Published Article / In the era of open innovation, the capability to conduct collaborative research and development has become a key indicator of absorptive capacity and innovation competitiveness. However, the literature addressing open innovation has a focus on developed economies. New evidence from the South African National R&D Survey, together with supplementary data, make it possible to gain a greater understanding of the structure of open innovation in nanotechnology, biotechnology and open source software in the South African context. Findings from a comparative analysis include: the identification of collaboration-intensive R&D networks whose structures are influenced by the characteristics of each technological platform; linkages between localized innovation networks and global innovation networks; and distinct patterns of expenditure, sectoral distribution and geographical location characterizing each of these technologies. The paper concludes with some suggestions for policy applications for these findings as well as directions for further research.

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Alors que les avantages de l'innovation ouverte ont été largement soulignés dans la littérature, le recours à des intermédiaires pour innover nécessite encore de la clarté dans les articles académiques et dans la pratique. Nous avons donc passé en revue les différentes formes d'intermédiaires. Les ‘broker’, agents intermédiaire, permettent la connexion entre deux partiesdistinctes, l’entreprise initiatrice du challenge et les innovateurs. Impliquer le ‘broker’ dans les processus d'innovation ouverte peut être une stratégie efficace à mettre en place afin d'améliorer la capacité d'absorption de l’entreprise en déjouant les collaborations inadéquates et chronophages (Brown, 1991). Au centre de cette collaboration, le ‘broker’ est l'intermédiaire etl'acteur central permettant la connexion entre ces deux acteurs. Cette thèse met en avant la façon dont l’entreprise orchestre son ouverture à des innovateurs externes. Nous expliquons comment est géré le processus du point de vue de l’entreprise initiatrice à travers une étude de cas de l’entreprise Electrolux, son département d'innovation ouvert très avancé. Nous avons également souligné l’importance du ‘broker’ au travers de notre deuxième étude sur la conception et le contenu des plateformes d'innovation. Notre objectif final était d'expliquer clairement comment ensemble ces deux premiers acteurs peuvent assurer une innovation réussie en se concentrant sur les facteurs qui garantissent la qualité des contributions des innovateurs. Nous avons adopté une approche qualitative, nous avons analysé les données partagées par Electrolux (seeker) et ces ‘broker’. Nous avons également analysé les expériences d'innovation ouverte des acteurs en réalisant des entretiens semi-structurés. La thèse a mis en lumière plusieurs questions non étudiées ou que partiellement et nous apportons des réponses sur la façon dont les entreprises peuvent gérer leur ouverture, comment les ‘broker’ devraient concevoir leurs plateformes pourrépondre aux attentes des utilisateurs (initiateur et innovateur). Ainsi que la façon dont les initiateurs de challenge et les ‘broker’ peuvent mener ensemble des challenges d'innovation ouvertes réussis impliquant des innovateurs du monde entier. Nos résultats ont mis en évidence plusieurs lignes directrices pour les acteurs de l'écosystème de l'innovation ouverte impliquant un ‘broker’. Cependant, des études quantitatives seraient nécessaires pour mesurer quantitativement le succès de cette approche étudiée. / While open innovation advantages has been widely emphasized in the literature. Intermediation under its different forms still requires clarity in academic articles and in practice. We therefore reviewed the different forms of intermediation and we attempt to advance the uncovered field of the brokering form. Brokers act as bridge between two sided parties involved, seeker and solver. Involving broker in open innovation processes can be an effective strategy to put in place in order to enhance absorptive capacity by lowering inadequate and time consuming collaborations (Brown 1991). In the literature, actors initiator of the open challenges are called – seeker, and participants to the open innovation contest are called - solvers. In the middle, brokers are the intermediary and central actor connecting them together. They manage and provide appropriate network from same or different domain of application than the seeker firm. We aim to shed light on how seeker orchestrate or may orchestrate his openness. We explain the management of the process in the seekers’ side through a case study on Electrolux, well-advanced open innovation department. We also highlighted the brokers integration by fully concentrating our study on their innovation platforms design and content. Our final objective was to clearly explain how both seeker and broker may together ensure successful innovation focusing on factors that may ensure quality of the solver’s contributions. Our approach was totally qualitative, we analyze data available from Electrolux (seeker) and brokers. We also interpret participant’s experiences of open innovation with brokers by conducting semi-structured interviews. Our thesis shed light on several uncovered or partially covered questions. We bring answers on how seekers may manage their openness, how brokers should design their platforms to meet users (seeker and solver) attempts. As well as how seeker and broker together may conduct successful open innovation contests involving solvers worldwide. Our findings highlighted several guidelines for the actors of the brokering innovation ecosystem, however, quantitative studies are required to measure quantitatively the success of this approach.

