Being innovative and environmentally sustainable can help companies to achieve success. Depending on the size of the company it can be achieved in different ways. When conducting innovation projects, the level of formal steering support might differ, especially if sustainability wants to be achieved. This thesis aims to answer the question how the need of ensuring the firm’s vision of being environmentally sustainable and use it as a marketing advantage affect the need of formal steering support in innovation projects in medium sized enterprises. Until today research have not addressed this question in a sufficient manner whereas focus has been on “SME’s” (Small and Medium sized Enterprises), small or large companies. Large companies need rather formal processes while smaller companies can be more informal and flexible. This thesis takes the perspective of the medium sized company and investigates their specific needs. A variety of innovation projects have been studied at a medium sized company and insights from it has been combined with literature on innovation processes to find the right balance of formality. The conclusion being drawn is that formality is needed especially in the beginning and in the end of an innovation project for a medium sized company if sustainability wants to be achieved and used as a marketing advantage. / Att vara innovativ och miljömässigt hållbar kan hjälpa ett företag att nå framgång. Beroende på företagets storlek kan denna framgång uppnås på olika sätt. När innovationsprojekt genomförs kan nivån av formell projektstyrning variera, speciellt om man vill uppnå en viss nivå av miljömässig hållbarhet. Denna uppsats ämnar svara på frågan huruvida behovet av att säkerhetsställa ett företags hållbarhetsvision och använda resultatet som en marknadsfördel påverkar behovet av formell projektstyrning i medelstora företag. Fram tills idag har forskning inte tagit upp denna fråga på ett tillräckligt sätt. Fokus har varit på ”SME’s” (små och medelstora företag), små eller stora företag. Stora företag behöver ha rätt formella processer för innovationsarbete medan små företag kan vara informella och flexibla. I denna uppsats är fokus på medelstora företag och deras specifika behov gällande formalitet. För att göra detta har vi studerat en rad olika innovationsprojekt på ett medelstort företag och kombinerat detta med litteratur rörande innovationsprocesser för att hitta rätt balans av formalitet. Slutsatsen som dras är att formalitet är nödvändig, särskilt i början och i slutet av ett innovationsprojekt för medelstora företag som vill uppnå en viss nivå av miljömässig hållbarhet och använda det som en marknadsfördel.

When developing new products, it is important to be able to evaluate their readiness as this helps organizations manage three major challenges of product development, performance, schedule, and budget. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) discovered this in 1990 and developed a nine-level framework to measure the progression of technology development, Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).  The framework has since then been adopted by many different industries, among them OEMs. However, there are more aspects of the innovation process than just technology. Research topics such as user centered design and business model innovation has lately gained much attention, indicating that user and business aspects of the innovation are important. Therefore, the purpose of his thesis was to propose a framework to evaluate the readiness of business, user and technology aspects. To do so, a case study was performed at the Swedish OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Husqvarna Group, a global producer of equipment for garden and park care, as well as for the construction industry. A literature study was performed to create an understanding of the current knowledge on the topic. Semi structured interviews were used to investigate how innovation is performed at the researched company. The result from these interviews was contrasted with the results from interviews at four other Swedish OEMs, to increase external validity. Lastly the findings were validated through focus group interviews at Husqvarna Group. The case study resulted in the identification of important steps when developing viable, desirable, and feasible products. From these, the nine most important for business and user was identified and frameworks for business and user readiness respectively were developed, along with attainment criteria for each level. The findings showed that the TRL framework still holds relevance, however the attainment criteria were adjusted to better suit OEMs. Together these three frameworks create the Innovation Readiness Level (IRL) framework. / Vid utveckling av nya produkter finns det tre stora utmaningar i produktutvecklingen; prestanda, tid och budget, därför är det viktigt att ständig stötta processen genom att utvärdera projektets mognadsgrad. År 1990 utvecklade NASA en niogradig skala som kan tillämpas som ett