Business leaders must adopt new business practices to sustain their organizations and meet the paradigm of global competition. In the 21st century, innovation and market readiness have become the primary criteria for sustainability of an organization. Some organizational leaders should adopt open innovation strategy to stay competitive and foster a positive impact on their organizations' performance while practicing a systematic inclusion of knowledge from sources outside of the organization. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective strategies business leaders use to cultivate a sustainable open innovation culture. The population consisted of leaders from 200 high technology organizations in the Washington, D.C. area. Purposeful sampling was used to select 4 organizations whose leaders demonstrated successful cultivation of open innovation culture. Schein's culture theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and review of the organizations' annual reports, publications, websites, and brochures. Data analysis was based on Vaismoradi, Turunen, and Bondas's systematic content and thematic analysis approach, proceding from study data to codes to themes. The outcome led to 4 primary themes: organizational strategic alignment, collaboration as a force multiplier for innovation, organizational culture change, and expert understanding of the customers' needs. Implications for positive social change include fostering innovative organizations whose members bring to the market cost-effective solutions and bridge between market needs and technological solutions. Members of innovative organizations impact underserved communities in terms of material wealth, social welfare, and employment opportunities.

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.

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La innovació, que ha estat durant molt de temps el resultat, a vegades heroic, de la tasca d'un emprenedor solitari, està esdevenint progressivament una tasca col·lectiva que troba una descripció més acurada quan es presenta com el resultat d'un procés complex amb múltiples actors. Aquesta tesi vol explorar aquest aspecte col·lectiu de la innovació, tot aprofundint en dues línies de recerca. Una, que utilitza el modelatge basat en agents per a la creació de model teòrics. L'altre, que es basa en l'ús de l'anàlisi qualitatiu per a esbrinar algunes de les claus d'unes organitzacions ‐els Living Labs ‐ que cerquen involucrar els usuaris en el procés d'innovació. Ara bé, malgrat presentem la innovació com un procés obert, aquesta entesa com un procés tancat sembla també tenir èxit. De fet, tant els telèfons mòbils molt simples o molt complexos, semblen seguir aquest enfocament. En quines condicions el procés d'innovació es beneficia de ser un procés obert i quan és possible obtenir millors resultats retenint el control de la totalitat del procés, és la nostra primera pregunta de recerca. D'altra banda, aquest procés de col·laboració, característic d'un enfocament obert, és considerat normalment a un nivell micro com el resultat de la interacció diàdica entre agents. Existeix però, un altre nivell, un nivell macro que ve caracteritzat per la funció d'institucions com les Escoles de Negocis, que juguen un paper important en destil·lar les millors pràctiques i crear hipòtesis a partir d'elles que si es revelen exitoses seran adoptades per la totalitat dels agents. La comprensió del funcionament d'aquest procés, del nombre de casos que cal considerar i de quan extensius han de ser, entendre fins a quin punt les empreses poden confiar en l'assessorament de les Escoles de Negoci i quan es necessari aventurar‐se en l'exploració de noves possibilitats, és també quelcom necessari per a caracteritzar la innovació com un procés col·lectiu. Malauradament, la nostra comprensió dels mecanismes col·laboratius és encara escassa. Sabem però, que la innovació ja no és quelcom exclusiu dels laboratoris d'I+D o d'organitzacions capdavanteres, sinó que els usuaris juguen no solament un paper rellevant sinó que són percebuts com a actors amb un gran potencial. Els Living Labs és una de les tentatives per proporcionar estructura i governança a la involucració dels usuaris en el procés d'innovació. En aquest aspecte, examinarem quina és la contribució d'aquests usuaris i com els Living Labs busquen capturar‐ne el seu coneixement i aplicar‐lo i quant tenen èxit en aquest procés. / La innovación, que se ha presentado muchas veces como el resultado de un proceso, muchas veces heroico, de emprendedores excepcionales, se está convirtiendo de una forma progresiva en un proceso colectivo que se describe con más acierto cuando se presenta como el resultado de un proceso complejo con multitud de actores. Esta tesis, pretende explorar este aspecto colectivo del proceso de innovación, profundizando en dos líneas de investigación. Una que utiliza el modelado basado en agentes para la construcción de modelos teóricos. Otra que se basa en el análisis cualitativo para profundizar en las claves de unas organizaciones ¬los Living Labs ‐ que buscan involucrar a los usuarios en los procesos de innovación. Ahora bien, a pesar de que la innovación se presente como un proceso abierto, ésta entendida como un proceso cerrado, parece también tener éxito. De hecho, los teléfonos móviles muy simples o muy complejos, parecen seguir este enfoque. En qué condiciones el proceso de innovación se beneficia de ser un proceso abierto y cuando es posible obtener mejores resultados reteniendo el control de la totalidad del proceso, es nuestra primera pregunta de investigación. Por otro