On one side Innovation, innovation systems and knowledge management are two topics have been discussed so much by scholars before. The advantages gained through knowledge management by fostering innovation which entails competitive advantage. On the other side, an emerging interest has represented the relationship between the renewable industry and environmental innovations. The oil crises and some forum discussion of environmental impact have fuelled the interest for Renewable Energy especially on wind energy. Most likely there hasn’t been any research knowledge management in wind power companies which is an emerging and terribly needs knowledge to innovate and bring more products. As a result there is a need to look more into the role of knowledge management in wind mill companies and explore how innovation can be triggered by successful knowledge management and how this process provide competitive advantage in wind power industry.

This thesis aims to propose a policy-relevant science, technology and innovation indicator for developing countries. I firstly develop a model to examine the determination of innovativeness for a sample of 38 developing countries, based on endogenous growth theory and innovation systems literature. From econometric estimation, I find that R&D inputs, technology imports, and international connectedness are influential determinants of innovativeness in these countries. From this finding, I develop the Predicted Innovativeness Index for Developing Countries (INNÔDEX), a composite indicator that ranks countries according to their innovative capabilities.

This thesis will examine national/multi-national/international research andeducation networks of the some countries in context of innovation systems,and then Turkish case will be discussed. The developed countries are thepioneers of research and education network efforts, developing andundeveloped countries were integrated to the global research networks.Although Turkey has a lot experience in academic networking, its NREN(ULAKNET) should adapt itself to the global trends(i.e. direct fiber access,IP/DWDM networks, very demanding applications like grid), and networkingand supercomputing requirements in national innovation policies should berevised accordingly. Turkey can acquire some benefits from the globalinnovation policies and practices in order to improve its research networkinginfrastructure.

<p>On one side Innovation, innovation systems and knowledge management are two topics have been discussed so much by scholars before. The advantages gained through knowledge management by fostering innovation which entails competitive advantage. On the other side, an emerging interest has represented the relationship between the renewable industry and environmental innovations. The oil crises and some forum discussion of environmental impact have fuelled the interest for Renewable Energy especially on wind energy. Most likely there hasn’t been any research knowledge management in wind power companies which is an emerging and terribly needs knowledge to innovate and bring more products. As a result there is a need to look more into the role of knowledge management in wind mill companies and explore how innovation can be triggered by successful knowledge management and how this process provide competitive advantage in wind power industry.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of National Innovation System (NIS) as new conceptual framework appeared in the late 1980s. The framework of NIS not only focuses on the science and technology development of a country, but also on concerns about a nation’s demand and strategy. The best technology, as well as patents, can be found in developed countries. Their development leads world development in many ways and influences the development model in developing countries. Although it is not hard to see that they seem to be progressing well, the question is why development just happens in some countries. Even fast developing countries, like China, India, Brazil, and South Africa have fewer such well-known or successful business models, compared to developed countries. The thesis attempts to scrutinise the internal and external factors in NIS which may influence countries and the innovation of enterprises within South Africa and China. The thesis focuses on fundamental research of the NIS of South Africa and China. The objective of the thesis is to find out which factors are involved in the NIS and how the system works in South Africa and China. The purpose of the study is to ascertain the difference and gap between these two countries and other more innovative countries, as well as the differences between South Africa and China. The literature study and quantitative method will be used to research and compare the NIS of South Africa and China. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsep van Nasionale Innovasie Stelsels (NIS) as ʼn nuwe konsepsionele raamwerk het in die laat 1980s na vore gekom. Die raamwerk van NIS het beide op die wetenskap en tegnologiese ontwikkeling, asook nasionale strategie van ʼn land gefokus. Die beste tegnologie sowel as patentregte kan in ontwikkelde lande gevind word. Hul bydrae is aan die voor front van globale ontwikkeling en het ʼn direkte invloed op ontwikkelingsmodelle vir ander ontwikkelende lande. Die voorspoed in hierdie lande is vir almal duidelik, maar die vraag is waarom ontwikkeling slegs plaasvind in sommige lande. Lande soos China, Indië, Brasilië en Suid Afrika het minder goeie en suksesvolle besigheidsmodelle, in vergelyking met ontwikkelde lande, alhoewel ontwikkeling steeds vinnig plaasvind. Die tesis poog om interne en eksterne faktore van die NIS te ontleed wat sal bydra tot die innovasie van ondernemingsontwikkeling in Suid Afrika en China. Die tesis fokus op fundamentele navorsing op die NIS van Suid Afrika en China. Die doel van die tesis is om uit te vind watter faktore die NIS in beide Suid Afrika en China beïnvloed. Die besondere oogmerk van die studie is om verskille en gapings tussen die twee lande en ander innovasie georiënteerde lande te beklemtoon, asook die verskil tussen Suid Afrika en China. Die literatuurstudie en kwantitatiewe metode word geïmplementeer om die NIS in Suid Afrika en China te ondersoek en vergelyk.