ramverk för att mäta mognadsgraden av en teknikutveckling, Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), detta har sedan dess införts av många industriföretag. När det kommer till innovation finns det dock fler aspekter än enbart teknik att ta hänsyn till. Forskning inom användarfokuserad design och affärsmodellsinnovation har fått ökad uppmärksamhet den senaste tiden, vilket indikerar att användare och affär är viktiga aspekter inom innovation. Syftet med denna studie är att föreslå ett ramverk för att utvärdera mognadsgraden utifrån ett affärs-, användar- och teknikperspektiv. För att genomföra detta gjordes en fallstudie på det svenska industriföretaget Husqvarna Group, en global tillverkare av skogs-, park- och trädgårdsprodukter samt utrustning för konstruktionsindustrin. För att skapa en förståelse av den befintliga kunskapen inom ämnet gjordes en bred litteraturstudie. Semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomfördes för att undersöka hur innovation hanteras inom Husqvarna Group. Resultatet från det undersökta företaget ställdes i kontrast med intervjuresultat från fyra andra svenska industriföretag för att skapa ett mer generaliserbart resultat. Till sist testades resultatet genom validering med fokusgruppsintervjuer på Husqvarna Group.  Fallstudien resulterade i identifiering av betydelsefulla steg vid utveckling av en ny produkt som ordnades kronologiskt. Vid varje nivå i skalan föreslogs en rad kriterier från ett affärs- respektive användarperspektiv som ett produktutvecklingsprojekt bör uppnå för att öka chansen att bli väl mottagen när den når marknaden. Resultatet visade även att TRL-ramverket fortfarande är aktuellt och relevant, men uppnåendekriterier anpassades för ett industriföretag. Tillsammans skapar dessa tre faktorer det föreslagna ramverket Innovation Readiness Levels (IRL).

Påskyndat av teknik går utvecklingen snabbare än någonsin. Generativ AI har blivit tillgänglig för allmänheten. Det ger möjligheter för verksamheter att nyttja AI-teknik utan större insatser och kunskap. Detta skiftar förutsättningarna inom digital innovation. Denna nya aktör skapar gap i litteraturen, där tidigare forskning behöver omvärderas. Ett viktigt forskningsområde är hur användningen av generativ AI påverkar digital innovation. En annan aspekt är hur innovatörer kan nyttja, och förhålla sig till generativ AI inom innovationsprocessen. För att undersöka detta har en kvalitativ studie genomförts, där empiri har samlats in genom åtta intervjuer. Studien har resulterat i en tematisk modell med följande teman: Generativ AI som en kollega; Generativ AI som resurs för digital innovation; Generativ AI ökar tillgängligheten till AI-teknik; Känslor gällande generativ AI; Problematik gällande generativ AI; Spridd och differentierad syn på digital innovation. Studien visar att generativ AI kan påverka digital innovation genom de resulterande temana. Vidare relateras dessa teman till innovationsprocessen, där en modifierad processmodell för innovation har tagits fram. Då användningen av generativ AI är ett relativt nytt fenomen är det sannolikt att innovatörer framöver kommer att öka sin användning av verktyget, vilket medför att fynden från denna studie riskerar att snabbt bli utdaterade. Vidare forskning bör därför utföra liknande studier med jämna mellanrum, för att fånga upp nya erfarenheter som uppstår av den ökade användningen. / Accelerated by technology, development is progressing faster than ever. Generative AI has become accessible to the general public. It provides opportunities for businesses to leverage AI technology without significant efforts and expertise. This shifts the conditions within digital innovation. This new actor creates gaps in the literature, where previous research needs to be reevaluated. An important research area is how the use of generative AI affects digital innovation. Another aspect is how innovators can utilize and engage with generative AI in the innovation process. To investigate this, a qualitative study has been conducted, where empirical data has been collected through eight interviews. The study has resulted in a thematic model with the following themes: Generative AI as a colleague; Generative AI as resource for digital innovation; Generative AI increases accessibility to AI technology; Emotions regarding generative AI; Challenges regarding generative AI; Diverse and differentiated views on digital innovation. The study shows that generative AI can affect digital innovation through the resulting themes. Furthermore, these themes were related to the innovation process, where a modified process model for innovation has been developed. Since the use of generative AI is a relatively new phenomenon, it is likely that innovators will increase their use of the tool in the future. This may render the findings from this study quickly outdated. Further research should therefore conduct similar studies at regular intervals to capture new experiences arising from increased usage.