lado, este proceso de colaboración, característico de un enfoque abierto, es considerado normalmente a un nivel micro, como el resultado de la interacción diádica entre agentes. Existe pero, otro nivel, un nivel macro, caracterizado por la función de instituciones como las Escuelas de Negocios, que juegan un papel importante destilando las mejores prácticas y creando hipótesis a partir de ellas que si se revelan exitosas serán masivamente adoptadas. La comprensión del funcionamiento de este proceso, del número de casos a considerar y de su extensión, comprender hasta qué punto las empresas pueden confiar en el asesoramiento de las Escuelas de Negocios y cuando es necesario aventurarse en un proceso de exploración de nuevas posibilidades, es también algo imprescindible para caracterizar la innovación como un proceso colectivo. Desgraciadamente nuestra comprensión de los mecanismos colaborativos en la innovación es aún escasa. Sin embargo sabemos que la innovación ya no es algo exclusivo de los laboratorios de I+D o de grandes empresas, los usuarios juegan no sólo un papel relevante sino que son percibidos como actores con un alto potencial. Los Living Labs es una de las tentativas que buscan proporcionar estructura y gobierno a la involucración de los usuarios en el proceso de innovación. En este aspecto, examinaremos cuál es la contribución de los usuarios, cómo los Living Labs buscan capturar su conocimiento y aplicarlo y cuando tienen éxito en su intento. / Innovation, which used to be the result of a single, sometimes heroic, entrepreneur, is progressively turning into a collaborative endeavor, better described as the result of a complex process with multiple actors. This thesis aims to explore this collaborative aspect of innovation by digging into two strands of research. One uses Agent‐Based Modeling to create theoretical models, where the other one uses qualitative analysis to devise some insights from organizations ‐Living Labs ‐that aim to involve users in innovation. In addition to understanding innovation as an open process, a closed one seems sometimes to be equally successful. In fact, very simple and very complex mobile phones seem to follow this later approach. Under what conditions innovation benefits from being open and when better results can be obtained from retaining control of the whole process is our first research question. This process of collaboration, characteristic of the open approach, is normally considered at a micro level, as a result of a dyadic interaction between agents. Nevertheless, there is a macro level characterized by institutions, such as Business Schools, that play an important role in uncovering Best Practices and building hypothesis that, if successful, will be adopted by the agents. Understanding how this process works; how many cases should be collected and how comprehensive they should be; how much companies can rely on the insights of Business Schools; and when it is necessary to engage in exploration, is also necessary when characterizing innovation as a collective process. The mechanisms of collaboration are, however, not all well‐understood. Innovation is no longer in the solely hands of R&D laboratories or even organizations, users play an increasingly significant role and are being perceived as holding vast potential. Living Labs is one attempt to provide structure and governance to user involvement in innovation. Here, we will examine what is the contribution of users, how Living Labs aim to capture relevant knowledge and apply it, and when and how this proves successful.

In today’s economical world, companies realize the importance to build corporate strategies on innovation to sustain a continuous profitability. Innovation is a crucial issue to develop a competitive advantage. In our networked economy, companies can not only rely on in-house activities anymore to raise creative and come up with breakthrough innovations they need to collaborate with actors from the external environment. Firms have to think outside their own boundaries to leverage the complementary resources and capabilities needed to innovate. Partnerships help to ensure firms’ future successes. The purpose of our study is to understand how companies, operating in the automotive industry, integrate ‘Open and Networked Innovation’ concepts in their corporate strategy to enhance their environmental friendly profile. As far as the EV market is concerned, our study will also lead to determine the Key Factors of Success and the barriers that companies have to face when they want to launch an electric car in the market. Various theoretical approaches have been developed over the time about Open Innovation and Networked Innovation. The dilemma of paradoxical organization needs of radical innovation, exposed by Dr Sigvald Harryson, is our theoretical starting-point to analyze company’s ability to find the right equilibrium between exploration and exploitation and absorptive capacity. Further on, we explore the question of absorptive capacity to know how firms identify, acquire, transfer and transform knowledge. Thereafter, the theoretical framework is confronted with empirical data based on a qualitative and abductive approach of two case studies – Tesla and Renault. Interviews with Tesla, located in the Silicon Valley, California, USA, have been conducted. We also met two key employees in Renault’s headquarter, Paris, France. Interpretation and explanation of the data collected is reported in our analysis of each case as well as in the cross-case analysis. A presentation of our recommendations and conclusions conclude our master thesis.