This study addresses public sector intermediaries and their role in facilitating innovation in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea. The primary aim is to understand and address the informational and relational barriers that SMEs face during the innovation process and how these are resolved through interaction. Although the government has been implementing SME support policies for several decades, the Korean National Innovation System (KNIS) has been characterised with six words: ‘strong large firms, weak small firms’. Korean Government policies for R&D have not been effective in enhancing the economic performance and innovative capabilities of SMEs and the ‘low level of competitiveness’ of SMEs obstructs knowledge interaction between firms. Policies directed at SMEs mainly focus on direct support and do not reflect the interactive nature of the innovation process. This mismatch between policy and desired outcomes has led this study to go beyond examining the informational and relational constraints. It analyses the factors influencing successful (or less successful) innovation and asks whether public intermediaries have provided an effective mechanism in resolving innovation barriers (i.e. system failures). Yet, there has been a lack of research into public intermediaries and SMEs within the National Innovation Systems (NIS) framework. The NIS approach is a loosely configured framework and the intermediary literature is fragmented and has rarely been integrated with the NIS literature. Research has tended to focus on specific functions of private intermediaries and far less on the public intermediaries, which have been playing a crucial role in facilitating innovation in Korean industry for several decades. The central focus of this study is on the knowledge interaction process between public intermediaries and SMEs occurring at multiple levels of interaction in the Korean NIS. This study therefore attempts to integrate the NIS concept and the intermediary approach to provide a robust way to explore the knowledge interaction process at meso- and micro-levels. Four functions of the intermediary are constructed to explore how they might influence SME innovation: knowledge facilitation, learning facilitation, knowledge enabling and managing interfaces. Through in-depth analysis of five case studies encompassing firms in mechatronics and IT, this study explicates the knowledge interaction process and influential factors of successful innovation. The analysis addresses a series of issues that the generic NIS concept cannot fully explain: (1) knowledge interaction at meso- and microlevels; (2) multiplicity of relationships and their evolving nature; (3) the role of public intermediaries in a specific cultural context; and (4) the heterogeneity of SMEs with their pre-existing resources and routines. Sociological perspectives especially provide insights for investigating not only the dynamic nature of interactions but also micro-level factors that determine successful interactions and innovation that are largely neglected in both NIS and intermediary studies; e.g. productive combination of competing rationalities, social learning, and the importance of reflexive individuals. Focusing on a modulated NIS concept for public sector intermediaries and SMEs in a Korean context, the study opens the ‘black box’ of knowledge interaction and learning that resolves the barriers, shapes the successful innovation environment and hence strengthens the innovation system. The findings have implications for policy, including the need to establish new policy measures aimed not simply at achieving a set goal but rather at facilitating the interaction process with a long-term view. The study recommends that public intermediaries need to focus on monitoring activities that integrate and support the knowledge interaction process by facilitating ‘associativeness’ among actors. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of the local contexts and SMEs in the innovation process need to be taken into account in designing the programmes, moving away from one-size-fits-all type services.

