Innovative Generation Research Articles

A new model of pairing for innovation in management higher education: implications for the management field

This article presents the explication of a novel conceptual model, supported by the innovation literature, that comprises three main sequential phases of pairing, categorised as basic, intermediate and complex, during specific weeks of the three to four months of the academic semester for application in management postsecondary education environments. In the phases of this model, single intrinsic factors in pairing for innovation refer to pairing individuals based on a single internal factor, such as a particular demographic or personality trait. Conversely, single extrinsic factors in the model signify a single external influence on pairing for innovation, such as postsecondary instructor guidance of pairs. The primary objective of the pairing for innovation model in this article is to guide management higher education instructors and faculty members in their pairing of students for generation of innovation to solve problems within and advance the management field.

Применение водопогружного гидрогенератора комбинированного возбуждения в качестве альтернативного источника энергии для малых и средних рек

The article analyzes the energy potential of small rivers in Russia and the CIS. The energy potential of small rivers several times exceeds that of the large ones. However, there are several obstacles that hinder the development of small river energy generation. These include environmental problems, high financial costs associated with the launch of small hydropower plants, difficulties with obtaining high-quality electricity arising due to seasonal changes in river water consumption. The paper proposes an innovative generator to resolve these issues. This generator is a hydro generator of submersible type with combined excitation. It is small in size thanks to the use of permanent magnets, while it feautures excitation winding to regulate the magnetic flux. The generator has a complex magnetic circuit, so a program Ansys Electronics Desktop is used for its analysis. The developed digital model of the generator shows good convergence with the real generator in terms of the main parameters and characteristics. The paper also presents the results of the research.

ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY OF INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES IN TRADITIONAL SECTORS IN THE STATE OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to assess processes related to absorptive capacity (AC) dimensions in innovation-generating companies of traditional sectors in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Originality/value: Companies may establish differential advantages in the market due to how far they apply acquired knowledge and use organizational mechanisms. These mechanisms include intangible elements essential to the development of AC, a capacity that companies do not often recognize as important to generate innovation. Based on previous studies, we established a summary of AC elements and AC within its different dimensions. Then we created an assessment tool for AC analysis and knowledge generation dynamics in innovative micro-processes in organizations of the traditional sectors. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire with 47 items to assess potential and realized AC and their dimensions. We assessed two companies on their AC. These companies were participants of a project of the Núcleo de Apoio à Gestão da Inovação (Nagirs) of Instituto Euvaldo Lodi (IEL) in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, oriented to enhance innovation in traditional sectors. This study used content analysis and compared the evidence found with findings in the literature. Findings: The results suggested that, in companies of traditional sectors, AC can be considered explicative to innovation generation and the organizational dynamics orchestrating mechanisms for knowledge renewal. Data reveals that knowledge renewal requires managers and qualified workers’ engagement in search and application of external information that responds to the company’s strategic challenges. The study also contributes to establishing an assessment tool for AC in companies of traditional sectors.

Uncertainty quantification method for RELAP5-3D© using RAVEN and application on NACIE experiments

The best estimate plus uncertainty (BEPU) method plays a key role in the development of the innovative Generation IV nuclear reactors, for the improvement of knowledge and the good evaluation of the safety margins for new phenomena. The aim of this paper is to validate an uncertainty quantification (UQ) approach using RAVEN code. RAVEN, developed at the Idaho National Laboratory, is a multipurpose probabilistic and uncertainty quantification framework, capable to communicate with any system code, implemented with an integrated validation methodology involving several different metrics. In this activity, a coupled calculation RELAP5-3D/RAVEN has been performed to assess the validity of the embedded UQ approach. The simulations have concerned two tests conducted on NACIE (NAtural CIrculation Experiment) facility, a non-nuclear loop-type system using Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) as coolant, realized at the ENEA Brasimone Research Centre (Italy) to support the development of the GEN-IV reactors. The experimental tests are aimed to investigate the phenomena related to the natural and gas enhanced circulation flow regimes of heavy liquid metals (HLM), and to test and validate the main components in a LBE environment. A numerical 1D model of NACIE facility has been realized and the post-test analysis has been carried out using RELAP5-3D© ver. 4.3.4. Based on these results, a statistical analysis has been performed using RAVEN computer code, investigating the capability of three probabilistic comparison metrics fully integrated in the code.