This study investigates the drivers and forms of business model innovation. It is built on the business model innovation typology proposed by Koen et al. (2011), we have developed its dimensions into Hurdle rate, technology, partners value network and customer value network. The study used these dimensions as a base to differentiate between the two approaches of the business model innovation which were identified as innovating the existing business model approach and multiple business model approach. The study used qualitative analysis, through a dual case study approach in the automotive industry, consequently Fiat and Tata Motors were selected as case studies. Furthermore, the study foundation is secondary data supported by primary data (i.e. interviews) to investigate how each of these two organizations has implemented business model innovation in each case study, by highlighting and contrasting their different approaches of business model innovation. The results of the study showed that each of the two approaches of business model innovation implies open innovation and expands the organization’s value network. However, innovating the existing business model focuses on improving the organizations’ performance, and sustaining innovation. On the other hand, the multiple business model approach aims to disrupt the industry or a competitor (i.e. New entrant), through disruptive innovation. Moreover, the study proposed a process based framework and a checklist on business model innovation, to assist the decision makers in organizations while choosing between innovating their existing business model or designing a new one.

Syfte:                           Syftet är att analysera intermediärens funktion i en svensk kontext för att öka kunskapen kring vilka roller en intermediär kan tillskrivas och varför de existerar. Syftet är vidare att analysera huruvida ett förtroende gentemot intermediären förelåg och vad detta förtroende baserades på. Detta för att skapa ett bidrag till befintlig forskning och öka kunskapen kring förtroendeskapande gentemot intermediärer.     Metod: Fallstudie av Stiftelsen Flemingsberg Science och dess projekt Kraftcentrum Flemingsberg. Semi-strukturerade intervjuer med respondenter vilka varit involverade i projekt drivna av Kraftcentrum Flemingsberg.   Teori Transaktionskostnadsteori, strukturella hål, kunskapsöverföring, medling och förtroende.                                  Slutsatser                  Intermediärerna fyllde en funktion utöver de traditionella ”brokering” och ”knowledge brokering” funktionerna genom att de även fungerade som operativa projektledare och stöd. Förtroende existerade i ett tidigt stadie och baserades på intermediärens kompetens och meriter.  Vidare baserades förtroendet även på organisationen vilken intermediären representerade och förmedlades genom, där organisationens finansiär och syfte även var betydelsefullt.

台灣動畫產業，長期以來屬於代工的角色，如今面臨產業移轉而要往自製原創動畫發展時，明顯的面臨了很大的障礙，至目前一直沒有顯著的作品發表。就算是當初在網路上紅極一時的阿貴與幹譙龍，始終無法突破網路的限制，創造出更好的獲利機制。而2004年12月終於有第一部台灣原創之電視卡通動畫－魔豆傳奇，在台視上映，這部動畫影集是由創業三年多的電視豆公司發展出來的，不禁讓自己思考電視豆到底是如何完成這部卡通影集的，到底說了怎樣的故事，才能贏得了觀眾與日本製作公司的青睞？而且與日本合作開發的過程，更是讓我感到好奇的。如果說原創是電視豆成功的秘訣，那同樣獲得數位內容國際動畫雛形獎的其他作品，為何無法創造與電視豆類似的經驗與市場價值？而且多數獲獎廠商都比電視豆握有更多的資源。這些現象是很值得深入探討的。 綜合對商業模式與創意商業化等文獻之回顧以及對個案的了解，本研究引用Chesbrough(2002)對創意會影響商業模式之看法，分析Afuah(2003)所提出之「產業因素」、「定位」、「資源」、「活動」與「成本」等商業模式五構面，與其組成要素之變化，並結合Jolly(1997)所提出之技術商業化過程中的橋樑之概念，也就是由「動員興趣與支持」、「移轉證明所需之資源」、「動員市場構型」與「動員互補性資源」等，將商業模式之變化調整轉化成原創商業化之過程。 經過研究個案比較比較分析，本研究發現： 動畫原創內容從創意到商業化之過程可分為「想像」、「孵育」、「修正」與「持續」等四個次分段。 1.原創內容商業化過程中的次分段與橋樑，會因為產業因素與定位之影響，促使各次分段有不同之發展內涵，以及不同之關鍵外部資源之進入與銜接次分段。 2.原創內容商業化過程成功與否，除了有銜接之橋樑外，還要能有內部商業模式之配合。 3.每一次分段的演化循環中，原創內容會驅動商業模式變化，使其能動員橋樑，並利用外來資源強化商業模式本身，且進一步可加值原創內容。 動畫原創內容從創意到商業化之過程會受到商業模式不同構面與其組成要素之影響。 4.影響想像次分段的關鍵成功因素為產業關鍵驅動力、提供之價值與市場區隔。 5.影響孵育次分段的關鍵成功因素為合作力、總體產業環境、提供之價值、個人能力與動畫開發類型。 6.影響修正次分段的關鍵成功因素為組織能力、個人能力與動畫作品和開發類型。 7.影響持續次分段的關鍵成功因素為合作力與無形資產。 原創內容演化之關鍵 8.新創動畫公司可以由肖像或故事兩個角度來發展原創內容，兩者之商業模式雖有很大之差異，但商業化成功之基本條件為具有可商業化之肖像。 9.原創內容不僅要將市場導向之設計策略融入內容與作品創造中，還必須以創意行銷增加原創內容商業化成功之潛力。 10.在想像次分段中，會有外部創意進入讓原創內容進一步演化，或者內部創意移出發展成新的應用。在孵育與修正兩個次分段，是以業界專家之創意移入為主。進入到持續次分段時，作品續集會漸漸轉由內部創意主導，週邊商品則需要相關開發商之創意加入，針對新市場而發展。 