The open innovation (OI) paradigm emphasizes the importance of integrating inbound and outbound f... more The open innovation (OI) paradigm emphasizes the importance of integrating inbound and outbound flows of technology to increase a firm's innovation performance. While the synergies between technology inflows and outflows have been discussed in conceptual OI articles, the majority of empirical studies have typically focused on either the inward or the outward dimension of OI. According to recent reviews of OI literature, there is a need for further research that takes an integrated perspective on this topic and studies the combination of the inbound and outbound dimensions of OI. This paper follows these calls by focusing on technology licensing as the main contractual form for OI, and by investigating the relationship between technology in-licensing and out-licensing activities at the firm level of analysis. In particular, this paper argues that technology in-licensing positively influences the volume of technology out-licensing through two mechanisms. The first-resource-based-occurs because inlicensing investments expand and enrich the firm's technology base, thus increasing its value and, as a result, creating more opportunities for out-licensing. The second-capabilities-based-occurs because, due to commonalities between technology in-licensing and out-licensing in terms of performed tasks and required skills, repeated execution of in-licensing transactions contributes to the development of higher out-licensing capabilities and, as a result, increase out-licensing volume. These arguments are tested using a panel dataset of 837 Spanish manufacturing firms over the period 1998-2007. Consistent with the predictions, the empirical analysis shows that higher investments in in-licensing and more extensive in-licensing experience lead to superior volumes of technology outlicensing. These results contribute to research on OI and licensing, by empirically showing the existence of positive interactions between technology inflows and outflows and of synergies in the development of absorptive and desorptive capacities.
IEMC '03 Proceedings. Managing Technologically Driven Organizations: The Human Side of Innovation and Change
Biotechnology set two major changes in the pharmaceutical sector: (i) it changed the research pro... more Biotechnology set two major changes in the pharmaceutical sector: (i) it changed the research process, through the introduction of new technologies; (ii) it paved the way to the new healthcare paradigm of the personalised medicines. In response to these changes, the organisational structure at each level must be modified. This task represents a major challenge particularly for big pharmas. The
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 2008
The purpose of this article is to detail a system for the design of performance measures that wil... more The purpose of this article is to detail a system for the design of performance measures that will be used to assess the achievement of a health care organization's strategic goals and its need for change. The article begins by emphasizing the importance of accountability and the need for the presence of a dynamic learning culture that is premised on a foundation of accountability, continuous improvement, learning, and innovation. This is followed by describing the importance of utilizing an interdisciplinary team with physician and patient involvement to guide the design and implementation of the performance measurement system. The goals of the system are then outlined and followed by a description of the process for the determination of the framework, scope, domains, measures, and reporting mechanisms for displaying the performance measures. Lastly, guidelines for the design of valid, reliable, and cost-effective performance measures are discussed with the aim of maximizing their utility by health care professionals, managers, and administrators.
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 2000
This case study is aimed at exploring the characteristics of technological collaborations TC in t... more This case study is aimed at exploring the characteristics of technological collaborations TC in the different phases of the innovation process. While the literature widely discussed the motives for collaboration and the organizational forms that can be adopted, little is known on the role of the phase of the innovation process in the collaboration in shaping its original form. Empirical evidence from 18 in-depth case studies allows to highlight how TC in research, development and manufacturing intrinsically differ in terms of content, motivations and partners involved. We also argue that these characteristics lead to different organizational forms of collaboration, in terms of number of partners, contractual formalization, structure of control, time horizon and density of relationships. The most common organizational forms adopted, respectively, in research, development and manufacturing collaborations are discussed. Finally, we derive guidelines for managers that are facing decisions about external technology sourcing or are managing TC evolving from one phase of the innovation process to another.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to identify the factors that are capable of... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to identify the factors that are capable of influencing the value of a technological asset that is exchanged in the context of a business transaction and, secondly, to identify the direction of the relationship between each factor and the technological asset value.Design/methodology/approachFirst of all, an in‐depth analysis of the available literature about the assessment of technological asset value was conducted. Then a panel study was organised, involving several intellectual property managers and consultants and senior practitioners working in the field of IP assessment. Finally, an illustrative case study was conducted.FindingsThe paper proposes a framework that encompasses the following classes of factors: asset related; firm related; context related; risk related; and transaction related. It is shown that these factors are capable of influencing the value of a technological asset that is exchanged in the context of a busi...
