In the United States, 41% of small retail businesses fail to succeed for longer than 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small retail business owners used to remain sustainable for more than 5 years. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was Schumpeter's innovation theory. The sample size of this research included 4 successful retail business owners located in the southeastern region of the United States who have successfully started and managed their business activities for more than 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews with successful owners of small retail businesses and reviews of the organizations' internal documents. Data were coded, categorized, and labeled using coding techniques, and then validated using member checking. Data analysis processes included a thematic analysis method to identify emerging themes. The results of data analysis revealed 3 significant themes: passion and determination for doing business, market development and customer satisfaction, and business model innovation. The results indicated that the use of innovation theory enabled small retail business owners to develop innovative strategies to sustain the business for more than 5 years. The results also showed that innovation increases sales and profits for the longer term. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to create new jobs, enhance tax revenues and growth for governments, and improve social environments from revenue generated by employment.

因應全世界電信自由化潮流，台灣自1997年開始解禁電信事業，開放民營，其相關產業－通訊產業更因此而相繼頭角崢嶸、蓬勃發展，通訊產業已然繼半導體產業之後成為二十一世紀的明星產業。 　本研究採取個案訪談方式，探討台灣地區通訊產業的技術創新策略與績效表現間的關聯性，以及外部環境如何影響廠商對技術創新策略組合的選擇與績效表現。由於通訊產業涵蓋範圍極廣，因此根據有線、無線傳輸方式、其間子產業的特性以及上、下游廠商可能的關聯性，將其細分為通訊原料、微波通訊、行動通訊、寬頻通訊、光纖通訊、電信服務等六大類，因行動通訊部份無法找到配合訪談廠商因此作罷，然因此部份研究近來亦頗為盛行，讀者或可從其他相關文獻一窺端倪。除實際深度探訪九家個案公司之外，亦蒐集相關產業資料以資比對，因而歸納、推導出以下結論： 　一、個案公司因分屬不同子產業別而採行不同的技術創新策略組合，明顯地可以劃分出三種組合，分別是「冒險型」、「積極型」與「穩健型」，另有一種「模仿跟進型」，通常於成熟期產業可發現，並未出現在本研究個案中。訪談結果發現當企業採行冒險或積極型態的策略組合時，其績效表現會優於同類型產業的平均水準。 　二、個案公司因分屬不同子產業別，具有不同的子產業特性，因而具有不盡相同的外部環境，明顯地可以劃分出四種類型的外部環境。分別是第一類的高度動態、高度競爭與高度異質性；第二類的高度動態、高度競爭與中度異質性；第三類的高度動態、中度競爭與中度異質性；第四類的中度動態、中度競爭與中度異質性。 　三、個案公司因分屬不同子產業別，或為因應身處不同類型的外部環境，因而採取不同積極程度的技術創新策略組合，以求取最佳績效表現。訪談結果發現在第一類與第三類環境下採取冒險型的策略組合，以及在第二類與第四類環境下採取積極型態的策略組合，皆具有不錯的績效表現。 　綜上所述，我們可看出通訊產業內廠商除應瞭解本身所屬專業領域特質、所處子產業細部環境的變動情況，更應慎選合適的技術創新策略組合，以為企業謀取最大、最佳的績效表現。 / Communication Industry has become the leading industry in 21st century in Taiwan ever since the deregulation of telecommunication in Taiwan. In order to investigate the relationship between the technology innovation strategy conducted by the Communication Industry and firm's performance, as well as the impact of environment as a moderator to the relationship between technology innovation strategy and performance, we have conducted the research by case study. As the widespread coverage of Communication Industry, we roughly classify the industry into six categories including communication chip, microwave communication, mobile communication, broadband communication, fiber communication and telecommunication service based on the way of transmission and vertical relationship in industry. However, mobile communication was not interviewed due to reasons. In addition to the findings from case study, we also collect the specific industry information for cross reference. Research findings are described as follows： 1. Case companies belonging to different sub-industry conduct numerous portfolio of technology innovation strategy. There are three types of portfolio formed, which are adventurous, aggressive and conservative type. The findings show that the financial performance will be better than the industry average when companies adopt adventurous or aggressive portfolio. 　2. Case companies belonging to different sub-industry face various types of competitive environment; we find four types of environment formed. The environment are measured by three dimensions including dynamism, hostility, and heterogeneity which impact are distinguished into three levels, high, moderate, and low separately. The first type is high in three dimensions. The second is the same as the first one except its heterogeneity is moderate. The third is high in dynamism, moderate in hostility and in heterogeneity. The fourth is all-moderate. 　3. Case companies belonging to different sub-industry have various types of competitive environment;therefore they have to conduct different portfolio of technology innovation strategy for best performance. The findings show that companies adopt the adventurous portfolio under the first and the third type of environment, and companies adopt the aggressive portfolio under the second and fourth type will have better financial performance. 　To sum up, we suggest the Communication Industry know clearly about the competitive environment and its characteristics before conducting an appropriate portfolio of technology innovation strategy to acquire the best financial performance.

