Successful product development has been a fundamental part of many of today's companies and their continued prosperity depends on continuing to develop new products in the future. There are many models of product development. The two most common classes of development are market pull (MP) and technology push (TP). TP product development differs from MP in that the development begins with a specified technology rather than a specified customer. Because TP development is generally considered more difficult and challenging, most of the product development research has focused on MP development and many researchers and practitioners favor MP development over TP development. However, successful TP development has been shown to be a source of innovation that cannot be realized through MP development and is performed by many companies. The research in this thesis focuses on developing a comprehensive TP model to guide product developers on how to implement TP development successfully. This new TP model is developed by comparing recently published TP models to published best practices of TP development and known deficiencies of TP models. The comprehensive TP model makes improvements to the existing TP models through the addition of processes and tools that overcome deficiencies and incorporate best practices. The new comprehensive TP model includes elements of existing generic MP models, a "Technology Application Selection" (TAS) process and several new processes and tools associated with prototypes and network groups. Some of the new processes and tools are demonstrated through a case example. The comprehensive TP model provides product developers with the necessary step-by-step guide to TP product development. The model effectively deals with deficiencies of previous TP models, is sufficiently comprehensive and detailed to guide product developers, is complimentary and consistent to existing design processes and terms, is applicable to most TP product development projects, and is useful and repeatable in making product development decisions.

Purpose – The aim of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the net benefits and change in user behaviour in a technology push scenario in Smart Cities. Design/methodology/approach –The research was conducted using a quantitative approach. Hence, quantitative data was obtained by devising and distributing a questionnaire adapted from the literature to serve the purpose of this research. Data was analysed by using SmartPLS software, since this tool allowed for the creation of a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Contributions –The research is expected to help foster an understanding of the factors affecting citizens’ satisfaction with technology-supporting smart cities. The focus of this research was on the scenario where technology was introduced by the government to support the development of smart cities, and where citizens ‘do not have a choice’ and are ‘pushed’ to use them. The research contributes a model for assessing the role of satisfaction in enhancing the net benefits of smart city technologies on the lives of citizens, as well as the change in individuals’ behaviour towards smart city technologies when they are ‘pushed’ for use. The findings provided insights to enable policy makers to implement smart cities in developing countries while ensuring the satisfaction of the users. Originality/value – The originality of this research is centred around determining how satisfied citizens are with smart cities and the net benefit of smart cities within a developing country (Kuwait) context. The research is also unique in that it examines the role of citizens’ satisfaction in changing their behaviour towards ‘push’ technology within smart cities. Theoretical Contributions – This study examined the factors that led to acceptance of smart cities in Kuwait. Hence, this study used the theories related to user acceptance of technology and added to its trust in provider. Previous studies have examined trust as a broad concept. Moreover, this study incorporated the push theory and also examined the change in user behavior, which was not examined in earlier studies.