... of managers and practitioners as well (Pappas and Remer, 1985; Brown and Svenson, 1988; Sivat... more ... of managers and practitioners as well (Pappas and Remer, 1985; Brown and Svenson, 1988; Sivathanu and Srinivasa, 1996; Werner and Souder, 1997; Hauser, 1998; Driva and Pawar, 1999; Driva et al., 2000; Poh et al., 2001; Loch and Tapper, 2002; Godener and Soderquist ...
CHAPTER 1 AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF TSS FIRMS: INSIGHTS FROM THE ITALIAN NANOTECH INDUSTRY Vitto... more CHAPTER 1 AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF TSS FIRMS: INSIGHTS FROM THE ITALIAN NANOTECH INDUSTRY Vittorio Chiesa, Alfredo De Massis, and Federico Frattini Politecnico di Milano, Italy Private service firms have ... Arora, A., A. Fosfuri and A. Gambardella (2001). ...
Intangible assets are increasingly considered the ultimate roots of company's success. This paper... more Intangible assets are increasingly considered the ultimate roots of company's success. This paper aims to propose a method to estimate the value embedded in R&D activities, which could be used for: (i) a una tantum evaluation of a firm's value, related to specific actions such as mergers, acquisition, etc.; and (ii) a periodic evaluation, with the perspective of the economic reporting, focused to estimate the R&D shareholder value creation. The proposed framework is based on the assumption that there is a strong relationship between the R&D contribution to shareholder value and the operational performance of R&D activities. The paper describes such a framework as well as an empirical application.
Managing R&D in the semiconductor industry has long been a purely technological matter, with ... more Managing R&D in the semiconductor industry has long been a purely technological matter, with major improvements driven by the development of new solutions for computing systems. The advent of digital convergence actually opened up new opportunities for semiconductor companies to address an increasing number of final products, belonging to different markets and industries. Gathering these opportunities, however, requires a new approach in the management of R&D, ldquocouplingrdquo different technological vectors with different market needs. The paper proposes a framework of analysis and discusses major trade-offs to be faced by semiconductor companies to succeed in this task.
Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 2004
The 'life science'revolution related to the development of biotechnology affects many d... more The 'life science'revolution related to the development of biotechnology affects many different markets. In the pharmaceutical business new drugs are continuously developed, tested, and submitted to governmental institutions for the required approval. In the ...
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing a performance measurement... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing a performance measurement system (PMS) for research and development (R&D) activities; in particular, it investigates if and how different objectives for the PMS use influence the design of its constitutive elements.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was first conducted, aimed at identifying the constitutive elements of a PMS for R&D and the major purposes for its use. Then, a multiple case study involving four Italian technology‐intensive firms was undertaken for investigating the relationship between PMS constitutive elements and measurement purposes.FindingsDifferent PMS objectives imply significantly different design choices for constitutive elements. Even when companies are very different in terms of size and sector of activity, similar objectives lead to very similar PMSs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is qualitative. Further research should aim to increase the rationality and obj...
Commercialization is known to be a critical stage of the technological innovation process, mainly... more Commercialization is known to be a critical stage of the technological innovation process, mainly because of the high risks and costs that it entails. Despite this, many scholars consider it to be often the least well managed phase of the entire innovation process, and there is ample empirical evidence corroborating this belief. In high-tech markets, the difficulties encountered by firms in commercializing technological innovation are exacerbated by the volatility, interconnectedness, and proliferation of new technologies that characterize such markets. This is clearly evinced by the abundance of new high-tech products that fail on the market chiefly due to poor commercialization. Yet there is no clear understanding, in management theory and practice, of how commercialization decisions influence the market failure of new high-tech products. Drawing on research in innovation management, diffusion of innovation, and marketing, this article shows how commercialization decisions can influence consumer acceptance of a new high-tech product in two major ways: (i) by affecting the extent to which the players in the innovation's adoption network support the new product; (ii) by affecting the post-purchase attitude early adopters develop toward the innovation, and hence the type of wordof-mouth (positive or negative) they disseminate among later adopters. Lack of support from the adoption network is found to be an especially critical cause of failure for systemic innovations, while a negative post-purchase attitude of early adopters is a more significant determinant of market failure for radical innovations. There follows a historical analysis of eight innovations launched on consumer high-tech markets (Apple Newton, IBM PC-Junior, Tom Tom GO, Sony Walkman, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Sony MiniDisc, Palm Pilot, and Nintendo NES), which illustrates how commercialization decisions (i.e., timing, targeting and positioning, interfirm relationships, product configuration, distribution, advertising, and pricing) can determine lack of support from the innovation's adoption network and a negative post-purchase attitude of early adopters. The results of this work provide useful insights for improving the commercialization decisions of product and marketing managers operating in high-technology markets, helping them avoid errors that are precursors of market failure. It is also hoped the article will inform further research aimed at identifying, theoretically and empirically, other possible causes of poor customer acceptance in high-tech markets. Ã The authors are grateful to Joe Tidd and Qing Wang for their comments on an early version of the article. We also thank Professor Anthony Di Benedetto and two anonymous reviewers of JPIM for their insightful suggestions. The assistance of Valentina Pavone and Elena Regazzoni with data collection is gratefully acknowledged.