近年來以技術為主要生產因素的高科技產業帶動全球經濟的發展，而建設台灣成為綠色矽島是政府揭櫫的產業發展方向，也是台灣未來產業生存的利基所在。資訊服務業屬於高科技產業之一，在網際網路蓬勃發展之下，各個市場區隔潛藏著無限商機。而如何透過策略的制定以取得競爭優勢，技術創新策略的考量是重點之一。 本研究將技術創新策略以策略觀點進行探討，並深入探討技術創新策略與績效之關連性，以及外在產業環境對此關連性之影響。本研究之技術策略構面包含內部研發、產品升級、智慧財產權、突破性創新產品、外部技術來源等技術創新策略；產業環境構面探討外在產業環境之異質性、變動性、競爭性等；績效構面包含投資報酬率、市場佔有率及營業額等。 研究成果發現技術創新策略會對績效產生影響，且採用積極預應型之技術創新策略之績效優於採用消極反應型之技術創新策略。就技術創新策略與環境配合而言，採用積極預應型技術創新策略配合高不確定產業環境之企業，其績效最佳。 / The high-tech industries with technology as the main production factor bring the great economic growth around the world. Information service industry is one of the high-tech industries and there is potential profit in every market segment with the fast developing Internet application. Technology innovation strategy is the key strategy to gain the competitive advantage. In this research, we explore the relationship between the technology innovation strategy and performance and the moderating role of external environment. The technology innovation strategy construct contains R&D spending level, product upgrade, intellectual property right, radical innovations, and external technology sources. The environment construct contains heterogeneity, dynamism, hostility. The performance construct contains return on investment, market share, and sales revenue. The result shows that technology innovation strategy affect the performance. Companies with the pioneer technology innovation posture have better performance than the follower. The pioneer technology innovation posture fit with uncertain environment will have the best performance.

有鑑於法規政策、科技改變與公司策略三者乃促使數位匯流的驅動力，而在政府政策與科技影響之下，國內有線電視系統正值發展數位服務的關鍵時刻，本研究將產品創新的相關理論，置放於國內有線電視系統產業的脈絡，探討有線電視系統的產品創新策略，分析影響系統業者產品創新策略之因素，藉此瞭解該產業於數位服務的經營現況與策略規劃。 　　本研究的研究問題探討有線電視系統數位服務的發展現況、系統經營者的產品創新流程、影響有線電視系統產品創新策略的外部環境與內部組織因素、系統經營者的產品創新策略，以及該些策略對數位服務發展的可能影響。 　　綜觀本論文的研究結果，首先，影響系統經營者創新活動的外部與內部因素，外部因素是企業創新環境，位處相同發展脈絡與環境，使得系統業者的外部環境影響因素相當一致，內部因素則屬於組織創新能力的問題，由企業自身條件與發展沿革而定，且不同的企業各自相異，但企業規模此項因素則主要作用於獨立系統業者。其次，由於策略的採納並不是非此即彼的互斥選擇，而是重要性的程度差異，系統經營者依據產品與市場的特性，分別以某個產品創新策略為主，並搭配其他的策略來達成目標。例如單向廣播的數位頻道，系統經營者主要採取內容授權以及與同業和異業之間的策略聯盟，輔以多元的價格組合來開發與推廣；發展寬頻網路的方式則是透過內部發展與低價策略，同時可能必須搭配技術授權來達成；系統經營者藉由與異業的策略聯盟提供網路電話服務；雙向互動服務的開發與推行則透過策略聯盟、內部發展搭配差異化、顧客友善與低價策略來進行產品創新。 　　總的來說，從組織回應外在環境與市場的方式來歸納國內有線電視系統的產品創新策略傾向，若將獨立系統與MSO相較，獨立系統傾向防禦者與反應者策略，MSO則傾向前瞻者與分析者策略。系統業者各依照其不同的策略傾向，考量產品與市場的特性，搭配不同的產品創新策略來開發與推廣數位服務。

This paper draws on evidence from Victoria to examine why more innovation takes place in some areas than in others. In so doing, it explores the relationship between innovation and networks. / Despite a large number of recent government policy statements on innovation, there has been very little attention paid to the spatial dimensions of innovation. / The literature on innovation increasingly points to the important role played by local and regional networks in driving innovation. Innovation is the