Znaczenie innowacyjności w gospodarce regionów

Innowacyjność jako narzędzie przedsiębiorczości jest jednym z najważniejszych zasobów wpływających na tempo procesów gospodarczych. Skupia się ona w głównej mierze na określaniu pozycji konkurencyjnej przedsiębiorstw, sektorów gospodarki, poszczególnych państw, regionów, gmin oraz integrujących się krajów. Innowacyjność gospodarki określa się najczęściej jako motywację uczestników procesów gospodarczych do ciągłego poszukiwania nowych wyników badań, nowych koncepcji i pomysłów do wytwarzania ulepszonych urządzeń, materiałów oraz usług kierowanych na rynek. Innowacyjność regionu jest funkcją takich cech, jak: motywacja, zdolności przedsiębiorstw do poszukiwania nowych pomysłów, koncepcji i wynalazków oraz ulepszania już powstałych, współpracy między przedsiębiorstwami, lokalnych umiejętności i doświadczeń, współpracy sfery publicznej z przedsiębiorstwami, współpracy nauki z przedsiębiorstwami. Efektywność tych powiązań przenosi się na stopień generowania oraz absorpcji innowacji w regionie. Przedmiotem niniejszego opracowania jest określenie znaczenia innowacyjności w gospodarce regionów. Celem stało się wskazanie roli innowacji w procesie konkurencyjności regionów. Pomiar innowacyjności jest bowiem istotnym narzędziem różnicowania regionów, pozwalającym wskazać na obszary, od których zależy ich poziom rozwoju. Z przeprowadzonej analizy wynika, że w procesie tworzenia nowych technologii, przenikania innowacji i zarządzania transferem, najważniejsza jest współpraca przedsiębiorstw i naukowców, będąca podstawowym poziomem wzajemnych relacji w regionie. Władza samorządowa nie uczestniczy bezpośrednio w tworzeniu technologii, ale odgrywa bardzo ważną rolę w tworzeniu warunków do kształtowania GOW, często też sama kreuje transfer technologii z nauki do biznesu.

Phototrophic marine benthic microbiomes: the ecophysiology of these biological entities.

Phototrophic biofilms are multispecies, self-sustaining and largely closed microbial ecosystems. They form macroscopic structures such as microbial mats and stromatolites. These sunlight-driven consortia consist of a number of functional groups of microorganisms that recycle the elements internally. Particularly, the sulfur cycle is discussed in more detail as this is fundamental to marine benthic microbial communities and because recently exciting new insights have been obtained. The cycling of elements demands a tight tuning of the various metabolic processes and require cooperation between the different groups of microorganisms. This is likely achieved through cell-to-cell communication and a biological clock. Biofilms may be considered as a macroscopic biological entity with its own physiology. We review the various components of some marine phototrophic biofilms and discuss their roles in the system. The importance of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as the matrix for biofilm metabolism and as substrate for biofilm microorganisms is discussed. We particularly assess the importance of extracellular DNA, horizontal gene transfer and viruses for the generation of genetic diversity and innovation, and for rendering resilience to external forcing to these biological entities.

