KARLSSON, ISAAC (2012). REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEMS: POLICY AND APPLICATION IN A SWEDISH CONTEXT. Uneven economic development has been an issue of interest for a long time. Recently focus has shifted from inequalities between countries to growing inequalities within countries. With the EU as one of the most prominent supporters, regional innovation systems have become a centerpiece in the battle against uneven development. This paper examines how these strategies and policies are transferred through the governance hierarchy from the supranational level to the periphery of small Swedish municipalities. The paper also examines how these strategies, influenced by theories and empirical evidence from successful innovative regions, are conceptualized and implemented in a Swedish context. Analysis of policy documents and interviews with regional and municipal actors have been the basis of the empirical material. The criteria for selecting cases to study are proximity to a university, and key economic variables for the municipalities. The analysis indicated that there seems to be a somewhat significant policy transfer effect into the strategies of the Swedish regions, but this does not necessarily reach the municipal level. There also seems to be a gap between the transfer of the strategies to their implementation, mainly caused by ambiguities in the structure of the system, in part stemming from an absence of a national plan on innovative regional systems.

The topic of regional innovation systems is one that has been covered extensively in prior research. It has influenced regional policy by providing context of how regional actors and firms interact and how they are affected by institutional guidance and formal structuring tools. An aspect that has not been covered to a sufficient extent is the prospect of self-sustaining or spontaneous collaborative efforts. This is an interesting area to consider because it questions the idea that regional innovation systems need institutional support to survive. Instead, it suggests that firms can collaborate simply through a mutual understanding of their situation and how an integration of their competences can prove beneficial to their system. The bottom line for well-functioning regional innovation systems are its ability to facilitate knowledge transfer for its actors. This raises the question of how firms’ knowledge transfer processes, its absorptive capacity is affected by regional innovation systems. The purpose of this study is to create a conceptual framework exploring how and why regional innovation systems facilitates firms’ absorptive capacity, as well as how they are affected by being either institutional or entrepreneurial. This has been done through an inductive multiple case study where 18 different cases of regional innovation systems were surveyed. The study resulted in a process model of how regional innovation systems evolve, its facilitating effect on firms’ absorptive capacity, and how entrepreneurial or institutional setups influence this evolution. Our findings suggest that regardless of being institutional or entrepreneurial, regional innovation systems follow a similar evolutionary process to facilitate firms’ absorptive capacity. It is rather suggested that each system has individually negative and positive effects on the process. Firms’ absorptive capacity is facilitated by regional innovation systems as they provide firms with an environment driving similar knowledge and problem sets, being a source of complementary knowledge and social integration mechanisms. The process model provides implications for regional policy makers to facilitate optimal conditions for actors in their regions, as well as for firms active in regional innovation systems.

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.

This Master Thesis hinges on the concept of Innovation and its association with regional development as a phenomenon that has attracted both researchers and policy makers’ attention.  The thesis presents two different innovation perspectives on regional development – Innovation Systems and Complex Systems of Innovation, and applies them into the case-study of the Life Sciences Cluster in Lund. In order to do so, the key aspects of each of the perspectives are highlighted within the part devoted to the Framework of this thesis. Within these, the networks between organizations in the Innovation Systems and the actors and their interrelations in the Complex Systems perspective have been analyzed. The analysis of these aspects brings up similar outcomes in both perspectives applied, i.e. the creation of various organizations within the Cluster. Both of the perspectives account for the importance of Lund University for the creation of these organizations and subsequent development of the Life Sciences cluster.

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.

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.

The main goal of this work was to contribute to an understanding of the role of the knowledge bases in regional innovation systems and to identify whether the sizes of the different subsystems of regional innovation systems differ in relation to their economic and innovation maturity, and the structure of the knowledge bases is relevant. Work has also sought to identify factors limiting the more efficient interconnection of the two sub-systems of regional innovation systems and how these negative factors can be overcome. The analyses carried out have shown that economically and innovatively developed regions follow different trajectories in the composition of knowledge bases than less developed regions. More developed regions have more developed analytical knowledge base and less developer regions are more oriented on synthetic knowledge base. The analyses also revealed that regional innovation systems vary in size and internal structure of each subsystem. Advanced regions have a much more developed subsystem of knowledge exploitation, that is the demand side, while less developed and less innovative regions have more developed the supply side, that is, the knowledge generation subsystem. Trust, information exchange and shared strategic vision have proved to be among the key aspects that can...

Fostering innovation, managing the innovation process, and promoting entrepreneurial activities have long been identified as critical elements of successful economic and social systems. By their very nature, both innovation and entrepreneurship relate to the creation of novelty and the introduction of change, i.e., dynamics. This means that despite the considerable progress that has been made in our understanding of both the theoretical characteristics as well as practical applications of innovation and entrepreneurship, many aspects of these analyses require constant updating. Further, the evidence increasingly suggests that many relevant aspects are not only context specific but also undergoing significant structural change. These include the micro and macro stimuli of innovation and entrepreneurship processes, the factors that contribute to start-up and innovative firm performance, as well as the broader effects of innovation and entrepreneurship on economies and societies. This dissertation explores how innovation and entrepreneurial processes and outcomes vary across linguistic, geographic, regulatory and technological contexts. The empirical evidence regarding all of these aspects remains mixed and ambiguous, indicating a need for more nuanced conceptualizing. The relevance of contextual idiosyncrasies to innovation and entrepreneurial processes of these aspects remains understudied, presenting an opportunity to extend theory and make a valuable contribution. In the first chapter of this dissertation, I introduce the groundwork for the dissertation, and review the conceptual foundations of each of the three dissertation studies. I also summarize the findings and insights, braiding them together to show how my findings reinforce each other, forming an organic whole. Each subsequent chapter addresses different aspects of innovation and entrepreneurial processes mentioned above. In the second chapter, I evaluate how linguistic variability relates to cross-national innovation processes and outcomes. In the third chapter, I assess how different forms of connectivity across geographic space among innovators contribute to the development of regional innovation systems across Italy’s core and peripheral areas. In the fourth and final chapter, I evaluate the relevance of regulation and technological change to the entrepreneurial process in a specific context within the financial services industry. / Business Administration/Strategic Management