<p>Living Lab är en öppen innovationsmiljö där innovationer samproduceras, testas och verifieras av användarna, tillsammans med företag och akademin i en kontext som representerar innovationens tänkta användningsområde. Genom samverkan kan olika värden skapas för företagen. Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka hur Living Lab skapar värde för företag och vilka värden företag kan identifiera ur de användarcentrerade aktiviteterna. Uppsatsen karaktäriseras av en kvalitativ ansats och grundar sig i en explorativ undersökning med djupintervjuer där fyra företag ligger till grund för uppsatsens resultat. Uppsatsen har visat att Living Lab skapat värden för företag genom att de fått mer tilltalande produkter, identifierat nya användarkategorier och samordnat resurser med företag. Living Lab är därmed värdeskapande för företag genom stöd för utvärdering, ny- och vidareutveckling av innovationer. Samverkan mellan användare, företag och akademin öppnar upp för ett kunskapsutbyte vilket skapar värde för företag då kompetensutveckling äger rum och en djupare kunskap om användarna kan erhållas</p>

Living Lab är en öppen innovationsmiljö där innovationer samproduceras, testas och verifieras av användarna, tillsammans med företag och akademin i en kontext som representerar innovationens tänkta användningsområde. Genom samverkan kan olika värden skapas för företagen. Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka hur Living Lab skapar värde för företag och vilka värden företag kan identifiera ur de användarcentrerade aktiviteterna. Uppsatsen karaktäriseras av en kvalitativ ansats och grundar sig i en explorativ undersökning med djupintervjuer där fyra företag ligger till grund för uppsatsens resultat. Uppsatsen har visat att Living Lab skapat värden för företag genom att de fått mer tilltalande produkter, identifierat nya användarkategorier och samordnat resurser med företag. Living Lab är därmed värdeskapande för företag genom stöd för utvärdering, ny- och vidareutveckling av innovationer. Samverkan mellan användare, företag och akademin öppnar upp för ett kunskapsutbyte vilket skapar värde för företag då kompetensutveckling äger rum och en djupare kunskap om användarna kan erhållas

Open innovation has been widely debated in management literature. However, little attention has been given to how small and medium sized enterprises manage to open up their innovation process. Consequently, various questions remain unanswered. In particular, we want to shed light on the following issue: how small and medium-sized enterprises manage organizational changes in their journey from closed to open innovation. A literature review examines how small and medium-sized enterprises open up their innovation process based on nine perspectives. Then, the reference framework addresses the organizational changes embedded in evolving from closed to open innovation. In this sense, we use acknowledged concepts on organizational change research to carry out an in depth-case study on a small and medium-sized enterprise evolving in the sports equipment industry. The results demonstrate that, in its journey from closed to open innovation, the small and medium-sized enterprise has had to stimulate and to manage changes to four company’s dimensions i.e. corporate culture, networking, organizational structure, and knowledge management systems. The paper concludes by highlighting the diverse organizational changes undertaken by the company on these four dimensions. Based on this paper’s conclusion, managerial implications and discussion for future research are drawn.

Since the concept of open innovation was put forward by Chesbrough (2003), many researchers focus on open innovation in large enterprises. There is a research gap in how open innovation is implemented in SMEs, specially in Chinese companies. The purpose of this thesis is to identify the motives and challenges of manufacturing SMEs in China to implement onpen innovation. The study is based on analysis of scientific literature and four case studies of manufacturing SMEs. The empirical data were collected by semi-structure interviews and a survey. Overall, collsboration with external partners was found to be good for improving innovation performances in the studies companies. And also, four motives were found, which were forming innovation networks, cooperating with external innovation sources, importing advanced technologies, and driving and motivating innvation processes. Meanwhile, four main challenges were found lack of trust in collaboration, disability for transforming external knowledge to internal knowledge, low support from government, and barriers to overcom intellectual property disputes. At last, the authors suggest that manufacturing SMEs in China could collaborate with each other more, and improve the knowledge of intellectual property as well.

This study is conducted within the domains of technology convergence and Open Innovation environment. Two frameworks have been adopted in the study, namely; Nexus of Forces and Capability-Based Framework for Open Innovation. The first purpose of the investigation was to identify to what extent and in what ways does Nexus of Forces affects the knowledge capabilities within the Open Innovation environment. The second purpose of the investigation was to identify what practical implications does Nexus of Forces brings to the Open Innovation practices. The investigation was conducted on a single company – Swisscom – by following a case study strategy. The methodological approach for collecting the data was a mixed method approach with concurrent embedded strategy. The study has focused mainly on qualitative data and the quantitative data was nested with the focus to strengthen the findings. For the primary data collection, 6 respondents were selected, Expert A and Expert B for interviews and 4 managers for survey.   In regard to the first purpose, our findings have shown that practices of Nexus of Forces have strategical implications on the process of managing knowledge capabilities. The extents of the NoF implications are through a direct and indirect level for the departments, which work with Open Innovation projects and at meta-level for the higher organizational structures within the company. In regard to the second purpose, our findings have shown that practices of Nexus of Forces have tactical implications on the Open Innovation practices. The final outcome of the study is a theoretical model that displays the strategical and tactical implications of Nexus of Forces on the knowledge capabilities and Open Innovation practices within the Open Innovation environment.

