Würzburg, Univ., Diss., 2008.

Digitalization is the process of making digital everything that can be digitised to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities. However, difficulties exist in evaluating the value created by digital technology investments in organisations, industry structures, economies and society, at large. My dissertation illustrates how the distinct characteristics of digital technologies are implicit in an evolution from stable to fragile product innovation; while highlighting the need for a dynamic approach to entrepreneurial innovation within national innovation systems. The foundations for my work are bound up in the digitalization of value networks, and the context for this research is digital cinema - a process that began in 2000. Digital cinema offered a new value proposition to distributors and significant cost reductions for the US studios. With a reliance on a highly developed value chain to protect intellectual property, these studios sought to learn from the disruption digitalization caused to the music industry, by cultivating digital technology as an, incremental innovation, in replacing celluloid with bytes to project content to cinema audiences. Global digital cinema penetration in 2014 stood at 90 per cent of the total screen footprint. The dissertation assesses features of this digital rollout that have been under-explored; including the role digital technology has assumed in process and product innovation; and, the behavioural responses of both incumbents and new entrants during the diffusion and adoption phase. My dissertation is supported by eight published papers, which highlight the need for domestic policymakers to focus their attention on emerging entrepreneurial innovations; the utilisation of current knowledge and strategies for novel solutions in order to strengthen their respective national innovation systems. Taken together they help explain the creation, diffusion and adoption of digital cinema, explore the new content creation opportunities they support, and explain how three nations in particular have sought to innovate and reorientate themselves in relation to these novel phenomena. The wider implications of the findings of the project build on the innovation literature in examining the diffusion, adoption and knowledge acquisition during the rollout of digital cinema technology. These findings suggest a radically different reading of both disruptive innovations and national innovation systems than has been offered in previous accounts, viewing the digital cinema rollout as a case study of an increasingly mobile sector, in which technological factors retreat in importance behind entrepreneurial innovation as a key driving force in reaching audiences. Finally, in exploring the phenomenon of the digitalization of value networks I have made a significant contribution to knowledge in the design of an innovative mixed method; specifically in the area of field research - a qualitative data collection method designed for considering, observing, and interacting with individuals in their natural environments. Over time, I have established that digital cinema was capable of delivering novel supply and demand solutions - starting with a few unrelated scraps of data, through the establishment of personal networks with communities of practice (in the UK, US & Norway) to building rich, and complex quantitative data sets capable of measuring the entire diffusion and adoption phase of the digital cinema rollout, right across Europe.

Geographic clusters of firms have been extensively studied in different bodies of literature, but little attention has been paid to the process of cluster formation and its determinants. While focusing on the effects of clusters on innovations and on the productivity of firms, the literature has neglected the agency of entrepreneurs in cluster emergence. This thesis aims to contribute to the literature on clusters by studying the role of personal networks and firm networks in three aspects of the emergence of clusters: 1) the early stages of formation; 2) the creation of business relations between firms; and 3) the creation of knowledge among clustered firms. The analysis was conducted using the biotechnology sector in four geographic regions of Chile as a case study. Data on firms was collected using in-depth interviews and a survey. The analysis of the data was carried out using content analysis, multilevel estimations and econometric analysis. The results reveal three main findings. First, the personal and business relations of entrepreneurs can determine the location decisions of firms. Second, personal relations are positively associated with the emergence of formal business relations between firms. Third, the number of personal and business connections a firm has positively affects its production of knowledge, measured as patent applications and scientific journals. These findings suggest that social networks within a cluster shape its emergence and development. The results also show that the different types of networks coexisting in a cluster - personal networks, business networks and research networks, among others - affect one another and determine the development of clusters. The implications of this research may be helpful for policy-makers, professional associations and cluster managers. Activities to foster personal interaction between members of a cluster and other key actors - universities, incubators, venture capital firms, government agencies, etc. - may generate collaborations between firms that would not otherwise emerge.

One factor of the leadership stratagem is to account for the core values, operations, and growth of the organization. The purpose of this case study was to ascertain the financial strategies small business leaders incorporate to help ensure growth of small businesses. The conceptual framework of Schumpeter's innovation and entrepreneurship theory and the Grameen model were included to drive the scope and analysis of this study. A purposive sample of 8 leaders from successful small businesses in Islamabad contributed to a focus group session; 4 out of these participants originated from the finance and management department and 4 represented sales and product development departments working in 3 outlets of the firm. Transcript review and member checking were used to support the reliability of the interpretation of participants regarding what they said and meant from their responses. Moreover, company documents were reviewed to triangulate the data. Yin's 5-step data analysis plan was used for the final data analysis. Four major themes surfaced from data analysis: Microfinance, product quality, customer care, and strategic vision. These endorse business leader stratagem and association to their mission, financial strategy, overall business operations, and survival and growth. Product quality is vital to maintain and retain valuable customer for revenue generation. Customer care is emphasized for its importance as an ethical practice and gaining customers confidence. Strategic vision is recognized as the foremost leadership skillset to plan and organize future business strategies effectively, which impacts business growth and longevity. The outcome of this study may contribute to positive social change by enhancing understanding of the leadership strategies that impact the longevity of the business to secure jobs and benefit employees, their families, and the surrounding community.