result of the production, use and diffusion of knowledge, and this demands collaboration involving networks of individuals, organisations and institutions. / To test the theory of a connection between networks and innovation across regional Victoria, patent data is used as a proxy measure for innovation. This data is then cross-referenced with various social and economic data sets. / The analysis reveals that innovation in Victoria is substantially concentrated in ‘hot spots’ such as inner Melbourne. In some parts of Victoria very little innovation takes place at all. / This research has found that all things being equal, more innovation will take place in those areas in which there is a greater density of informal networks. However, not all types of networks are positive, and they are more important in provincial areas than in big cities. Innovation clearly has a spatial aspect, and innovation policy needs to give particular attention to the requirements of provincial areas.

This thesis addresses important operational aspects relating to fundamental components of any successfully executed NPD strategy: the processes, incentives and structure of decision rights that should be implemented given the objectives and capabilities of the firm. The first chapter outlines when a firm might prefer to compensate members of a NPD project team either, as individuals (e.g. based on their functional contribution to overall value) or as a team (e.g. based on the overall profit generated). We find that neither team nor individual based compensation is preferred for all types of projects. Specifically, when there is higher uncertainty, the firm can benefit by employing team-based compensation. We discuss the implications of our findings towards the firm's ability to pursue different types of projects. In Chapter 3, we look at the strategic resource allocation processes that are employed by firms in order to decide whether NPD initiatives get funded or not. We find that there is not a "one size fits all" resource allocation process that all firms should employ. Furthermore,we extend this finding by further by providing a rationale explaining why even a single firm could benefit by employing multiple processes internal to the firm. Finally, in Chapter 4, we empirically explore how key managerial levers of the firm (i.e. incentives, tolerance for failure, and project management structure) affect an individual's propensity to invest in a project. Our analysis brings forth several under-explored and novel aspects. We examine how multiple managerial levers work in concert with one another (revealing interactions that, to our knowledge, have not been exposed). We also recognize an important aspect of most (if not all) NPD contexts: the probability of success is strongly tied to the level of resources that are invested.