Introduktion: Studien behandlar små och medelstora företag (SMFs) inom fordonsindustrin. Kontexten berörs med hänsyn till att forskningsfronten saknar empiriska exempel avseende relationen mellan olika inbound open innovation aktiviteter och företagens innovationsprestation. Fenomenet inbound open innovation innebär att företag genom olika samverkansaktiviteter utnyttjar externa flöden av kunskap och teknologi, för att främja framkomsten av nya produkter och processer. Följaktligen utreder studien relationen mellan företagens innovationsprestation och aktiviteterna; (1) teknologisk rekognosering, (2) vertikal teknologisk kollaboration, (3) horisontell teknologisk kollaboration, (4) teknologisk anskaffning.   Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka relationen mellan fyra former av inbound open innovation aktiviteter och innovationsprestation i små och medelstora företag, inom fordonsindustrin. Insikterna från studien ämnar stärka de små och medelstora företagens konkurrenskraft på en globaliserad marknad. Studien ämnar även främja helhetsbilden av vilken effekt olika inbound open innovation aktiviteter har i praktiken.     Teori: Studien baseras på tidigare forskning och teorier avseende inbound open innovation i små och medelstora företag (SMFs).      Metod: Studien bedrivs via en kvantitativ metodansats. Ett själv-administrerat frågeformulär har distribuerats ut via mail till 370 stycken VD:s. Insamlad data har bearbetats i SPSS genom flertalet statistiska tester, vilket utmynnade i att studiens fyra hypoteser testades och utreddes.   Slutsats: Studiens resultat påvisar att SMFs inom fordonsindustrin kan förbättra sin innovationsprestation genom att bedriva aktiviteterna teknologisk rekognosering, vertikal teknologisk kollaboration samt horisontell teknologisk kollaboration. Aktiviteten teknologisk anskaffning befanns inte ha någon signifikant inverkan på innovationsprestationen. Studiens insikter kan stärka de små och medelstora företagens konkurrenskraft på en globaliserad marknad. Insikterna främjar även helhetsbilden avseende vilken effekt olika inbound open innovation aktiviteter har i praktiken. / Introduction: The study concerns small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the automotive industry. The context is touched because the research front lacks empirical examples of the relationship between different inbound open innovation activities and innovation performance. The phenomenon of inbound open innovation means that companies, through different collaborative activities, exploit external flows of knowledge and technology to promote the emergence of new products and processes. Consequently the study investigates the relationship between innovation performance and the activities; (1) technological scouting, (2) vertical technological collaboration, (3) horizontal technological collaboration, (4) technological acquisition.   Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between four forms of inbound open innovation activities and innovation performance in small and medium-sized enterprises, in the automotive industry. The insights from the study aims to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs in a globalized market. The study also aims to promote the overall picture of the impact of different inbound open innovation activities in practice.   Theory: The study is based on previous research and theories regarding inbound open innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).   Method: The study is conducted through a quantitative methodology. A self-administered questionnaire has been distributed by mail to 370 CEOs. The collected data has been processed in SPSS through different statistical tests, which resulted in the study's four hypotheses being tested and investigated.   Conclusion: The studies result shows that SMEs in the automotive industry can improve their innovation performance by conducting the activities of technological scouting, vertical technological collaboration and horizontal technological collaboration. Technological acquisition was found to have no significant impact on innovation performance. The findings can promote the competitiveness of SMEs in a globalized market. The insights also promote the overall picture of the impact of different inbound open innovation activities in practice.

Sulfones are useful bioisosteres in drug discovery, and have an unusual ability to engage in binding with both polar and nonpolar regions of target proteins. Despite this, they have seen limited use in drug-screening campaigns, compared with other functional groups. With the goal of generating a library of bicyclo[3.2.1]sulfone-containing molecules to probe biological function, a tandem 1,2-addition/anionic oxy-Cope/1,2-addition reaction proceeding from 3-sulfolene and discovered by previous members of our group was used to prepare highly substituted scaffolds for diversification. Functional group manipulations on this scaffold were partially successful, but ultimately provided limited scope for exploring three-dimensional space. Moving to a less-substituted bicyclo[3.2.1]sulfone scaffold that could be accessed using methodology developed by the Chou group, it was found that a greater range of chemical diversification could be achieved. Using both substrate-directed methods and intrinsic functional group reactivity, about 70% of the skeletal framework was functionalized with high levels of regioselectivity and (in some cases) good levels of diastereoselectivity. Chemoinformatic analysis was performed on our collection of synthesized bicyclo[3.2.1]sulfone-containing molecules, and diverse molecular descriptors were obtained. Collaborations were established with industrial partners and non-profit institutions for the purpose of determining biological properties in medicinally relevant areas. Significantly, each of these partners joined the project with therapeutic expertise in a different field (oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, antimicrobial agents, and skin inflammation), thereby maximizing the chances of finding useful lead compounds for future development. Preliminary biological screening data were obtained, which suggest future potential for sulfone-containing conformationally restricted small molecules to be impactful in therapeutic development. / Graduate