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / In die vinnig veranderende omgewing waarin universiteitbiblioteke funksioneer is daar besorgdheid oor die vermoe van universiteitbiblioteke om tred te hou met die verandering ten einde suksesvol te kan bly voortbestaan. Kreatiwiteit en innovasie speel 'n rol in die veranderingsproses. Organisasiekultuur het 'n invloed op die mate waarin kreatiwiteit en innovasie in 'n organisasie gestimuleer word. 'n Voorlopige model wat op die literatuur gebaseer is, het getoon dat strategie, organisasiestruktuur, ondersteuningsmeganismes, innovasiegedrag en kommunikasie die organisasiekultuurdeterminante is wat kreatiwiteit en innovasie in organisasies beinvloed. In die onderhawige empiriese studie is bestaande data, wat ingesamel is om die organisasiekultuurvan 'n universiteitbiblioteek te beskryf, gebruik om die voorlopige model te toets. 'n Faktorontleding het getoon dat strategie, doelgerigtheid, vertrouensverhouding, innovasiegedrag, werkomgewing, klientgeorienteerdheid en bestuursondersteuning 'n invloed het op die mate waarin kreatiwiteit en innovasie in die universiteitbiblioteek gestimuleer en bevorder sal word. / In the rapidly changing environment in which university libraries function there is concern about the ability of such libraries to keep pace with change in order to be able to survive. Creativity and innovation have a role to play in the change process. Organisational culture has an influence on the degree to which creativity and innovation are stimulated in an organisation. A preliminary model which is based on the literature, has shown that strategy, organisational structure, support mechanisms, innovation behaviour and communication are the organisational culture determinants that influence creativity and innovation in organisations. In the empirical study, existing data which were collected to describe the organisational culture of a university library, were used to test the preliminary model. A factor analysis showed that strategy, purposefulness, trust relationship, innovation behaviour, work environment, customer orientation and management support influence the degree to which creativity and innovation are stimulated and promoted in the university library. / Information Science / M.Inf.

Ces travaux sont du domaine de génie systèmes industriels et l'ingénierie de l'innovation. Ils se sont déroulés dans l'industrie de services financiers au sein du groupe de banque-assurance Groupama. Les services représentent 64% de PIB mondial. Le secteur employait en 2007 en France près de 20 millions de personnes contre 5 millions pour l'industrie. Pourtant la recherche sur les processus d'innovation présente un déséquilibre avec un article scientifique NSD (new service development) pour quatre NPD (new product development). L'objectif de ces travaux est de proposer une méthode de pilotage des projets d'innovation dans les services. Pour formaliser le pilotage d'innovation dans les services tout en préservant la zone de liberté nécessaire à l'innovation, nous sommes basés sur un formalisme de type NPD pour définir un processus NSD qui respecte la flexibilité spécifique de l'innovation dans les services. Le coeur de notre hypothèse a été d'identifier des invariants de processus NSD. Nous proposons six classes d'invariants : les OICs (Objets Intermédiaires de Conception), les ressources, les compétences, les tâches, les indicateurs et les méthodes. Leurs interactions sont rendues dans un Diagramme de Classes UML. Un projet peut être décrit comme une « somme » d'OIC eux-mêmes résultat de l'agencement des 5 autres invariants. Ces six classes d'invariants ont été validées sur projets de Groupama. Elles permettent de décrire, suivre, capitaliser, réutiliser des savoirs acquis sur des projets antérieurs et de manager les projets innovants. Nous proposons aussi un processus de pilotage des projets NSD, formalisé par un Diagramme d'Ordonnancement des Phases sous MEGA / The present thesis is about the field of system engineering and innovation engineering. It took place in the financial industry within the group of banking insurance Groupama. Services represent 64% of world's GDP (Gross Domestic Product). This branch employed in 2007 in France about 20 million people against 5 million for industry. Still the research on the innovation processes presents a gap with only one NSD (new services development) article against four NPD (new products development). The aim of this work is to propose a method for management of innovation projects in the services branch. To formalize the management of innovation projects for the services, while preserving the space required for innovation, we use a NPD's type formalism in order to define a NSD process while respecting the specific flexibility of the innovation in the services branch. The center of our hypothesis was to identify invariants within the NSD process. We propose six classes of invariants: IDOs (Intermediate Design Objects), the resources, the skills, the tasks, the indicators and the methods. Theirs interactions are shown in a UML Diagram of Classes. A project may be represented as an "addition" of IDOs, where they are the result of 5 other invariants arrangements. These six classes of invariants were validated on Groupama projects. They are relevant to describe, monitoring, capitalize, re-use of the knowledge acquired on previous projects and to manage innovative projects as well. We also propose a process of piloting of the NSD projects, formalized by a Diagram of Phases Sequencing of MEGA

