Hi-tech companies that want to innovate their products use, quite often, and quite naturally, technology as a driver. But, technology is only one of several drivers of change within product development. It is becoming more and more accessible and alone, cannot serve as the only mean to stay competitive.  This research sheds light on a different driver of innovation – namely, through the perspective of “meaning”. An innovation, driven by the search for a new meaning of a product, is connected to the purpose of “why” a product is used. It is not about “how” it is used. In this sense, innovations driven by meaning, are connected to a human’s new experience of use – rather than to the improvement of an existing performance. This type of innovation builds on people and their interpretation of why a product or service make sense in their life and therefore, it is subjective rather than objective. It represents a move, from the classic business perspectives of optimization and control to approach the unpredictable and ambiguous views of humans in a wider, cultural context.    A company that reconsidered the meaning of their product, is Germany-based KUKA with their “RoboCoaster”. This product uses existing technology to transform an industrial robot from a powerful, efficient and accurate tool into an exciting amusement ride system, delivering excitement, enjoyment and pleasurable fear. Another example is the Da Vinci surgical system in which, instead of replacing humans in an industrial application, a robot interacts with humans by acting as a surgeon in performing invasive surgery.  Through finding new applications of existing technologies – (the Robocoaster )– or through new technologies (the Da Vinci surgical system) – these products are not “better” than existing industrial robots: they have changed the reason why people use them.  But, theories on how to innovate with a “meaning” perspective, (i.e. on how to develop new interpretations for products and services) are rare. Indeed, dominant streams of innovation research have been connected to problem solving (Simon, 1996, Clark, 1985, Pahl and Beitz, 1988, Clark and Fujimoto, 1991, Teece et al., 1997 , Krishnan and Ulrich 2001) or idea generation (Brown, 2008, Martin, 2007). This research instead, set the focus on the context. It is a move from a cognitive focus to a social one. A move from user driven innovation strategies to also embrace a wider network of actors in the process of interpretation. The nature of this innovation is different and therefore, it requires a different approach. In this licentiate thesis the nature of innovation of meaning is examined and its relevance and practice discussed with the help of hermeneutics. The research suggests that innovation of meaning calls for new theoretical frames in innovation studies: from innovation as a process of problem solving and creative thinking to innovation as a process of interpreting and envisioning.

The objective of this paper is to increase our ability to understand the systems of innovation approach as a flexible and useful conceptual framework for innovation analysis. It presents an effort to develop some missing links and to decrease the conceptual noise often present in the discussions on national innovation systems. The paper specifies elements and relations that seem to be essential to the conceptual core of the framework and argues that there is no a priori reason to emphasise the national over the subnational [regional] scale as an appropriate mode for analysis, irrespective of time and place. Localised input-output relations between the actors of the system, knowledge spillovers and their untraded interdependencies lie at the centre of the arguments. The paper is organised as follows. It introduces the reader, first, to some basic elements and concepts that are central to understanding the approach. The characteristics of the innovation process are examined: its nature, sources and some of the factors shaping its development. Particular emphasis is laid on the role of knowledge creation and dissemination based on the fundamental distinction between codified and tacit forms. These concepts recur throughout the paper and particularly in discussions on the nature and specifications of the systems approach. The paper concludes by summarising some of the major findings of the discussion and pointing to some directions for future research activities. (author's abstract) / Series: Discussion Papers of the Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience

The overall aim of this thesis is to uncover the key determinants of innovation in New Zealand firms and consider some of their likely effects. In order to provide a broad perspective on New Zealand’s local innovation processes, a mixed method approach combining both quantitative and qualitative analysis was adopted to allow analysis of both empirical data and case study data. The quantitative part of analysis utilises the unique dataset developed by Statistics New Zealand, namely the prototype Longitudinal Business Database (LBD), and the qualitative analysis includes four in-depth company case studies which complement the regression analyses by uncovering the key patterns of innovation behaviour at the firm level. In summary, a number of conclusions have been drawn from the research. Firstly, firms experience considerably smaller positive size effect because of New Zealand’s unique firm demographics, and the small size has limited individual firm’s innovation opportunities. Secondly, firms’ ability to develop new technologies directly influences their innovative ability, which is highly dependent on the availability of funds and skills. Lastly, innovation in New Zealand has a very strong market focus, while technology suppliers such as universities and Crown Research Institutes only have a limited role in selected industries.