較適合新創動畫公司之商業模式特質 11.要擴大獲利能力，必須突破市場之限制。跨入國際市場可以參考分區經營或者全球統合經營兩種國際合作經營模式。 12.在執行商業模式時，較適合採取雙領導人制度。也就是有ㄧ負責管理或籌資之領導人，與另一位管理創意之領導人。另外，組織較適合小規模發展。 / For the past decades, Taiwan' s animation industry focused on playing the role of OEM. Because of that, most of animation companies face a lot of obstacles during converting their positions into the origin al animation, suah as a-Kuei & KoungGiyo Dragon which could not overcome the on-line limitation to create substanti al profit models. Until December in 2004, there was the first original cartoon from Taiwanese company, TVbean, which is an emerging company for less than 3 years. I was wondering how they could attract audiences and Japanese produing company and surpass other comp anies which have an abundance of resources in a short time. Due to the copious processes of developments for the animation movie and the TV cartoon, there are many key success factors which need to be discovered. Moreover, the digital technologies facilitate animation industry to become more diversified than as before. Based on this kind of industry enviroment, animation works should not be saw merely as products. In the other words, we should concern about the effects of cultures and information transmission and transfer them into e xplicit knowledge which can help Taiwanese animation companies to develop. In this thesis, I will describe and analyse completely the process from idea to commercialization for TVbean' s first original animation. Also, I will compare TVbean with other foreign animation companies, VOOZ & Pixar, to draw the evolution process for commercialization and the relationship between business model and c ontents. According to the concepts of Business Model (Afuah 2004) and Open Innovation (Chesbrough 2003), I analysed the research cases by 5 elements, which are industry factors, position, resource, activity and cost, of Business Model and tried to find out the bridges which could connect different subprocesses by the changes of Business Model. After modifying the process of technology commercialization (Jolly 1997), I specified that how innovations make original content evolve into various business during each subprocess. Through studying the comparative analysis of the cases, the discoveries and conclustions of this thesis are described as follows: The commercialization process of original animation content comprises four subprocesses called ‘Imagining’, ‘Incubating’, ‘Modifying’ and ‘Mustaining’. 1.The subprocesses of the original content commercialization process will be influenced by industry factors and position which could push different developments of contents and attract various resources in each subprocess. 2.If we would like to make the original content commercialization successful, we will need a suitable internal business model to cooperate with the connected bridges. 3.During the evolution of each subprocess circulation, the original content will drive the business model change , enable it to mobilize the bridges, and utilize outside resources to strengthen business model itself. Besides, the original content could be added value by the improved business model. The commercialization process of original animation content will be influenced by different constitutions and elements of business model. 4.The key successful factors of ‘Imagining’ subprocess will be influenced by the industrial key deivers, value and market segments. 5.The key successful factors of ‘Incubating’ subprocess will be influenced by the cooperation, macro industry environment, value, individual capability and the cooperation models of animation. 6.The key successful factors of ‘Modifying’ subprocess will be influenced by the organization ability , individual capability and the cooperation models of animation. 7.The key successful factors of ‘Sustainng’ subprocess will be influenced by the cooperation and intangible assets. The key factors of original content evolutions 8.The new star-up animation companies could develop the original content by two directions, characters and stories. Although the business models of these two directions have very great differences, the basic successful factor of commercializtion is creating the character which could be commercialized. 