An integration framework of innovation assessment for the knowledge-intensive service industry

Abstract

As innovation becomes critical in the trend of the knowledge economy and there is significant growth in the knowledge-intensive service industry (KISI), this study tries to explore the nature of the KISI and the concept of innovation measurement. We suggest the three dimensions of the assessment – capability, behaviour and performance – as the basic conceptual building stones linking the system view of innovation and the target – KISI – to establish an integration framework. An illustrative case of the Industrial Technology and Research Institute (ITRI), the largest nonprofit R&D institute in Taiwan, was conducted to show the actual application of the framework. The integration framework provides better support to the explanation of the assessment results with the diagnostic and strategic management of innovation problems. It is helpful to reveal in-depth issues, such as the innovation performance may not be good in spite of good capability, or that a good performance may not be sustainable due to weak capability and aberrant behaviour. An assessment with higher resolution may be needed to produce more significant indicators for the specific types of KISI in future research.