Introduction : Dans un souci d'humanisation et d'adhésion à des normes sociétales de qualité, le Québec connaît depuis quelques décennies des transformations dans le milieu de l'hébergement de soins de longue durée accueillant des personnes âgées en perte d'autonomie. Différentes approches ont été appliquées dans des établissements héritiers du milieuhospitalier, dont les centres d'hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD), afin d'offrir des services dans un cadre plus chaleureux et moins rigide. L'approche Milieu de vie (AMV) est une avenue prometteuse selon le Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (MSSS) pour faire évoluer les CHSLD vers des milieux de vie substituts tel que définis par la Loi sur les services de la santé et des services sociaux en 1991 (LSSS; 1991-C.42, art 83). Notre sujet de recherche se situe dans le prolongement des préoccupations du MSSS quant aux visites d'appréciation et d'agrément visant à évaluer la concrétisation de l'AMV dans les CHSLD. But de la recherche : Documenter la mise en oeuvre de l'AMV dans les CHSLD à travers les effets perçus par les intervenants. Méthodologie : Notre étude est qualitative, de type exploratoire et descriptive. Nous avons focalisé nos efforts sur les intervenants les plus proches des résidents, soit les préposés aux bénéficiaires, les préposés à l'entretien ménager ou les préposés au service alimentaire, les infirmières et les infirmières-auxiliaires. Notre lieu de recherche est un CSSS situé à Montréal, très bien coté en 2010 par le MSSS lors des visites d'appréciations. Notre échantillon comprend 16 intervenants. Les données ont été recueillies individuellement par des entrevues semi- dirigées. Nous avons réalisé une analyse de contenu thématique. Notre cadre conceptuel : Il est constitué des Orientations ministérielles de 2003 et de la théorie de la diffusion des innovations (Landry et al. 2007). Les principaux résultats : Les répondants reconnaissent des améliorations dans le quotidien des résidents avec un assouplissement dans les heures de levers ou de couchers, des possibilités pour les résidents d'exprimer leurs souhaits par le biais de programmes de «causeries» et des plans d'interventions interdisciplinaires (PII), un plus large éventail d'activités de loisirs, et une démarche d'accueil plus humanisée pour les nouveaux résidents. Selon les répondants, les familles se sont rapprochées particulièrement des préposés aux bénéficiaires et des infirmières-auxiliaires grâce au PII et les consultent davantage. D'après les propos recueillis, nous remarquons que la majorité des répondants ne fait pas de distinction entre le concept milieu de vie substitut et l'approche milieu de vie. Par ailleurs, ces répondants estiment que les valeurs véhiculées dans l'établissement rejoignent leurs valeurs propres; ils considèrent ne pas avoir à changer leur pratique professionnelle pour les rencontrer. Un facteur qui semble avoir été favorable pour amener ces changements se rapporte aux formations. Toutefois, elles sont jugées insuffisantes et trop axées sur les équipes soignantes, excluant les autres intervenants pourtant proches des résidents par leurs fonctions. Un autre facteur favorable est les plans d'interventions interdisciplinaires (Pli). Toujours selon les intervenants interviewés, les facteurs défavorables pour la bonne implantation de l'AMY sont le manque de prise en compte de la part de la direction de l'alourdissement de la clientèle, l'absence d'une véritable gestion participative qui leur donnerait plus la parole pour s'exprimer sur les changements. En fait, ils déplorent une certaine incohérence entre des décisions managériales et la mise en pratique des principes de l'approche. Conclusion-discussion : Malgré les démarches entreprises par la direction de l'établissement afin de mobiliser le personnel dans le changement, celles-ci n'aboutissent pas à une mobilisation générale de tous les intervenants. Certains mettent de l'avant que leurs conditions de travail ne devraient pas être mises en second plan par rapport à la qualité de vie des résidents. Nous retrouvons ici, dans leurs propos, la pensée des auteurs comme Alderson (2006). En fait, l'implication active de l'ensemble du personnel, quel que soit les fonctions, est cruciale dès le lancement du projet afin d'éviter un malaise ou un le sentiment d'exclusion de certains intervenants. Enfin, la mission des gestionnaires sur le terrain en tant qu'agents multiplicateurs est importante pour soutenir le projet : les intervenants ont besoin de se sentir valorisés et reconnus dans leurs fonctions et surtout écoutés en fonction de leurs besoins inhérents à leurs tâches.