9.It is very important to apply market oriented design strategies to the creating of content and works in order to enhance the potential for commercialization. 10.Open innovation will occur In ‘imagining’, ‘incubating’ and ‘modifying’ subprocesses, but the development of the sequal to the original works will transfer to closed innovation. Moreover, peripheral products need relevant developer join for new market developments. The characteristics of business model which are suitable for new star-up animation companies. 11.It need to break the restriction of the market to expand profit potential. How to get into global market could base on two types of management, separate areas business and global integrated business. 12.While implementing the business model , it is suitable to adopt dual leader system. Because of that, one leader is responsible for managing or raising funds, and the other one is in charge of managing innovations. In addition, the development of the organization is suitable for a small scale.

Les motivacions entorn al programari lliure han estat sempre un tema de gran interès, sent la pregunta més obvia, "perquè les persones treballen de forma gratuïta?". Les motivacions dels desenvolupadors han estat establertes (per exemple, von Hippel (2001), Lerner and Tirole (2002)). De la mateixa manera que ho han estat per a les empreses grans i petites que adopten programari lliure basat en models de negoci (per exemple, Lakhani and von Hippel, 2003; Fitzgerald, 2006; Krishnamurthy, 2004). No obstant això, un nombre cada vegada més elevat de les PIMES amb estratègies que no estan directament relacionades amb aquest model de negoci estan contribuint a les comunitats de programari lliure. En aquest estudi s'investiga les motivacions d'aquestes empreses des d'un punt de vista de comportament mitjançant un model d'investigació basat en TPB (Theory of Planned Behavior). Hem demostrat que factors com la "obertura" d'una PIME, la importància percebuda del programari lliure, els desenvolupadors (empleats) d'una PIME, juntament amb l'ambient extern, podrien influir en la decisió d'una PIME a participar en comunitats de programari lliure. A més, hem demostrat que es poden identificar algunes diferències entre empreses d'alta base tecnològica i empreses amb poca base tecnològica. Aquestes conclusions poden ajudar governs nacionals o regionals per millorar el disseny de polítiques per tal d'incentivar l'ús i la participació de les empreses en les comunitats de programari lliure. Especialment ara, degut a la forta crisi econòmica que pateix Europa, el programari lliure pot ser una solució adequada per a fomentar la innovació. / Motivations in FLOSS have always been a subject of great interest, by starting with the most obvious question, “why people work for free?”. The motivations of developers have been well established (eg von Hippel (2001), Lerner and Tirole 2002). The same exists also for big and small companies adopting FLOSS based Business Models (eg Lakhani and von Hippel, 2003; Fitzgerald 2006; Krishnamurthy, 2004). However an increasing number of SMEs with strategies not directly related to the Business Model are contributing to FLOSS communities. In this study we try to investigate these motivations under a behavioral perspective by using a research model based on TPB (Theory of Planned Behavior). We demonstrated that factors like the “openness” of a SME, the perceived importance of FLOSS, the developers (employees) of a SME along with the external environment of a SME, could influence the decision of a SME to participate in FLOSS communities. Also, we have demonstrated that some differences can be identified between high tech firms and non high tech firms. These findings can help national or regional governments to design better policies in order to better promote the use and the participation of firms to FLOSS communities. Especially now, in times of heavy economical crisis in Europe, FLOSS can be an adequate solution to foster innovation.