Absorptive Capacities and Innovation in Graduated Companies from a Business Incubator in the North of Mexico

<strong>The aim of this research is to identify the relationship between absorptive capacities and the generation of innovation, as well as their level of influence in companies graduated from an incubator in the north of Mexico. Through a quantitative research, correlational with a non-experimental design, a sample of 100 companies was obtained. The hypotheses of the study were partially approved, finding that the entrepreneurs were able to acquire, assimilate and transform the process of absorptive capacity, generating incremental innovation which is an intangible asset with high value for organizations.</strong>

Robust control of a HESG for a wind energy application

Lately, robust control strategies have been of much interest in the domain of Wind Conversion System (WCS). The purpose of this paper is to validate a robust control scheme for a stand-alone WCS, based on a Hybrid Excitation Synchronous Generator (HESG), in its maximum power point tracking (MPPT) zone. This research is motivated by the use of a HESG in a WCS. Previous works involving HESG deal mostly with the structural features of this innovative generator. Here, the focus is mainly on the development of an efficient and reliable control strategy for the hybrid generator in the wind energy field. The control is synthesized using a PI controller for the excitation current loop and an H∞ controller for the velocity loop. A step-by-step procedure for designing the velocity controller is presented.In the proposed approach, an accurate equivalent model of a WCS is implemented under Matlab-Simulink software. A two-mass mechanical model of a wind turbine is proposed in order to properly analyze the dynamics of the flexible shaft and thereby avoid any possible instability of the drive train. The effects of the generator’s space harmonics and converters’ commutations on the control are taken into account. Robustness tests are performed. Despite the generator complexity, good simulation results are obtained. An experimental implementation on a test bench is realized in order to further validate the efficiency of the proposed control strategy and thereby prove the applicability of a HESG in the wind energy field.

Approaches to Ensuring the Sustainability of Industrial Enterprises of Different Technological Levels

This article is aimed at determining the areas for ensuring the sustainability of development of an industrial enterprise, depending on whether it belongs to the high-tech or low-tech sector. Semantic analysis, correlation-regression analysis, fuzzy logic and real option are used as research tools. The results of the research demonstrate that sustainability of representatives of high-tech industries depends on the specifics of generation and integration of innovations, while for representatives of low-tech industries this factor is of little significance. As a result, two fundamentally different tools are proposed to ensure sustainability of enterprise development. For low-tech industrial enterprises it is a model for predicting the level of sustainability of counterparty development based on a real option, and for high-tech industrial enterprises, it is a model for evaluating the prospects of innovative solutions based on fuzzy logic. The formed tools, if used by industrial enterprises and public institutions, will help to balance the development of industry and, as a result, will allow the country to obtain stable competitive positions in the global economy.

State of the art on the role of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving in Sustainable Product-Service Systems: Past, Present, and Future

The transition towards Sustainable Product-Service Systems (SPSS) is not an easy journey. The literature indicates several difficulties in obtaining success in the development of SPSS offers. These hardships indicate the need for well-structured methods supporting the systematic generation of sustainable innovations and solving contradictions during the stages of the servitization process. The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is worldwide recognized by its potential to systematically solve contradictions and generate innovations. However, the research framework available and its application into SPSS domain· are still very limited. Thus, to address this gap, this paper aims to explore the contributions and challenges of the adoption of TRIZ in the development of SPSSs. A systematic literature review of the foundations and advances in this topic was conducted. The primary results indicate the main contributions from TRIZ to SPSS development, the types of eco-innovations resulting, the artifacts (e.g. models, methods, proposition or instantiation) that applied TRIZ towards SPSS and the most frequent category of PSS resulting according to TRIZ. Findings suggest that the systematic innovation proposed by TRIZ has great potential to enable the development of systematic SPSS offers. Synergies between TRIZ and the sustainable strategies of Cleaner Production also were mapped. Finally, our study proposes a research agenda and indicate the main challenges to apply the TRIZ in SPSS models. A new concept emerges in servitization field: the Systematic and Sustainable Product-Service Systems (SSPSS).

Indicadores de gobernanza territorial de los objetivos del Plan Nacional del Buen Vivir (PNBV 2013-2017), Ecuador

The purpose of this article is to analyze the variables and their indicators of territorial governance contained on National Secretariat of Planning and Development Report: Objectives and indicators of support for the National Plan for Good Living 2013-2017. Using Whittingham’s taxonomy, there are 37 indicators of territorial governance (25 %), distributed in: efficiency 65%, equity 13.5%, participation 10.8%, accountability 8 % and, human resource development 2.7%; there is omission of important indicators in all these variables, lack of training for the public servant, underestimation of processes of accountability and representation of interest groups, as well as neglect of the institutional mechanisms of citizen participation, revealing a focused governance model in the state. At the regional level, there were improvements in most of the indicators, but stagnation in the field of higher education, committing future processes of generation and transfer of innovations, which are keys for development.