International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2008
... Way of production and delivery, Client firm's sector of activity, Input (compete... more ... Way of production and delivery, Client firm's sector of activity, Input (competence/technology) ... case study the manipulated information was aggregated in order to obtain a systematic description of ... the development process and brings them into the market Is a polymer process ...
International Journal of Innovation Management, 2010
Existing empirical research indicates that strong organizational barriers and inertia need to be ... more Existing empirical research indicates that strong organizational barriers and inertia need to be overcome to ensure a smooth transition of a firm's approach to technological innovation from Closed to Open Innovation. The objective of the paper is to study how firms can identify, plan, and manage a pilot project so as to unfreeze the status quo and prepare the ground for a successful shift toward Open Innovation. Integrating existing literature in the field of innovation management, organizational change and project management, the paper develops a conceptual framework which identifies three steps a pilot project goes through (i.e. conception, realization and transfer of project's results) and the aspects that should be looked at along these stages so as to mobilize the organization and revolutionize its strategic approach to innovation management. These issues are investigated using a multiple case study involving 4 firms that can be considered as "early adopters" ...
The open innovation (OI) paradigm emphasizes the importance of integrating inbound and outbound f... more The open innovation (OI) paradigm emphasizes the importance of integrating inbound and outbound flows of technology to increase a firm's innovation performance. While the synergies between technology inflows and outflows have been discussed in conceptual OI articles, the majority of empirical studies have typically focused on either the inward or the outward dimension of OI. According to recent reviews of OI literature, there is a need for further research that takes an integrated perspective on this topic and studies the combination of the inbound and outbound dimensions of OI. This paper follows these calls by focusing on technology licensing as the main contractual form for OI, and by investigating the relationship between technology in-licensing and out-licensing activities at the firm level of analysis. In particular, this paper argues that technology in-licensing positively influences the volume of technology out-licensing through two mechanisms. The first-resource-based-occurs because inlicensing investments expand and enrich the firm's technology base, thus increasing its value and, as a result, creating more opportunities for out-licensing. The second-capabilities-based-occurs because, due to commonalities between technology in-licensing and out-licensing in terms of performed tasks and required skills, repeated execution of in-licensing transactions contributes to the development of higher out-licensing capabilities and, as a result, increase out-licensing volume. These arguments are tested using a panel dataset of 837 Spanish manufacturing firms over the period 1998-2007. Consistent with the predictions, the empirical analysis shows that higher investments in in-licensing and more extensive in-licensing experience lead to superior volumes of technology outlicensing. These results contribute to research on OI and licensing, by empirically showing the existence of positive interactions between technology inflows and outflows and of synergies in the development of absorptive and desorptive capacities.
