på företaget. Slutsatser: Resultaten visar att genom att inkorporera reella optioner, i en statisk beslutsprocess, så kan ett bättre beslutsunderlag genereras genom inkluderandet av osäkerhet och värdet av optioner. Ett sådant beslutsunderlag genereras genom att real options adderar flexibilitet till urvalsprocessen. Genom att inkorporera flexibilitet kommer en statisk metod att välja individuella projekt på, skifta till fördel för en dynamisk metod att välja portföljer.

This PhD thesis presents investigations of hydrogen incorporation in Zintl phases and transition metal oxides. Hydrogenous Zintl phases can serve as important model systems for fundamental studies of hydrogen-metal interactions, while at the same time hydrogen-induced chemical structure and physical property changes provide exciting prospects for materials science. Hydrogen incorporation in transition metal oxides leads to oxyhydride systems in which O and H together form an anionic substructure. The H species in transition metal oxides may be highly mobile, making these materials interesting precursors toward other mixed anion systems.  Zintl phases consist of an active metal, M (alkali, alkaline earth or rare earth) and a more electronegative p-block metal or semimetal component, E (Al, Ga, Si, Ge, etc.). When Zintl phases react with hydrogen, they can either form polyanionic hydrides or interstitial hydrides, undergo full hydrogenations to complex hydrides, or oxidative decomposition to more E-rich Zintl phases. The Zintl phases investigated here comprised the CaSi2, Eu3Si4, ASi (A= K, Rb) and GdGa systems which were hydrogenated at various temperature, H2 pressure, and dwelling time conditions. For CaSi2, a regular phase transition from the conventional 6R to the rare 3R took place and no hydride formation was observed. In contrast, GdGa and Eu3Si4 were very susceptible to hydrogen uptake. Already at temperatures below 100 ºC the formation of hydrides GdGaH2-x and Eu3Si4H2+x was observed. The magnetic properties of the hydrides (antiferromagnetic) differ radically from that of the Zintl phase precursor (ferromagnetic). Upon hydrogenating ASi at temperatures around 100 oC, silanides ASiH3 formed which contain discrete complex ion units SiH3-. The much complicated β – α order-disorder phase transition in ASiH3 was evaluated with neutron powder diffraction (NPD), 2H NMR and heat capacity measurements.  A systematic study of the hydride reduction of BaTiO3 leading to perovskite oxyhydrides BaTiO3-xHx was done. A broad range of reducing agents including NaH, MgH2, CaH2, LiAlH4 and NaBH4 was employed and temperature and dwelling conditions for hydride reduction examined. Samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermal gravimetric analysis and 1H NMR. The concentration of H that can be incorporated in BaTiO3-xHx was found to be very low, which is in contrast with earlier reports. Instead hydride reduction leads to a high concentration of O vacancies in the reduced BaTiO3. The highly O-deficient, disordered, phases - BaTiO3-xHy□(x-y) with x up to 0.6 and y in a range 0.05 – 0.2 and (x-y) &gt; y – are cubic and may represent interesting materials with respect to electron and ion transport as well as catalysis. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

Knowledge integration is a fundamental capability for Global New Product Development(NPD) success that allows exploiting windows of opportunity and foster innovation.Although Global NPD projects are recipients of project management methodologies,literature emphasizes a gap in how project management tools can support a knowledgeintegration capability. Therefore, this study aims to explore how project lessons learned,a project management tool, can enable knowledge integration in a global NPD context. To this extent, this study presents the case study of Company X, applying a qualitativemethod which follows an interpretivist philosophical stance and an inductive approach.The case study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with project managersand team members from two Research &amp; Development (R&amp;D) Centers. The datacollected was analyzed using a template analysis and matrix display. The literature review of this study introduces knowledge integration as a capability forglobal NPD, its mechanisms and influencing organizational factors. Project lessonslearned are presented as a project management tool that encompass experiences fromprojects and hence serve as a source of knowledge. This results in a theoretical frameworkfor knowledge integration and project lessons learned as an enabler of this capability,which works as a foundation for the empirical research. The findings of the applied methodology confirmed the elements of the theoreticalframework, and contributed to develop a framework that illustrates how project lessonslearned enable knowledge integration capability. Moreover, the findings explored theorganizational context of Global NPD projects, the tacit and explicit mechanisms tointegrate knowledge in and between projects and the different levels on which theorganizational factors influence the knowledge integration process. Recommendationsfor an effective knowledge integration are suggested for both academics and practitioners,as well as potential areas of research to continue extending the knowledge on this field.

Ce travail doctoral concerne l’expérience de co-création d’innovation, il s’agit de concours d’innovation organisés par les marques à travers des plateformes internet. Cette pratique présente l’intérêt de produire des idées créatives à moindre coût et dans un délai plus court. Cependant cette démarche d’innovation n’est pas sans poser de nombreuses questions en termes d’ergonomie du site et de politique de stimulation favorisant l’engagement des consommateurs. A partir de quatre études empiriques, deux qualitatives et deux quantitatives, (1) nous identifions les motivations des consommateurs à participer à des concours d’innovation, (2) puis nous mettons en évidence 5 dimensions du concept d’expérience de co-création d’innovation, (3) nous caractérisons les récompenses qui favorisent le plus la créativité et enfin, (4) nous présentons les effets de l’expérience de co-création sur la créativité, la participation et la réputation de la firme innovante / This doctoral work deals with co-creation experience of innovation, it is innovation competition organized by brands through internet platforms. This practice has the advantage of producing creative ideas at lower cost and in a shorter time. However, this innovative approach raises many questions in terms of website usability and incentives promoting consumer engagement. From four empirical studies, two qualitative and two quantitative , (1) we identify consumers’motivation to participate in innovation competition, (2) and we highlight five dimensions of co-creation experience concept , (3) we characterize the rewards that stimulate creativity and finally, (4) we present the effects of experience co-creation on creativity, participation and reputation of the innovative firm

A growing body of research is drawing attention to the importance of open innovation and the reasons firms should progressively switch to this paradigm. However, there is still some reluctance to embrace such approach to innovation. This study investigates the main factors impacting the selection of internal and external new product development in a US multinational company belonging to the semiconductor industry. The main factor found to impact the choice of internal and external innovation is the degree of radicalness of NPD projects. Hence, this is used as additional variable to the internal and external nature of projects to build a matrix, capable of describing the main factors managers take into account when deciding on the projects to undertake. Combining the internal or external and incremental or radical nature of NPD projects, for each category, it was possible to highlight the main dimensions determining the projects selection, namely the expected output and profitability, the purpose of the NPD process, the attention received by managers and the risk involved.