Les réglementations sur le recyclage des produits, mais aussi le développement de l‘écoconception, obligent les industriels à rechercher des solutions de recyclage pour leurs produits en fin de vie. Les préoccupations environnementales croissantes dans l’industrie créent de nouvelles opportunités d’affaires et nécessitent des changements d’organisation pour accompagner la transition vers des activités industrielles plus durables. Une activité industrielle de recyclage de matières issues de la fin de vie d’un produit, se déroule idéalement avec la participation de différents partenaires industriels dans le cadre d’un projet collaboratif. Cela permet de développer une nouvelle supply chain de recyclage et de concevoir un nouveau produit, fabriqué grâce à cette supply chain. Les projets collaboratifs de R&D permettent de rassembler des compétences complémentaires dans le but de proposer des solutions pour accroitre le taux de recyclage d’une matière dans le domaine considéré. Aujourd’hui, les expériences de projets collaboratifs existent créant de nouvelles opportunités de marché dans l’industrie du recyclage. Cependant, nous observons qu’il n’existe pas de méthode opérationnelle permettant de guider les industriels dans la définition d’un projet collaboratif de recyclage. De plus, la sélection des partenaires pour de tels projets est une réelle difficulté pour les industriels. En effet, les valeurs apportées par les partenaires créent l’intérêt du projet et favorise le succès de la collaboration. Cependant, nous constatons qu’il n’existe pas de méthode dans le cadre du recyclage industriel pour faire un choix efficace de partenaires de R&D sur un projet collaboratif. Une revue de la littérature est présentée, pour connaitre l’état de l’art industriel et scientifique, avec un éclairage sur les meilleures pratiques existantes de façon à les prendre en compte et les intégrer, afin de proposer une contribution originale. A partir de cette revue de l’état de l’art, nous mettons en évidence un manque de méthode associant les organisations de projets collaboratifs R&D et le développement de supply chain de recyclage ; cela contribue à donner une posture originale à notre recherche. Notre contribution est de proposer une combinaison de méthodes pour accompagner les industriels dans la définition d’un projet collaboratif pour la mise en place d’une activité de recyclage. • La première méthode facilite la compréhension des mécanismes d’une industrie émergeante du recyclage, agissant simultanément sur l’impact environnemental, en recyclant les produits en fin de vie, et sur la compétitivité d’une entreprise, par sa différenciation vers de nouvelles activités industrielles. • La deuxième méthode développée est une aide pour le chef de projet R&D lors de la définition d’un « projet collaboratif de recyclage », avec la spécification du marché, du produit recyclé et de la structure projetée de la filière de recyclage. • Nous développons également la question de la sélection des partenaires d’un projet collaboratif de R&D dans le domaine du recyclage, en proposant une méthode d’évaluation ainsi que la définition de critères adaptés à ce nouveau contexte. Sur ce point, nous utilisons les techniques d’aide à la décision multicritères que nous combinons, afin d’aider les industriels dans ce processus de sélection. Une étude de cas est développée concernant l’industrie française du recyclage textile, ainsi qu’un projet de R&D collaboratif impliquant l’utilisation de matières premières recyclables provenant des véhicules hors d’usage et de vêtements fin de vie, pour l’éco-conception d’un produit nouveau. L’application de la combinaison des méthodes proposées, conduites dans le cadre d’un projet de recyclage spécifique, permet de discuter les premiers résultats et d’ouvrir ce sujet sur des perspectives de recherche à venir / Regulations on product recycling rates, but also growing consciousness on the importance of eco-design, enforce industrials to seek for solutions to recycle their products at their end of life. Growing environmental concerns in the industry allow new business opportunities and require organizational changes to support transition toward more sustainable industrial activities. Building a recycling industrial activity for materials coming from end of life products is a great challenge that requires an analysis of the opportunities and threats and the added value of industrial partners, in the scope of a collaborative project (or a collaborative network). This kind of projects aims at designing a new recycling supply chain and