Scientists’ involvement in partnership for generation and dissemination of horticultural technologies and innovation in Africa

Scientists’ involvement in partnership for generation and dissemination of horticultural technologies and innovation in Africa

Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Performance in Retail and Hospitality Industries

In the service sector, technological innovation is typically dominated by suppliers, and hence involves external knowledge that can be easily acquired and imitated by competitors. However, innovation that can sustain superior performance in retail and hospitality firms tends to be internal and non-technical, involving business models. Building on the perspectives of the resource-based view and dynamic capability, this study aims to understand how industry turbulence in retail and hospitality affects the sustainable competitive advantage of the firms operating in these service industries. Based on a quantitative study of 214 retail and food services companies, our study has empirically demonstrated that firms operating in an industry with high turbulence have a higher probability of achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Second, our findings establish that a firm’s business model innovation (BMI) activities partially mediate this positive relationship. This suggests that BMI plays a role in enhancing the firm’s ability to address the challenges of the present, as well as prepare itself to adapt to the industry evolution and revolution of the future. BMI not only influences the acquisition and application of external innovations, it also affects the generation of internal innovations.

Patentes Farmacêuticas e Biofarmacêuticas: A Oportunidade Dos Países Farmaemergentes

Countries with emerging pharmaceutical market (pharmerging countries) has gained prominence in the international scenario because they are identified as the future responsible for the sustainable growth of the new medicines sale. In this work, a technological and industrial mapping was developed through the analysis of patent data extracted from the Derwent World Patent Index, as well as an association with R&D reports. Pharmerging countries were not represented by the industries that most invest in R&D, nor do they stand out in patent protection, poiting to low exploitation of their markets and inexpressive innovation indices. It is suggested that the pharmerging countries adopt public policies aimed at the innovation generation, especially in the biopharmaceutical segment that has proven to have much to be explored, in order to gain a competitive advantage

An Extended Hackathon Model for Collaborative Education in Medical Innovation.

To support the next generation of healthcare innovators - whether they be engineers, designers, clinicians, or business experts by training - education in the emerging field of medical innovation should be made easily and widely accessible to undergraduate students, graduate students, and young professionals, early in their careers. Currently, medical innovation curricula are taught through semester-long courses or year-long fellowships at a handful of universities, reaching only a limited demographic of participants. This study describes the structure and preliminary outcomes of a 1-2week "extended hackathon" course that seeks to make medical innovation education and training more accessible and easily adoptable for academic medical centers. Eight extended hackathons were hosted in five international locations reaching 245 participants: Beijing (June 2015 and August 2016), Hong Kong (June 2016, 2017, and 2018), Curitiba (July 2016), Stanford (October 2017), and São Paulo (May 2018). Pre- and post-hackathon surveys asking respondents to self-assess their knowledge in ten categories of medical innovation were administered to quantify the perceived degree of learning. Participants hailed from a diverse range of educational backgrounds, domains of expertise, and academic institutions. On average, respondents (n = 161) saw a greater than twofold increase (114.1%, P < 0.001) from their pre- to post-hackathon scores. In this study, the extended hackathon is presented as a novel educational model to teach undergraduate and graduate students a foundational skillset for medical innovation. Participants reported gaining significant knowledge across all ten categories assessed. To more robustly assess the educational value of extended hackathons, a standardized assessment for medical innovation knowledge needs to be developed, and a larger sample size of participants surveyed.