IEMC '03 Proceedings. Managing Technologically Driven Organizations: The Human Side of Innovation and Change
Biotechnology set two major changes in the pharmaceutical sector: (i) it changed the research pro... more Biotechnology set two major changes in the pharmaceutical sector: (i) it changed the research process, through the introduction of new technologies; (ii) it paved the way to the new healthcare paradigm of the personalised medicines. In response to these changes, the organisational structure at each level must be modified. This task represents a major challenge particularly for big pharmas. The
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 2008
The purpose of this article is to detail a system for the design of performance measures that wil... more The purpose of this article is to detail a system for the design of performance measures that will be used to assess the achievement of a health care organization's strategic goals and its need for change. The article begins by emphasizing the importance of accountability and the need for the presence of a dynamic learning culture that is premised on a foundation of accountability, continuous improvement, learning, and innovation. This is followed by describing the importance of utilizing an interdisciplinary team with physician and patient involvement to guide the design and implementation of the performance measurement system. The goals of the system are then outlined and followed by a description of the process for the determination of the framework, scope, domains, measures, and reporting mechanisms for displaying the performance measures. Lastly, guidelines for the design of valid, reliable, and cost-effective performance measures are discussed with the aim of maximizing their utility by health care professionals, managers, and administrators.
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 2000
This case study is aimed at exploring the characteristics of technological collaborations TC in t... more This case study is aimed at exploring the characteristics of technological collaborations TC in the different phases of the innovation process. While the literature widely discussed the motives for collaboration and the organizational forms that can be adopted, little is known on the role of the phase of the innovation process in the collaboration in shaping its original form. Empirical evidence from 18 in-depth case studies allows to highlight how TC in research, development and manufacturing intrinsically differ in terms of content, motivations and partners involved. We also argue that these characteristics lead to different organizational forms of collaboration, in terms of number of partners, contractual formalization, structure of control, time horizon and density of relationships. The most common organizational forms adopted, respectively, in research, development and manufacturing collaborations are discussed. Finally, we derive guidelines for managers that are facing decisions about external technology sourcing or are managing TC evolving from one phase of the innovation process to another.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to identify the factors that are capable of... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: firstly, to identify the factors that are capable of influencing the value of a technological asset that is exchanged in the context of a business transaction and, secondly, to identify the direction of the relationship between each factor and the technological asset value.Design/methodology/approachFirst of all, an in‐depth analysis of the available literature about the assessment of technological asset value was conducted. Then a panel study was organised, involving several intellectual property managers and consultants and senior practitioners working in the field of IP assessment. Finally, an illustrative case study was conducted.FindingsThe paper proposes a framework that encompasses the following classes of factors: asset related; firm related; context related; risk related; and transaction related. It is shown that these factors are capable of influencing the value of a technological asset that is exchanged in the context of a busi...
... of managers and practitioners as well (Pappas and Remer, 1985; Brown and Svenson, 1988; Sivat... more ... of managers and practitioners as well (Pappas and Remer, 1985; Brown and Svenson, 1988; Sivathanu and Srinivasa, 1996; Werner and Souder, 1997; Hauser, 1998; Driva and Pawar, 1999; Driva et al., 2000; Poh et al., 2001; Loch and Tapper, 2002; Godener and Soderquist ...
CHAPTER 1 AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF TSS FIRMS: INSIGHTS FROM THE ITALIAN NANOTECH INDUSTRY Vitto... more CHAPTER 1 AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF TSS FIRMS: INSIGHTS FROM THE ITALIAN NANOTECH INDUSTRY Vittorio Chiesa, Alfredo De Massis, and Federico Frattini Politecnico di Milano, Italy Private service firms have ... Arora, A., A. Fosfuri and A. Gambardella (2001). ...
Intangible assets are increasingly considered the ultimate roots of company's success. This paper... more Intangible assets are increasingly considered the ultimate roots of company's success. This paper aims to propose a method to estimate the value embedded in R&D activities, which could be used for: (i) a una tantum evaluation of a firm's value, related to specific actions such as mergers, acquisition, etc.; and (ii) a periodic evaluation, with the perspective of the economic reporting, focused to estimate the R&D shareholder value creation. The proposed framework is based on the assumption that there is a strong relationship between the R&D contribution to shareholder value and the operational performance of R&D activities. The paper describes such a framework as well as an empirical application.
Managing R&D in the semiconductor industry has long been a purely technological matter, with ... more Managing R&D in the semiconductor industry has long been a purely technological matter, with major improvements driven by the development of new solutions for computing systems. The advent of digital convergence actually opened up new opportunities for semiconductor companies to address an increasing number of final products, belonging to different markets and industries. Gathering these opportunities, however, requires a new approach in the management of R&D, ldquocouplingrdquo different technological vectors with different market needs. The paper proposes a framework of analysis and discusses major trade-offs to be faced by semiconductor companies to succeed in this task.
Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 2004
The 'life science'revolution related to the development of biotechnology affects many d... more The 'life science'revolution related to the development of biotechnology affects many different markets. In the pharmaceutical business new drugs are continuously developed, tested, and submitted to governmental institutions for the required approval. In the ...
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing a performance measurement... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing a performance measurement system (PMS) for research and development (R&D) activities; in particular, it investigates if and how different objectives for the PMS use influence the design of its constitutive elements.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was first conducted, aimed at identifying the constitutive elements of a PMS for R&D and the major purposes for its use. Then, a multiple case study involving four Italian technology‐intensive firms was undertaken for investigating the relationship between PMS constitutive elements and measurement purposes.FindingsDifferent PMS objectives imply significantly different design choices for constitutive elements. Even when companies are very different in terms of size and sector of activity, similar objectives lead to very similar PMSs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is qualitative. Further research should aim to increase the rationality and obj...
Commercialization is known to be a critical stage of the technological innovation process, mainly... more Commercialization is known to be a critical stage of the technological innovation process, mainly because of the high risks and costs that it entails. Despite this, many scholars consider it to be often the least well managed phase of the entire innovation process, and there is ample empirical evidence corroborating this belief. In high-tech markets, the difficulties encountered by firms in commercializing technological innovation are exacerbated by the volatility, interconnectedness, and proliferation of new technologies that characterize such markets. This is clearly evinced by the abundance of new high-tech products that fail on the market chiefly due to poor commercialization. Yet there is no clear understanding, in management theory and practice, of how commercialization decisions influence the market failure of new high-tech products. Drawing on research in innovation management, diffusion of innovation, and marketing, this article shows how commercialization decisions can influence consumer acceptance of a new high-tech product in two major ways: (i) by affecting the extent to which the players in the innovation's adoption network support the new product; (ii) by affecting the post-purchase attitude early adopters develop toward the innovation, and hence the type of wordof-mouth (positive or negative) they disseminate among later adopters. Lack of support from the adoption network is found to be an especially critical cause of failure for systemic innovations, while a negative post-purchase attitude of early adopters is a more significant determinant of market failure for radical innovations. There follows a historical analysis of eight innovations launched on consumer high-tech markets (Apple Newton, IBM PC-Junior, Tom Tom GO, Sony Walkman, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Sony MiniDisc, Palm Pilot, and Nintendo NES), which illustrates how commercialization decisions (i.e., timing, targeting and positioning, interfirm relationships, product configuration, distribution, advertising, and pricing) can determine lack of support from the innovation's adoption network and a negative post-purchase attitude of early adopters. The results of this work provide useful insights for improving the commercialization decisions of product and marketing managers operating in high-technology markets, helping them avoid errors that are precursors of market failure. It is also hoped the article will inform further research aimed at identifying, theoretically and empirically, other possible causes of poor customer acceptance in high-tech markets. Ã The authors are grateful to Joe Tidd and Qing Wang for their comments on an early version of the article. We also thank Professor Anthony Di Benedetto and two anonymous reviewers of JPIM for their insightful suggestions. The assistance of Valentina Pavone and Elena Regazzoni with data collection is gratefully acknowledged.
International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2008
... Way of production and delivery, Client firm's sector of activity, Input (compete... more ... Way of production and delivery, Client firm's sector of activity, Input (competence/technology) ... case study the manipulated information was aggregated in order to obtain a systematic description of ... the development process and brings them into the market Is a polymer process ...
International Journal of Innovation Management, 2010
Existing empirical research indicates that strong organizational barriers and inertia need to be ... more Existing empirical research indicates that strong organizational barriers and inertia need to be overcome to ensure a smooth transition of a firm's approach to technological innovation from Closed to Open Innovation. The objective of the paper is to study how firms can identify, plan, and manage a pilot project so as to unfreeze the status quo and prepare the ground for a successful shift toward Open Innovation. Integrating existing literature in the field of innovation management, organizational change and project management, the paper develops a conceptual framework which identifies three steps a pilot project goes through (i.e. conception, realization and transfer of project's results) and the aspects that should be looked at along these stages so as to mobilize the organization and revolutionize its strategic approach to innovation management. These issues are investigated using a multiple case study involving 4 firms that can be considered as "early adopters" ...
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Papers by V. Chiesa