to design a new product that will be manufactured by this supply chain. R&D collaborative projects enable to gather complementary competencies in order to propose solutions to increase the recycling rate on the territory. Nowadays, experiences such as collaborative projects are witnessed, giving various new business possibilities in the recycling industry. However, a literature review we have performed points out that there is no existing method permitting to analyze the opportunity of a recycling value chain and to guide industrials in the definition of a “recycling collaborative project”. Moreover, for such projects, the selection of the partners is of great issue for the industrials. Indeed, the values brought by the partners make the interest of the project and favor the success of the collaboration. However, there is no existing method to choose R&D collaborative project partners efficiently in the scope of the recycling industry. A literature review presents the industrial and scientific state of the art and highlights the existing best practices in order to take them into account for the proposal of an original contribution. From the state of the art we can highlight a lack of methods that would associate R&D collaborative project organizations with the development of recycling supply chains; this positioning contributes to the originality of the work realized. Our contribution is to propose three methods to help industrials to define a collaborative project for the design and building of a new recycling supply chain: • The first method we propose facilitates the understanding of a recycling emerging industry mechanisms, act simultaneously on the environmental impact by recycling end of life products and on the business competitiveness by differentiation in new industrial activities. • The second method we developed must helps recycling R&D project managers to define a “recycling collaborative project”, the target market, the recycled product that will be manufactured and the potential structure of the future supply chain. • The third method is related to the question of partner selection with the proposal of a ranking method and the definitions of adapted criteria for such selections. In this respect we used Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques to help industrials in this selection process. A case study is developed on the French textile recycling industry and a R&D collaborative project that introduces recyclable raw material from end of life vehicles and garments, for the development of a new product. An application of our research is conducted on a specific recycling collaborative project in order to discuss the initial results, and perspectives are highlighted for further research investigations

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / In die vinnig veranderende omgewing waarin universiteitbiblioteke funksioneer is daar besorgdheid oor die vermoe van universiteitbiblioteke om tred te hou met die verandering ten einde suksesvol te kan bly voortbestaan. Kreatiwiteit en innovasie speel 'n rol in die veranderingsproses. Organisasiekultuur het 'n invloed op die mate waarin kreatiwiteit en innovasie in 'n organisasie gestimuleer word. 'n Voorlopige model wat op die literatuur gebaseer is, het getoon dat strategie, organisasiestruktuur, ondersteuningsmeganismes, innovasiegedrag en kommunikasie die organisasiekultuurdeterminante is wat kreatiwiteit en innovasie in organisasies beinvloed. In die onderhawige empiriese studie is bestaande data, wat ingesamel is om die organisasiekultuurvan 'n universiteitbiblioteek te beskryf, gebruik om die voorlopige model te toets. 'n Faktorontleding het getoon dat strategie, doelgerigtheid, vertrouensverhouding, innovasiegedrag, werkomgewing, klientgeorienteerdheid en bestuursondersteuning 'n invloed het op die mate waarin kreatiwiteit en innovasie in die universiteitbiblioteek gestimuleer en bevorder sal word. / In the rapidly changing environment in which university libraries function there is concern about the ability of such libraries to keep pace with change in order to be able to survive. Creativity and innovation have a role to play in the change process. Organisational culture has an influence on the degree to which creativity and innovation are stimulated in an organisation. A preliminary model which is based on the literature, has shown that strategy, organisational structure, support mechanisms, innovation behaviour and communication are the organisational culture determinants that influence creativity and innovation in organisations. In the empirical study, existing data which were collected to describe the organisational culture of a university library, were used to test the preliminary model. A factor analysis showed that strategy, purposefulness, trust relationship, innovation behaviour, work environment, customer orientation and management support influence the degree to which creativity and innovation are stimulated and promoted in the university library. / Information Science / M.Inf.