本研究主要探討的是國際標準化商品的製造業者如何從事產品創新，特別是針對一個企業銷售的產品就是標準化的完成品，最典型的例子，就是台灣佔有亞太最大產能的影音DVD光碟片製造業。差異化是企業提升競爭力的主要手段，也是經常被企業採用的競爭策略。一個企業可以尋求差異化的空間顯然和自己產品或服務被標準化的程度有關。產品「被標準化」的程度越高，除了創意越容易受限，組織出現「核心僵固」的情形可能也越嚴重。 本研究延續組織知識創造學說「知識螺旋」理論的精髓，提出「創新螺旋」策略規劃程序的理論模型架構，「創新螺旋」模型是一個以產品創新為主軸的策略規劃程序，以行銷導向創新策略為其核心。行銷導向的創新是一個企業核心能耐經組織內部「共同化」，「外化」訴諸市場，再與市場需求「結合」串連，「內化」為企業策略的過程，意謂著企業核心價值與市場價值缺口產生共鳴的「知識螺旋」。「創新螺旋」模型描述企業應以「市場價值、創造價值、核心價值」做為產品創新的核心概念，以「創新是兩種看似不相干的事物將其成功結合」的中心思想，同時秉持「創新來自邊陲的精神」，尋求產品創新上的突破。 一般而言，國際標準規格的制訂是由大國大廠所主導，技術開發首動者的效益來自參與規格制訂及日後商品上市後收取的龐大權利金。一般小廠小國，市場影響力小、技術開發資源有限，不易參與規格角力的競賽，更遑論發揮舉足輕重的影響力，這是一個殘酷的國際現實。因此小廠小國的標準化商品的製造業者，如何從事產品創新就是本研究所要探討的課題。本研究探討的個案公司以「創新螺旋」策略規劃程序的理論模型做為其產品創新的藍本，檢視在此情境下的台灣影音DVD碟片的製造業者，在產品創新過程遭遇到的困境及其突圍的方式。本研究同時觀摩比較其他國際級的競爭同業，如何發揮其地理環境上的優勢及本身的核心能耐，在次世代藍光DVD來臨之繼，創造更有利的競爭條件。 / This thesis aims to study how to do the product innovation under the condition as the core product or service of one corporate is an international standardized end product. The typical example is such as the video DVD disc manufacturers in Taiwan, who own the major market share in the world wide total throughput. From the strategic point of view, “differentiation” has been widely used to build up a corporate core competency. However, the limitation for one corporate to do the product differentiation is corresponding to its product status being standardized. The higher standardized condition on product it is, the more limitation on creation it will be. It also will cause the organization to be inflexible, furthermore becomes stubborn. Generally speaking, international standard has been formulated by the strong or big countries and international corporate. The first mover advantage to develop the product should be as a format creator and as a licenser in the long run as into the commercialized phase. On the other hand, usually, for the small companies or countries, it has less technology resource and marketing power to influence the standard formation. Under such kind of situation, is there any chance for the small companies to do the product innovation? This is the main topic for the thesis to investigate. This research extends the organization knowledge creativity theory by Nonaka (1995) as the “Spiral of Knowledge” to a new model as “Spiral of Innovation”, which presents the sequence of strategy formation in term of product innovation. Marketing-oriented product developing pattern is the main pursuit of the “Spiral of Innovation”. The first step, through the ”socialization” inside the corporate, the common understanding of the corporate standing position can be created. As for product developing, targeting to find out the customers need or the lack in the marketing, those finding should be put into the step as “externalization”. After that, through “combination” of marketing need and corporate competency, the systematic concept can be developed. The final step, all the above can be converted into the organization function inside corporate, which is called as “internalization”. “Spiral of Innovation” theory states, for a corporate, it takes the “marketing value, creating value and corporate core value” as the core product developing concept. The innovation can be simply interpreted as “the success to combine two dissimilar or irrelevant matters”. Innovation usually generates from that being lack of concern or attention. This research studies the case, Taiwan No.1 video DVD disc manufacturer, which implements the “Spiral of Innovation” model as the framework of its product developing strategy formation. It shows the dilemma the corporate faces in the effort for product differentiation and those attempts it took for breakthrough. It also compares the product developing strategy with some other key and leading players from USA, Europe and Japan. From innovation point of view, those companies intend to exploit their advantage from location and core competency to find out the optimal position for the coming next generation high density DVD era.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luiz Adamo.pdf: 1846871 bytes, checksum: a08b8fad894a0687594d1143702d052b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-28 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / This thesis attempts to study the elements that compose and make conditions to the innovative dynamics in the Brazilian telecommunications sector. Therefore, the essay analyses the predominant innovations, the agents that promote the innovation and the relationship between them. In the last decades, the telecommunications sector has provoked deep social and economic changes, which propitiated benefits and facilities to many different areas, such as leisure, education, health and entertainment. The purpose is to study the innovative capacity of this area, which is always facing changes of technological