p. 1 - 103 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-01-31T18:53:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 777.pdf: 1479747 bytes, checksum: af3ffbf524d2df172aa0a4405cc5e5ef (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Fatima Cleômenis Botelho Maria (botelho@ufba.br) on 2013-02-04T15:42:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 777.pdf: 1479747 bytes, checksum: af3ffbf524d2df172aa0a4405cc5e5ef (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-02-04T15:42:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 777.pdf: 1479747 bytes, checksum: af3ffbf524d2df172aa0a4405cc5e5ef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Esta pesquisa buscou conhecer a percepção dos alunos do último ano do curso de graduação em administração da EAUFBA sobre questões relacionadas ao empreendedorismo e a inovação. De forma mais específica, buscou-se investigar, mediante o resultado da construção de mapas cognitivos e de respostas a questões quantitativas, o grau de associação existente entre os conceitos de empreendedorismo e de inovação, as percepções sobre os desafios da instituição e do seu corpo docente no processo de incentivo ao empreendedorismo e de integração da EAUFBA ao Sistema Nacional de Inovação. Além disso, mapeou-se o grau de adesão da amostra a iniciativas empreendedoras, bem como o grau de inovatividade dos projetos, tipos de inovação existentes e motivos para o não engajamento nas iniciativas empreendedoras. A análise dos dados coletados apontou que o grau de associação entre os conceitos de empreendedorismo e inovação ainda é baixo, que o corpo docente é visto como o grande responsável pelo incentivo ao engajamento em iniciativas empreendedoras e que a percepção da importância das redes de integração entre diversas instituições para o desenvolvimento do empreendedorismo e da inovação ainda ocorre de maneira incipiente. O percentual da amostra envolvido em iniciativas empreendedoras, 17,1% chega a surpreender positivamente, considerando que a pesquisa captou também a ausência de um viés de estímulo ao empreendedorismo na estratégia educacional da instituição. Os resultados obtidos por esta pesquisa reforçam a necessidade de uma discussão mais ampla sobre o posicionamento da EAUFBA como uma das principais instituições responsáveis na região nordeste pelo desenvolvimento do moderno profissional em administração. / Salvador

This work is focused on the analysis of contractual research in Czechia. The aim of the thesis is to clarify the role and nature of contractual research in the Czech regions. The theoretical framework is grounded in the theory of regional innovation systems and in the concept of knowledge bases. Particular attention is paid to the specific type of cooperation between the research institutions and firms. Through data analysis and network charts, regions are compared based on different characteristics. It turns out that the role and nature of contractual research across regions varies profoundly. Differences are found in the size and number of actors involved in contractual research. The embeddedness of companies in the transfer of knowledge, the openness of regional innovation systems and the field of specialisation are also studied. Using localization quotients, the intensity of representation of knowledge bases in the NUTS 3 regions is measured. Some regions are strongly oriented towards one of the bases, while in other regions the specialization is not pronounced. Finally, network analyses performed according to differentiated knowledge bases, identify the key actors in contractual research.

This thesis examines the position of the Czech power-engineering industry in the global market. The first aim of this thesis is to analyze the level of involvement of the Czech power-engineering firms into the GPN. The second goal is to discover to what extent the position of these firms depends on the quality of the regional innovation systems. It employs two relatively new concepts of the global production networks (GPN) and regional innovation systems (RIS) in order to reach its two main goals. The vast majority of the exemined power-engineering companies connected with global production networks and 12 of them are are identified as lead firms in GPN. Relatively very good positions of the Czech power-engineering firms in GPN caused by the industrial traditions of the Czech firms, the quality of the supporting industries and the presence of the global power- engineering TNCs in Czechia. Most of the companies supply equipment to others branches simultaneously with the power-engineering. The companies carrying out their own R&D&I activities bring the highest value to the industry. The results proved the assumption that the firms embedded in relatively more developed RISs usually enjoy higher positions in GPNs Key words: global production networks, regional innovation systems, Czechia