This master thesis is a case study, in the experience industry, of prototypes in the early stage of the innovation process – the front end of innovation. The innovation is augmented reality (AR) that adds digital made graphics or information in the user's environment. To answer the research questions and to fulfill the purpose of this thesis, which is to gain an understanding of the role of a prototype in an innovation process, a prototype was created. The designing tools used for developing the prototype were brainstorming and storyboarding. The prototype presents a concept of using AR-glasses at an ice hockey venue. A workshop was carried out for evaluating the finished prototype, using the "thinking hats"-method. The conclusion of this study is that a prototype can be used as a starting point for further creativity by creating a common perspective of a technology at the front end of innovation. Further on, it was discovered that a prototype can be good to use earlier in their innovation process, to accelerate the process. In the process of designing the prototype, it was shown that the creation is iterative, rather than linear.

Soziale Innovation – Sie gilt als Lebenselixier moderner Gesellschaften und wird im sozialen Miteinander doch wenig benannt. Politiker und Wissenschaftlicher sehen in ihr den Schlüssel der gesellschaftlichen Neuerung, die durch Bürgerinnen und Bürger veranlasst wird. Und doch birgt die Vergegenständlichung einige Herausforderungen. Mit und in diesem Herausgeberband, der an der Technischen Universität Chemnitz entstanden ist, fragen wir uns: Mit welchem Paradigma wird sie belegt? Können wir das Konstrukt philosophisch fassen? Wie können Prozessmodelle der sozialen Innovation visualisiert werden? Welche Besonderheiten treten bei der Evaluierung und Steuerbarkeit auf? Und sind Non Profit Organisationen ein Inkubator für soziale Innovationen? Somit intendieren wir im vorliegenden Band einen holistischen Blick auf das beschriebene Phänomen für Wissenschaftler, Studierende und Interessierte. / Social Innovation - It is regarded as an elixir of modern societies, but sparse named in social togetherness. Politicians and scholars see it as the key to new social practices, which is caused by citizens. However, the clarification contains some challenges. In this publication, which was developed at Technische Universität Chemnitz, we ask: Which paradigm is deposited? Can we comprehend the construct philosophically? How can process models of social innovation be visualized? Are there conditions of evaluation and controllability? Are non-profit organizations an incubator for social innovation? Thus, in the present volume we intend a holistic view of the described phenomenon for scientists, students and interested parties.

Auf der Suche nach der Basis von Innovationen rücken zunehmend Lernprozesse in den Vordergrund. Dies führt zu einer Verknüpfung von technologischen Entwicklungen mit Konzepten der Personal-, Organisations- und Kompetenzentwicklung. Dabei wird Bildung gern als Nebenprodukt, Voraussetzung oder Konsequenz technischer, ökonomischer oder sozialer Innovationen behandelt. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wird das Ineinandergreifen von Innovations- und Bildungsaktivitäten thematisiert und zur übergreifenden Fragestellung: Wie, wann und warum unterstützen organisationale Bildungsaktivitäten das Hervorbringen von Innovationen? Zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfragen wird einer explorativen Forschungsstrategie sowie einer qualitativen Forschungsmethodologie gefolgt. Im Rahmen einer Fallstudie wurden sieben Organisationen untersucht. Durch die Analyse der empirischen Daten konnte das soziale Agieren aufgedeckt sowie eine Tiefenstruktur erarbeitet werden. Die Erkenntnisse führen zur Konstruktion einer Innovationsdidaktik, die eingehend beschrieben wird und mit Implikationen für den Innovationsalltag verknüpft ist. / In the search for the basis of innovation, learning processes increasingly emerge in the foreground. This leads to a linkage of technological developments with concepts of personnel, organisational and competence development. Education is often treated as a co-product, prerequisite or consequence of technical, economic or social innovations. Within the present work, the linkage of innovation and education practices is addressed and the general question is: How, when and why do organisational education activities support the production of innovations? To answer the research questions, an explorative research strategy and a qualitative research methodology will be used. Within the framework of a case study, seven organisations were examined. Through the analysis of the empirical data, social action was uncovered and a depth structure was elaborated. The findings lead to the construction of an innovation didactic, which is described in detail and linked with implications for everyday innovation life.