Actores, relaciones estructurales y causalidad en la innovación inclusiva: un caso de telemedicina en México

El análisis de la innovación inclusiva ha cobrado cada vez mayor importancia en la literatura sobre innovaciones orientadas al desarrollo. Este trabajo se ubica en esta discusión y analiza cómo la generación de productos y servicios innovadores puede convertirse en una solución a problemas de exclusión social. La metodología combina el estudio de caso con el análisis estructural-causal. El caso estudiado es un proyecto de telemedicina en México. Mediante la identificación de actores y factores/hechos determinantes de este tipo de innovaciones se extraen y estilizan las relaciones estructurales-causales detrás de la generación de una innovación de productos inclusivos. La evidencia sugiere que las innovaciones inclusivas, en países en desarrollo, dependen del financiamiento público y requieren de la interacción sistémica de múltiples actores sociales, en los que el aprendizaje interactivo es una condición necesaria pero no suficiente para la generación y sostenibilidad de estas innovaciones. Se argumenta que una traba importante es la falta de incentivos económicos para las empresas, para que la política pública sea una herramienta que permita articular intereses público-privados. Asimismo, la falta de visión de los actores involucrados puede frenar los resultados inclusivos, desperdiciando recursos y capacidades generadas por proyectos piloto.

The Future of the Italian Electricity Generation Sector. An Analysis of the Possible Strategic Models

The present paper investigates the possible future evolution of the Italian power system. In particular, the generation sector is considered by analyzing its recent development, which has been pushed forward by EU regulations which support the deployment of renewables-based power plants. These radical changes will determine a restructuring of the system and it is therefore of fundamental importance to try to understand which trajectories its possible evolution could take according to different market and economic conditions. To this aim, a scenario analysis is implemented in order to determine the strategic implications that the various situations can yield for the generators. As a result, four strategic models are envisaged, namely Traditional Generator, Innovative Generator, Green Generator, and Energy Service Provider.

Developing Next Generation of Innovators: Teaching Entrepreneurial Mindset Elements across Disciplines

The purpose of our project was to explore the explicit or implicit engagement of faculty members across the curriculum in teaching the entrepreneurial mindset. We begin by defining entrepreneurship on a spectrum, recognizing the contextual nature and psychological development associated with entrepreneurial thinking. We developed a self-report survey containing a combination of quantitative and qualitative items to determine faculty member knowledge of entrepreneurship and their engagement in teaching elements of the entrepreneurial mindset. We surveyed the faculty at a primarily teaching university in the western United States. Sixty-four faculty members (~20%) with representation from across the disciplines completed our survey. We found constrained knowledge of entrepreneurship, indications of teaching elements of the entrepreneurial mindset, and approaches to assignments that were limited in scope for fostering entrepreneurial thinking. The implications of our research are a need for professional development to enhance faculty members’ knowledge of entrepreneurial thinking and support for instructional and content choices that could enhance student development of an entrepreneurial mindset.

Drivers of innovation in tourism: An econometric study

This article analyzes the determinants of three types of innovation output—product, process, and organizational, generated by Australian tourism firms. It examines how collaboration, human capital, information technology, funding, firm, and market characteristics impact innovation outcomes. Of the inputs, collaboration for innovation is the one with a positive impact on the three types of innovation outputs. Human capital also contributes to the innovation process. However, its impacts are strongly felt only in the generation of product and organizational innovation. Information and communication technology is vital to the implementation of operational process and organizational innovations, while funding influences the implementation of new operational processes. Of firm and market characteristics, foreign ownership, degree of competition, and firm size have significant impacts on innovation intensity among firms.

El papel de la confianza en proyectos de innovación colaborativa. Propuesta teórico-metodológica

Este artículo aborda el papel de la confianza en la generación de innovación colaborativa. Se analizan las metodologías de investigación, antecedentes, temporalidad y conceptualización de la confianza. Lo anterior se enlaza con sus dimensiones y formas de operacionalización que se han utilizado en diferentes contextos para entender la innovación colaborativa. Se desarrolla un modelo teórico-metodológico para explicar la construcción de la confianza en proyectos de innovación, como un proceso complejo y costoso. El modelo puede ser aplicado en distintos ámbitos, incluido el territorial, por ejemplo, en la evaluación de los sistemas de innovación regionales.