A Open Innovation (OI) é uma abordagem emergente que têm despertado cada vez mais o interesse de especialistas e de estudos acadêmicos na área de inovação. Entretanto, a implemen-tação dessa estratégia ainda é desafiadora, especialmente para as Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs). A carência de métodos e processos documentados e estruturados para implementar a OI, também são fatores que causam resistências e desestimulam muitas vezes as empresas. Ou-tro fato é que poucas pesquisas e trabalhos empíricos têm explorado o potencial e influência dos Sistemas Regionais de Inovação (SRIs) na implementação da OI nas empresas. Frente a essa problemática de pesquisa, esta Tese tem como objetivo geral desenvolver um processo de implementação da estratégia Open Innovation voltado para empresas de SRIs. O produto final da Tese é um framework que representa o Processo para Implementação da OI (PIOI). É uma ferramenta gerencial que visa auxiliar e orientar os gestores quanto as etapas, documentos, e forma mais apropriada para conduzir a implementação. Sobretudo, permite a compreensão dos elementos e Fatores Críticos de Sucesso (FCS) que interferem na melhoria da capacidade de inovação em PMEs. Este trabalho de Tese está estruturado em sete capítulos, com cinco artigos propostos. O artigo 1 busca identificar os fatores determinantes para a implementação da OI em SRIs. O artigo 2 apresenta uma revisão sistemática da literatura para identificar os FCS para implementação da OI no âmbito das empresas. No artigo 3, desenvolve-se uma pesquisa apli-cada com 50 empresas de um SRI para diagnosticar as estratégias de inovação e os FCS para implementação da OI. No artigo 4, propõe-se um framework para implementação da OI em PMEs de SRIs. No artigo 5, o framework é testado e avaliado empiricamente através de um estudo de caso de uma empresa. A estrutura metodológica geral da Tese está fundamentada no método de pesquisa construtivista (Design Science Research – DSR). Os artigos abrangem le-vantamento bibliográfico, survey, estudo de caso e pesquisa-ação, e empregam ambos os mé-todos, quantitativo e qualitativo, conforme seus objetivos. A Tese oferece importantes contri-buições acadêmicas e práticas ao abordar os FCS que interferem na implementação da OI, e ao desenvolver um processo para implementação dessa estratégia em PMEs de SRI’s. Além disso, representa uma oportunidade para que as empresas possam transformar e melhorar o seu pro-cesso de desenvolvimento da inovação, implementando mudanças de estratégia e introduzindo estruturas mais colaborativas que suportem novos modelos de negócios. / Open Innovation (OI) is an emerging approach that has increasingly attracted the interest of experts and academic studies in the area of innovation. However, implementing this strategy is still challenging, especially for Small and Medium Companies (PMEs). The lack of documen-ted and structured methods and processes to implement OI are factors that cause resistance and often discourage companies, besides the fact that few empirical studies and research have ex-plored the potential and influence of the Regional Innovation Systems (SRIs) in the implemen-tation of OI in companies. Faced with this research problem, this thesis has as general objective to develop a process of implementation of the Open Innovation strategy directed at SRIs com-panies. The final product is a framework that represents the Process for Implementing OI (PIOI). It is a managerial tool that aims to help and guide managers on the stages, documents, and the most appropriate way to carry out the implementation. Above all, it allows the unders-tanding of the elements and Critical Factors of Success (FCS) that affect the improvement of the innovation capacity of PMEs. The thesis is structured in seven chapters, with five proposed articles. Article 1 seeks to identify the determining factors for the implementation of OI in SRIs. Article 2 presents a systematic review of the literature to identify the FCS for implementing OI in companies. In Article 3 we carry out an applied research with 50 companies in a SRI, in order to diagnose their innovation strategies and the FCS to implement OI. In Article 4, we propose a framework for the implementation of OI in PMEs of SRIs. In Article 5, the framework is empirically tested and evaluated through a company’s case study. The general methodological structure of the thesis is based on the constructivist research method (Design Science Research - DSR). The articles cover literature review, survey, case study and action research, and use both quantitative and qualitative methods, according to their goals. The thesis offers important academic and practical contributions by addressing FCS that affect the implementation of OI, and by developing a process to establish that strategy in PMEs of SRIs. In addition, it represents an opportunity for companies to change and improve their innovation development process by implementing strategy shifts and introducing more collaborative structures that support new business models.