and institutional patterns. The work tries to study the strategy of change adopted by companies, as well as to identify the organizational structure, the way as the management innovation is done and the inter-relations between the agents who compose the sectorial system innovation. The theoretical base of this study has the works from Gallouj and Weinstein (1997), Bilderbeek and Hertog (1999), Sundbo and Gallouj (1998), the Manual of Oslo (2005) for innovation in service, the studies of Bessant et al. (2001) and Mintzberg (2003) for innovation management and, finally, Malerba (2002) for sectorial system of innovation.The corpus is composed by twelve interviews with managers, responsible or directly linked to the development areas of products and services. The most relevant companies, in Brazilian context, were selected, since operator companies, equipment manufacturers, services providers and research institutes. The halfstructured questionnaires have been used to collect data in order to support the analysis process of the innovation management of these companies. The first chapter presents the specialised bibliography. The second shows the characteristics of the telecommunication sector in Brazil, in order to review shortly its history. Third part is based on project s aims. The fourth chapter deals with the research procedures and the last part supports the analysis process and the interviews. Besides, the study verifies if the enterprises are conscious of having a proper strategy to innovation and how they construct an organizational support to this purpose. Finally, the major bulk is to show the principal type of innovation of this sector and to contribute to the studies about the innovation process in the telecommunication sector in Brazil. / A presente dissertação se propõe a investigar os elementos que compõem e condicionam a dinâmica inovadora no setor de telecomunicações no Brasil. Para isso, estudam-se as inovações predominantes, os agentes responsáveis e como eles se inter-relacionam. Nas últimas décadas, o setor de telecomunicações tem proporcionado profundas mudanças socioeconômicas, que trouxeram benefícios e facilidades em áreas diversas, como lazer, educação, saúde e entretenimento. A proposta deste trabalho é estudar a capacidade inovadora desse setor, constantemente sujeito a mudanças de paradigmas tecnológicos e institucionais. O estudo busca investigar a estratégia de inovação utilizada pelas empresas, bem como identificar a estrutura organizacional, a forma como é feito o gerenciamento da inovação e as inter-relações entre os agentes que compõem o sistema setorial de inovação. Como base téorica, foram utilizados os trabalhos de Gallouj e Weinstein (1997); Bilderbeek e Hertog (1999); Sundbo e Gallouj (1998); o Manual de Oslo (2005), para inovação em serviço; os estudos de Bessant et al. (2001) e Mintzberg (2003), para gestão da inovação; e, finalmente, para sistema setorial de inovação, Malerba (2002). O corpus da pesquisa é composto por doze entrevistas com gerentes responsáveis ou diretamente ligado às áreas de desenvolvimento de produtos e serviços. Foram selecionadas empresas de destaque no setor de telefonia brasileiro, que abrangem operadoras, fabricantes de equipamento, prestadores de serviços e institutos de pesquisa. As perguntas semi-estruturadas permitiram chegar a análises qualitativas acerca dos processos de gestão dessas companhias. O capítulo 1 apresenta os referenciais teóricos da dissertação; o 2, as características que compõem o setor de telecomunicações no Brasil, a fim de traçar um breve percurso histórico; no capítulo 3, encontra-se a justificativa do projeto; em 4, os procedimentos de pesquisa; e em 5, a apresentação e a análise do corpus. O estudo verifica, ainda, a preocupação das empresas do setor em ter uma estratégia adequada à inovação e em construir um suporte organizacional adequado a esse propósito. Por fim, buscase, a partir da análise do corpus, apontar o principal tipo de inovação realizada no setor e contribuir para a literatura acerca da gestão de inovação no setor de telecomunicações brasileiro.

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.

The thesis focuses on an analysis of the specific innovation project and the follow-up evaluation of the innovation process in a medium-sized company. It follows by an analysis of resources which results into the proposing of the specific further development of innovation strategies. The theoretical part is aimed at an analysis of the scientific literature, which is mainly focused on the theory of innovations, innovations strategies and innovation processes. The practical part is aimed at detailed description of the specific innovation project, as well as its criticism and the possibility of extending the project to other areas.