The topic of sustainability has found its way into the corporate entrepreneurship activities of large corporations. The Sustainable Corporate Entrepreneurship (SCE) strand is still in its infancy. Since most large corporations engage in corporate entrepreneurship and are exploring new business models inside and outside corporate boundaries, several questions arise from different viewpoints. First, from corporate perspective researchers and business leaders wonder which internal modes of SCE activities have emerged in business practice and how large corporations explore sustainable value propositions. Second, from entrepreneur and investor perspective, the question emerges which factors influence the likelihood of corporate ventures, such as spin-offs from corporations, raising venture capital to scale sustainable business models. Therefore, to further develop the field of SCE, this cumulative dissertation presents three research papers analysing sustainable corporate entrepreneurship at the intersection of corporations and start-ups.

Computing is becoming exponentially more pervasive, and so-called process of ``Digital Transformation'' is but starting. As computers become ever more relevant, our societies will need computing professionals that are well-equipped to face the many challenges their own discipline amplified. The education of computer scientists, so far, mostly focused on equipping them with technical skills. Society and academia, however, are increasingly recognising computing as a field where disciplines collide and intersect. An example that we investigate is that of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E), a field that has often be used to equip computer science students with soft skills and non-technical competences. Computer science faces some unique problems, among which a lower student interest for non-technical subjects, and a constant process of epistemic and technological obsolescence. This thesis showcases some experiences that aim to address these challenges, going towards (re)connecting the Humans and Machines participating in computer science education with the needs of the World of today and tomorrow. Our work combines some theoretical reflections with pedagogical experiments, to ensure that our work has at the same time descriptive power and empirical validation. To aid teachers and learners in the change process, these experiments share a pedagogical approach rooted on Active Learning, ranging from Challenge-Based Learning to Peer Education, to custom-tailored teaching methodologies. In designing each experiment, we start by asking ourselves: how is what we want to teach practiced in the real world? Theoretically, this thesis contributes to the state of the art by conducting a horizontal exploration of how computer science education can enter an age ever more dominated by so-called ambiguity. Methodologically, we propose lightweight techniques for qualitative measurement that are rigorous, but introduce little methodological burden, emphasising our work's reflective and exploratory dimension. Our work aims to show how, using the same broad design process, courses can be flexibly adapted to fit an ever-changing world, including significant disruptions such as the transition to online education.