Changing trends in customer preference, competitors’ offerings, new technologies and development techniques may disrupt a firm from its current leading market position and may favor other firms that prioritize innovation. Once a market opportunity is identified (i.e., find an answer to the ‘what to do’ question), firms need to engage in a series of activities and information processing to determine an appropriate way to monetize that opportunity – that is, firms need to find an answer to the ‘how to do’ question. Alternately, a firm may first identify a technological opportunity (i.e. find an answer to the ‘how to do’) and then find a market opportunity (i.e. find an answer to the ‘what to do’ question) to make use of the technological opportunity. Two scales that measure the capabilities of firms to address the following two questions – ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do’ - were reported; these were labelled as market-scanning capability (MktScan) and technology-scanning capability (TechScan); and these two scales were also tested in a broader research model. In turbulent environments, marketing and R&D become more challenging, since they face an uncertain future. Firms need to learn systemic scanning and decoding of apparently random changes in their business environment and imagine a pattern that makes sense. One cannot plan for uncertainty. A better strategy is to be prepared for it. One way to prepare is to develop the capabilities that would help the firm to become more adaptive. Drucker (1992) also argued that instead of planning for the long term that is uncertain, firms needed to become adaptive to tackle uncertainty. The ability of a firm to adapt to the changes depends on its ability to sense the nature of the changes in its business environment and respond to those. Sense-and-respond framework (Haeckel 1999; Haeckel 2000; Day and Schoemaker 2006) was proposed to emphasize the identification of weak signals (Ansoff 1975) to tackle increased uncertainty in business environment. In current days, effectiveness of firm’s activities often depends on the richness of its sources of information and its capability to process the collected information to identify the patterns of change happening in its business environments. Information processing may happen in two dimensions: in market dimension and in technology dimension. Firms’ capabilities for information collecting and processing in these two dimensions were measured using two firm-level constructs. These are market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability. Resource-based theory helped to understand how firms use their tangible and intangible resources to compete in the market. Specific problem-solving aspects of the processes, activities, and cultural norms enable firms to make decisions about engaging the available resources and capabilities in ways that maximize customer value, by realizing the identified opportunities into product and service offerings. This research identified the characteristic strength of this problem-solving approach of firms – collecting information both internally and externally about possible market opportunities and technological options, organization-wide processing of that information, and taking actions to respond using insights gained – as two latent constructs called ‘market-scanning capability’ and ‘technology-scanning capability’. The concepts of ‘market-scanning capability’ and ‘technology-scanning capability’ were first defined and then, scales were developed to enable researchers and managers to measure these firm-level constructs. Next, the predictive roles of these capabilities on firm performance were examined. Empirical analysis for scale development and validation of the research model were performed with data collected through a web-based survey of Canadian manufacturing firms. Firm performance was captured in two stages – first, by product innovation performance, and second, by overall firm performance. Product innovation performance was used as an intermediate performance measure to examine the direct influence on it of market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability, and then, to relate product innovation performance to final business outcome measured using ‘overall firm performance’ scale. The study validated the notion of resource-based theory by supporting the belief that higher levels of market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability would lead to improved product innovation performance. The role of environmental turbulence was also examined for its possible moderating effect. Two measures of environmental turbulence, namely, technology and market turbulence were used to test the moderation effect. The technology turbulence construct was found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between technology-scanning capability and product innovation performance, indicating that firms needed to focus more attention on the changes in the technology landscape when turbulence in the technological field was perceived to be higher, in order to keep the same level of product innovation performance. Insight gained from the study contributed to a knowledge-base that might be useful to both practitioners and researchers. The combination of TechScan and MktScan scales could be used as a benchmark tool by managers to assess firms’ readiness to take advantage of the opportunities that existed. On the theoretical side, the study contributed to the understanding by showing that both market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability had direct and indirect influences on firm performance. Also, it was found that the indirect influence of a certain scanning capability became important when firms were pre-disposed to emphasize the other scanning capability.

Changing trends in customer preference, competitors’ offerings, new technologies and development techniques may disrupt a firm from its current leading market position and may favor other firms that prioritize innovation. Once a market opportunity is identified (i.e., find an answer to the ‘what to do’ question), firms need to engage in a series of activities and information processing to determine an appropriate way to monetize that opportunity – that is, firms need to find an answer to the ‘how to do’ question. Alternately, a firm may first identify a technological opportunity (i.e. find an answer to the ‘how to do’) and then find a market opportunity (i.e. find an answer to the ‘what to do’ question) to make use of the technological opportunity. Two scales that measure the capabilities of firms to address the following two questions – ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do’ - were reported; these were labelled as market-scanning capability (MktScan) and technology-scanning capability (TechScan); and these two scales were also tested in a broader research model. In turbulent environments, marketing and R&D become more challenging, since they face an uncertain future. Firms need to learn systemic scanning and decoding of apparently random changes in their business environment and imagine a pattern that makes sense. One cannot plan for uncertainty. A better strategy is to be prepared for it. One way to prepare is to develop the capabilities that would help the firm to become more adaptive. Drucker (1992) also argued that instead of planning for the long term that is uncertain, firms needed to become adaptive to tackle uncertainty. The ability of a firm to adapt to the changes depends on its ability to sense the nature of the changes in its business environment and respond to those. Sense-and-respond framework (Haeckel 1999; Haeckel 2000; Day and Schoemaker 2006) was proposed to emphasize the identification of weak signals (Ansoff 1975) to tackle increased uncertainty in business environment. In current days, effectiveness of firm’s activities often depends on the richness of its sources of information and its capability to process the collected information to identify the patterns of change happening in its business environments. Information processing may happen in two dimensions: in market dimension and in technology dimension. Firms’ capabilities for information collecting and processing in these two dimensions were measured using two firm-level constructs. These are market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability. Resource-based theory helped to understand how firms use their tangible and intangible resources to compete in the market. Specific problem-solving aspects of the processes, activities, and cultural norms enable firms to make decisions about engaging the available resources and capabilities in ways that maximize customer value, by realizing the identified opportunities into product and service offerings. This research identified the characteristic strength of this problem-solving approach of firms – collecting information both internally and externally about possible market opportunities and technological options, organization-wide processing of that information, and taking actions to respond using insights gained – as two latent constructs called ‘market-scanning capability’ and ‘technology-scanning capability’. The concepts of ‘market-scanning capability’ and ‘technology-scanning capability’ were first defined and then, scales were developed to enable researchers and managers to measure these firm-level constructs. Next, the predictive roles of these capabilities on firm performance were examined. Empirical analysis for scale development and validation of the research model were performed with data collected through a web-based survey of Canadian manufacturing firms. Firm performance was captured in two stages – first, by product innovation performance, and second, by overall firm performance. Product innovation performance was used as an intermediate performance measure to examine the direct influence on it of market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability, and then, to relate product innovation performance to final business outcome measured using ‘overall firm performance’ scale. The study validated the notion of resource-based theory by supporting the belief that higher levels of market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability would lead to improved product innovation performance. The role of environmental turbulence was also examined for its possible moderating effect. Two measures of environmental turbulence, namely, technology and market turbulence were used to test the moderation effect. The technology turbulence construct was found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between technology-scanning capability and product innovation performance, indicating that firms needed to focus more attention on the changes in the technology landscape when turbulence in the technological field was perceived to be higher, in order to keep the same level of product innovation performance. Insight gained from the study contributed to a knowledge-base that might be useful to both practitioners and researchers. The combination of TechScan and MktScan scales could be used as a benchmark tool by managers to assess firms’ readiness to take advantage of the opportunities that existed. On the theoretical side, the study contributed to the understanding by showing that both market-scanning capability and technology-scanning capability had direct and indirect influences on firm performance. Also, it was found that the indirect influence of a certain scanning capability became important when firms were pre-disposed to emphasize the other scanning capability.