Genom ett eget utformat dokument av författarna baserat av PDCA-metoden, visar studiens utfall att implementering av innovationsteknik är fullt möjligt i ett byggföretag som Garant Bygg & Bad. PDCA-dokumentet främjar dessutom innovationsförmågan i förbättringsprocesser i det valda företaget. Till en början bör byggföretag fokusera på små förbättringar i innovationsarbetet, vilket är möjligt med PDCA-dokumentet. För att uppnå optimalt resultat av förbättringsverktyget PDCA anser författarna att vissa specifika punkter är avgörande. Dessa sammanfattas nedan: Ledarskap. Ett tydligt ledarskap är nyckeln för att möjliggöra implementeringen av förbättringsdokumentet. Ledningen måste visa vilja, engagemang samt tydlighet. Det måste dessutom finnas en vilja till innovation från ledningen, att ta sig an problem och finna lösningar till dem. Detta eftersom ledningen har störst påverkan på medarbetarna och kan motivera dem. Hög delaktighet i innovation. Vi tror att PDCA-dokumentet kommer bidra till högre delaktighet bland medarbetarna då fler blir involverade i olika testprojekt. Det är viktigt att organisationen måste inse fördelarna med att jobba med förbättringsprocesser, vilket ska resultera i värdeskapande. Konkreta mål och delmål. Organisationen måste använda konkreta mål och delmål som ska uppfyllas gemensamt. På så sätt blir det enklare att skapa hög delaktighet och även viljan till innovation. Dessutom blir ledarskapet tydligare om vad som ska uppfyllas med PDCA-dokumentet. Kultur. Det måste skapas en företagskultur som tillåter nya arbetssätt och delaktighet. Det ska även finnas en uppmuntran i kulturen att ta sig an nya förbättringsprojekt för att behålla förbättringsprocesser kontinuerligt. Förstå PDCA-dokumentet och dess filosofi. För att förstå PDCA-dokumentet och dess filosofi är det nödvändigt med en introduktion av dokumentet och dess syfte. Om filosofin bakom metoden är förklarad kommer implementeringen av PDCA i organisationen att bli lättare.

Idag väljer fler och fler att jobba med öppen innovation. Öppen innovation kan bidra till större kunskaps-inhämtning, mer kreativitet och mer kundanpassning under produktutvecklingen (Von Hippel, 2005).  För att få en innovationsprocess att fungera effektivt måste användarna av varan eller tjänsten få möjlighet att komma med synpunkter under utvecklingsfasen samt att processen bör hålla god hastighet (Von Hippel, 2005).   I en öppen innovationsprocess blandas olika kompetenser och bakgrunder vilket leder till större kunskapsbreddning. När olika kunskaper möts kan de tillsammans utvecklas eller bygga vidare på varandra (Johansson, 2005). Att använda sig av öppen innovation kan bidra till att stärka organisationens ekonomiska resurser (Janssen, Bouwman, van Buuren & Haaker, 2014) (Harhoff, Henkel och Von Hippel, 2003).

Confronted with an increasing diversity of social and global challenges, innovation competitions become an increasingly important tool to spur innovation amongst entrepreneurs. Based on a case study on three finalists of the Wendy Schmidt Oil Clean-Up XChallenge, this thesis aims to investigate what factors motivate entrepreneurs to take part in an innovation competition. Due to the fact that four years after the closure of the challenge nine out of ten finalists were still actively in the oil clean-up business, the authors further investigate on what the main motivational factors for continuing business after participation in an innovation competition are. Data was collected via in-depth interviews and analysed by applying the model of entrepreneurial motivation by Naffiziger, Hornsby and Kuratko (1994) as well as Gimeno, Folta, Cooper and Woo’s (1997) threshold model. Further, the authors conducted a case study on the finalists of the Wendy Schmidt Oil Clean-Up XChallenge, which was an innovation competition, initiated by the XPrize Foundation in 2010. The competition was a reaction to the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 and aimed for finding better and more efficient oil clean-up solutions. Ten finalists were selected to test their inventions at one of the world’s largest testing facilities for oil spill clean-up technology. The findings suggest that the motivators for participation in an innovation competition include a desire for increased publicity and reputation, as well as the opportunity to test the technology. It was also found that factors such as the goal of the organisation and the perception of one’s product and business idea play key roles in the decision to participate in an innovation competition. Furthermore, the research shows that the business environment and a need for achievement influence the decision to partake. With regards to the motivational factors that encourage sustained entrepreneurship after participating in an innovation competition, it was found that the correlation between expectations, both regarding the outcome and the implementation process, upon entering the competition and the actual outcome, does not have a large impact upon whether operations are continued after the innovation competition has ended. Instead, it was found that the main motives for continuing operations are a strong psychic attachment to the business, as well as high costs of switching to another area of commerce.

Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka i vilken utsträckning av goodwillposten som kan förklaras av innovationsförmågan i svenska börsnoterade företag. Inledning: Goodwill är en immateriell tillgång och uppstår i samband med företagsförvärv. På senare år har posten fått en stor betydelse och den ger även ett uttryck för framtida ekonomiska fördelar. Goodwill är svårdefinierat eftersom att posten exempelvis kan innehålla kundrelationer, varumärken, bra rykte etc. I dagsläget är innovation en viktig faktor för företag och har stor betydelse för ekonomisk tillväxt. Företagens innovationsförmåga borde därför ha en påverkan på goodwillpostens värde. Metod: I denna studie har en kvantitativ undersökning gjorts. Via databasen Retriever har data samlats in från Sveriges största börsnoterade bolag. En utsållning gjordes för de företag som inte hade tillgänglig data som krävdes för undersökningen. Genom statistikprogrammet Minitab genomfördes två regressionsmodeller som sedan analyserades. Slutsats: Slutsatsen visar att båda innovationsmåtten, patent och forskning och utveckling, har ett positivt samband på goodwillposten för Large Cap. För Mid Cap kunde ingen betydande effekt visas. För Small Cap har patent en svag påverkan på goodwillposten och måttet forskning och utveckling visade inget samband. / Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of goodwill that can be explained by the capacity for innovation in Swedish listed companies. Introduction: Goodwill is an intangible asset and occurs in connection with acquisitions. In recent years, the record received a great importance and it gives also an expression of the future economic benefits. Goodwill is difficult to define because the item may contain, for example, customer relationships, trademarks, good reputation, etc. In the current situation, innovation is an important factor for companies and has great significance for economic growth and innovation capacity of firms should have an impact on the goodwill value of the entry. Method: A quantitative study has been made in this paper. Through the database Retriever data was collected from the largest listed companies. An elimination was made for those companies that had not provided data that was required for the study. Through the statistical program Minitab was two regression models were conducted and analyzed. Conclusion: Our conclusion is that the two dimensions of innovation studied, patents and research and development, Large Cap both have a positive explainationary power on goodwill for Large Cap. For Mid Cap there no significant effect appears. For Small Cap patent has a weak impact on goodwill, while research and development showed no impact.

Purpose: This study`s purpose is to investigate the role of a business incubator in the strategic decision situations during the process of a new venture startup. It also aims to explore the methods and instruments the incubator and its advisers applies during the process. Methodology: This study is built on the basis of a hermeneutic approach with qualitative method and abductive design. The empirical material collected consist of interviews from two case studies and secondary data collection from different related sources. Theoretical perspective: The theory in the study consists of the elements of previous research on innovation processes and entrepreneurship. To analyze the data, models and theories related to decision making, incubation, process theories and organizational theories. Empirical foundation: The empirical material consists of interviews and data from two completed case studies. Additionally consist a relatively large part of the empirical data out of a comprehensive information retrieval from various secondary sources such as internet, newsletters and annual reports. Conclusion: The assay was able to detect not just one, but a variety of roles that the incubator occupies at different stages of the innovation process. The central conclusion is that the incubator role is to increase the speed of the innovation process.

This research aims to substantiate the idea that innovation is a capability that can be cultivated for equitable development and that a user’s freedom to innovate should not be violated by excessive intellectual property rights. The central feature of this idea is the principle of substantive equality of innovation capability, which is comprised of five components: equality of innovation opportunity, neutrality of innovation models, accessibility of the innovation commons, dignity of the entrepreneurial spirit, and respect for indigenous innovation. These five components will ensure that everyone has the basic innovation capability to function in the knowledge society and a real opportunity to access the innovation commons, mix her intellect with raw innovation resources, and participate in the decision-making process that affects her innovation capability and freedom. This thesis envisions a fair and balanced global innovation system and proposes a two-pronged approach to incorporate the TRIPS patent regime into this system. To promote multi-dimensional and equitable development, an innovation capability approach to development aims to maximize the contribution of intellectual resources to economic growth and human development through cultivating innovation capability and harnessing the power of non-proprietary innovation models. To increase the effectiveness of innovation systems and promote democratic innovation governance, an innovation equality and freedom approach to the TRIPS patent regime advances distributive justice and intergenerational equality objectives of the global innovation regime. A fair and balanced global innovation system has legal implications for both national governments and international institutions. A national government has the obligation to bring each and every citizen to a point of fair competition in the innovation market. This means that the government should provide equal opportunity to freely access the innovation commons and equally participate in the decision-making process that affects each person’s innovation capability and freedom. In addition, an optimal system of innovation ought to be based on a complementary combination of proprietary and non-proprietary systems in order to produce the highest attainable rates of innovation, productivity, and social utility. For international institutions, I suggest that the WIPO may be a more appropriate forum than the WTO for global innovation governance.