[ES] La presente investigación desarrolla un marco teórico que incluye, por una parte, elementos conceptuales referidos a los fenómenos de la innovación, de los sistemas de innovación (especialmente regionales) y de la gobernanza; y por otra, un esquema analítico de cuatro dimensiones (quién, qué, cómo y para qué) que permite entender mejor cómo funciona una gobernanza. Cada una de estas dimensiones es vinculada a algún tipo de componentes del sistema, como los estructurales (actores, redes e instituciones), los procesos clave y los bloqueos, los instrumentos de gobernanza y los propósitos. De esta forma se construye un conjunto coherente y robusto de instrumental de análisis. En un paso siguiente, se consigna la contrastación empírica basada en los elementos desarrollados en el marco teórico, aportando primeramente una contextualización de los sistemas regionales en Chile y agregando posteriormente una propuesta de variables para cada elemento conceptual, con datos de las regiones chilenas. Del mismo modo, utilizando la metodología del análisis cualitativo comparado de conjuntos difusos (fsQCA), que admite el uso de datos asimétricos y la información contextual para obtener generalizaciones, se propone un esquema operacional del cual se obtienen diversos modelos explicativos en función de determinados resultados esperados y, con ello, una serie de trayectorias de éxito y casos. Por último, una serie de conclusiones y recomendaciones son formuladas, luego de revisar el modo en que se ha dado respuesta a las preguntas de investigación y el grado de cumplimiento de los objetivos. Se destacan una serie aspectos teóricos, en tanto unificar diversos aspectos de los sistemas de innovación mediante los elementos estructurales, los procesos claves (además de los bloqueos), los instrumentos de gobernanza y los propósitos en un modelo más holístico y comprensivo. Así mismo, en términos metodológicos, el enfoque de fsQCA muestra una gran capacidad para la definición de trayectorias de éxito (combinaciones de componentes de cada dimensión) con diferentes propósitos, para la descripción de un conjunto de casos destacables (con resultados destacables o problemáticos) y la sugerencia de una serie de posibles propuestas de política en distintos contextos regionales. También se establecen las implicancias generales para el diseño e implantación de las gobernanzas de sistemas regionales de innovación, así como se destaca el rol de la colaboración, el impacto de la inversión en investigación y desarrollo para las regiones, además de la relevancia de los instrumentos estratégicos de gobernanza, en especial de ciertos organismos que pueden asimilares a agencias regionales. / [CA] This research develops a theoretical framework that includes, on the one hand, conceptual elements referring to the phenomena of innovation, innovation systems (mainly regional), and governance; and, on the other hand, a four-dimensional analytical scheme (who, what, how and why) that allows us to understand better how governance works. Each of these dimensions is linked to some type of system components, such as structural components (actors, networks, and institutions), key processes and blockages, governance instruments, and purposes. In this way, a coherent and robust set of analysis instruments is built. In the next step, the empirical contrast is recorded based on the elements developed in the theoretical framework, first providing a contextualization of the regional systems in Chile and subsequently adding a proposal of variables for each conceptual element, with data from the Chilean regions. Likewise, using the methodology of qualitative comparative analysis of fuzzy sets (fsQCA), which admits the use of asymmetric data and contextual information to obtain generalizations, an operational scheme is proposed from which various explanatory models are obtained based on specific results expected and, with it, a series of success stories and cases. The discussion of this evidence allows us to categorize the Chilean regional innovation systems, in addition to establishing the solidity of the analytical tools formulated in this research. Finally, a series of conclusions and recommendations are formulated after reviewing the way in which the research questions have been answered and the degree of fulfillment of the objectives. A series of theoretical aspects are highlighted while unifying various aspects of innovation systems through structural elements, key processes (as well as blockages), governance instruments, and purposes in a more holistic and comprehensive model. Interestingly, in methodological terms, the fsQCA approach shows an excellent capacity for defining success trajectories (combinations of components of each dimension) with different purposes for the description of a set of notable cases (with notable or problematic results), and the suggestion of a series of possible policy proposals in different regional contexts. The general implications for the design and implementation of the governance of regional innovation systems are also established, as well as the role of collaboration, the impact of investment in research and development for the regions, in addition to the relevance of the instruments, governance strategies, especially of certain organizations that can be assimilated into regional agencies. / [EN] La present investigació desenvolupa un marc teòric que inclou, d'una banda, elements conceptuals referits als fenòmens de la innovació, dels sistemes d'innovació (especialment regionals) i de la governança; i per una altra, un esquema analític de quatre dimensions (qui, que, com i per qué) que permet entendre millor com funciona una governança. Cadascuna d'estes dimensions és vincula a alguna mena de components del sistema, com els estructurals (actors, xarxes i institucions), els processos clau i els bloquejos, els instruments de governança i els propòsits. D'esta manera, es construeix un conjunt coherent i robust d'instrumental d'anàlisi. En un pas següent, es consigna la contrastació empírica basada en els elements desenvolupats en el marc teòric, aportant, primerament, una contextualització dels sistemes regionals a Xile i agregant, posteriorment, una proposta de variables per a cada element conceptual, amb dades de les regions xilenes. Igualment, utilitzant la metodologia de l'anàlisi qualitativa comparada de conjunts difusos (*fsQCA), que admet l'ús de dades asimètriques i la informació contextual per a obtindre generalitzacions, es proposa un esquema operacional del qual s'obtenen diversos models explicatius en funció de determinats resultats esperats i, amb això, una sèrie de trajectòries d'èxit i casos. La discussió d'eixa evidència permet categoritzar els sistemes regionals d'innovació xilens, a més d'establir la solidesa de les eines analítiques formulades en la present investigació. Finalment,es formulen una sèrie de conclusions i recomanacions, després de revisar el mode amb el qual s'ha donat resposta a les preguntes d'investigació i el grau de compliment dels objectius. Es destaquen una sèrie d'aspectes teòrics, amb el quan s'unifiquen diverses característiques dels sistemes d'innovació mitjançant els elements estructurals, els processos claus (a més dels bloquejos), els instruments de governança i els propòsits en un model més holístic i comprensiu. Així mateix, en termes metodològics, l'enfocament de *fsQCA mostra una gran capacitat per a la definició de trajectòries d'èxit (combinacions de components de cada dimensió) amb diferents propòsits, per a la descripció d'un conjunt de casos destacables i el suggeriment d'una sèrie de possibles propostes de política en diferents contextos regionals. També s'estableixen les implicancions generals per al disseny i implantació de les governances de sistemes regionals d'innovació, així com es destaca el rol de la col·laboració, l'impacte de la inversió en recerca i desenvolupament per a les regions, a més de la rellevància dels instruments estratègics de governança, especialment d'uns certs organismes que poden assimilar-se a agències regionals. / Sandoval Nehme, JY. (2024). Sistemas regionales de innovación y dimensiones de gobernanza. Evidencia desde Chile [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/208294