Policies are regarded as the most important instrument in redirecting invention Policies are regarded as the most important instrument in redirecting invention investments away from fossil fuel technologies towards renewable energy technologies. Despite the importance and urgency in decarbonizing the economy, the literature on how different energy policies effect the development of renewable energy technologies is relatively scarce. A difficulty has been in justifying the operationalizing of policies in as both valid and reliable. This thesis tackles the operationalization difficulty and produces empirical evidence in how effective various policies are in incentivizing the development of renewable energy technologies (RET). The main findings are that government R&D expenditure increases firm innovation across all RET, demand-pull policies either increase the likelihood of firm inventions or has an insignificant effect and carbon taxation does not increase the likelihood of RET invention. / Politiska instrument är ansedda som de medel som kan ha störst inverkan att omdirigera innovation investeringar från fossila till förnyelsebara energier. Trots det angelägna och brådskande i att ekonomin blir fossilt oberoende finns det relativt lite litteratur på hur olika energipolitiska medel har för effekt på den tekniska utvecklingen av förnyelsebara energier. En svårighet har varit att berättiga operativiseringen av politiken vilken är både valid och tillförlitligt. Denna uppsats angriper svårigheten av att operativisera poliska instrument och producerar empiriska underlag för hur effektiva olika politiska medel är i att ge incitament till för att utveckla förnyelsebara energier (FE). De frästa resultaten är att statlig forskning och utveckling ökar sannolikheten att företags innovation inom alla FE, efterfråge-stimulerings politik antingen ökar eller har ingen påverkan på FE innovation och att koldioxidbeskattning inte ökar innovation inom FE.

Payments take place every day in exchange for goods and services. There are a large variety of different methods which can be used to make a payment, and multiple scenarios in which payments take place. Recently there has been a significant amount of innovation in the Payment Services sector, however the majority of this innovation has occurred in the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) market, leaving the Business-to-Business (B2B) market relatively devoid of innovations. This raises the question, why are there limited successful innovations in B2B Payment Services? Furthermore, are there areas for innovation in the realm of B2B Payments? To explore this perceived gap in innovation, the payment methods available to small B2B companies were examined to identify key challenges and areas for future innovation in B2B payments. The research contains primary data from semi-structured telephone interviews with five owners or managers in SME (Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise) B2B companies, located in the United Kingdom. It will be concluded that the payment methods available to small businesses are sufficient for their needs, and there were no real ‘pain points’ with the actual payments themselves – and this is posited as one reason why payment services innovation has been limited within B2Bs. However, each business experienced a number of challenges in the bigger-picture payment cycle and business purchasing flow. It is within this space - helping businesses manage payments, not make payments - that opportunities for innovation lie, and a conceptualisation of new business opportunities is discussed. / <p>Master of Entrepeneurship and Innovation Management (TEILM)</p>