Research And Technology Organisations Research Articles

Commercialising the Advanced Materials R&D in the Indian Ecosystem

Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) are expected to manage the value chain involving the development, demonstration and transfer of technologies. Different technology commercialisation (TC) models, which provide a guiding framework for the management of this value chain, have been proposed in the recent past. The capability of these TC models to address challenges specifically associated with the commercialisation of advanced materials technologies is assessed and a conceptual model is proposed. A case study associated with the commercialisation of advanced materials technology is used to refine the conceptual model. It was found that the conceptual model requires appropriate adjustments especially when an RTO and an industrial organisation have collaboratively worked to realise successful commercialisation.

Quantitative Evaluation of Assessment Items of the Technology Audit Method for Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)

Applied research and development (R&D) organisations strive to develop technological solutions that translate results from research and science into state-of-the-art products and services. As advanced technological capability is essential to their competitiveness, they need to be able to analyse and evaluate their technological capabilities. Hence, a tool or method is required that objectively and practically assesses the technological capability of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) while meeting their unique requirements. The technology audit enables the assessment of the technological capability and thus the technological maturity of an RTO. It focuses on the analysis of the research activities in the R&D service areas of the RTO. This allows for a comprehensive understanding of the technologies used, the research competencies, the technologies developed, and the established technology partnerships of the RTO. In this context of the development of a suitable technology audit methodology, this paper aims to describe the process of validation of assessment items for evaluating the technological maturity of applied R&D organisations. After a brief overview of the technology audit method and the assessment dimensions and items, the focus is placed on the process of its validation. An expert survey using a questionnaire was created and used to evaluate the relevance of the 11 assessment items for the technology audit instrument in the three dimensions of Technology Base, Products & Services and Cooperation, as well as the respective aspects within each assessment item. This evaluation is intended to validate the selection of the items and to specify their respective importance to ultimately optimise the process of auditing applied R&D organisations.

Economic Footprint of a Large French Research and Technology Organisation in Europe: Deciphering a Simplified Model and Appraising the Results

Europe has seen the importance of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) grow in recent years. This is hardly surprising given that their main mission is to harness science and technology to foster innovation that can improve the quality of life and boost economic competitiveness. In the current economic context, it is key to demonstrate the positive impact of their activities on the economy and society, i.e. spin-offs, considering that they receive public subsidies. Accordingly, the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) published a report in March 2018 that details the economic footprint of 9 of its members, which includes the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). This French organisation, whose budget represents 60% of the total budget from all 9 RTOs, was the subject of a separate calculation in the framework of the research carried out for the paper: data was provided by the CEA and simulation was performed on the basis of the model provided by IDEA Consult. This article deals with the provision of empirical results about the CEA and makes a comparison with the results obtained for the 9 RTOs using the same methodology. This case study highlights information that can be used to provide a more accurate assessment of the CEA’s economic impact based on its specificities compared with its European counterparts. In addition to estimating the economic spin-offs of technology transfers, it is equally important to take into account value creation associated with the procurement of high technology—the impact of “big science”—which is substantial in the CEA’s defence sector and undervalued in the economic model used by IDEA Consult. Thanks to a literature review summarising the advantages and limitations of the different impact assessment approaches and thanks to interviews at CEA management level—that helped us to better understand the impact-generating mechanisms—the paper opens new avenues of research to improve the methodology for measuring the impact of research organisations that are very diverse in their duties. The new methodology proposed takes into account the spillovers of their activities, as well as offering useful approaches for governments and the European Commission. More specifically, it proposes to apply the same methodology—in the opposite direction—to measure the spin-offs of the contract research activities (with a multiplier as in the methodology used by IDEA Consult) and to estimate the science market characterised by very specific calls for tender that generate innovation. Using the same model, we therefore propose to couple an estimate of the footprint of jobs and standard purchases, with an estimate of the spin-offs linked to both technology transfers (RTO to industry) and to high-tech purchases (industry to RTO).

Explaining the competitive advantage in strategic research and technology management for research and technology organisations

Effective management of research and technology organisations (RTOs), lie in creating and delivering competitive advantage through creating value for customers. Due to the absence of models that explains the competitive advantage in RTOs, this study attempts to define the competitive advantage in strategic research and technology management in RTOs. Regarding to the identity of RTOs which is fully mixed with knowledge and technology, the base of competition in this category of organisations is providing integrated technology-based solutions for related businesses. Hence, the basis of discussion regarding strategic management in this area is interwoven to the concept of rapid technological changes and consequently dynamic capability with emphasis on technological innovation and entrepreneurship. Therefore, the latest theories of strategic management with an emphasis on dynamic capabilities (and evolutionary approaches) were used to develop a model in order to explain the competitive advantage in strategic research and technology management in RTOs.

Explaining the competitive advantage in strategic research and technology management for research and technology organisations

Effective management of research and technology organisations (RTOs), lie in creating and delivering competitive advantage through creating value for customers. Due to the absence of models that explains the competitive advantage in RTOs, this study attempts to define the competitive advantage in strategic research and technology management in RTOs. Regarding to the identity of RTOs which is fully mixed with knowledge and technology, the base of competition in this category of organisations is providing integrated technology-based solutions for related businesses. Hence, the basis of discussion regarding strategic management in this area is interwoven to the concept of rapid technological changes and consequently dynamic capability with emphasis on technological innovation and entrepreneurship. Therefore, the latest theories of strategic management with an emphasis on dynamic capabilities (and evolutionary approaches) were used to develop a model in order to explain the competitive advantage in strategic research and technology management in RTOs.

LA INNOVACION ABIERTA EN LOS CENTROS TECNOLOGICOS: UNA EXPLORACION DEL FENÓMENO

This article empirically analyses open innovation (OI) in 37 Spanish research and technology organisations (RTOs) based on a survey carried out among their managers. The research shows the wide use of OI by the RTOs, in accordance with their role as intermediaries in innovation systems. In comparison with companies, RTOs show skills in the management of AI emphasising its use as a strategy for responding to the demands of companies, improving their technology and ensuring its sustainability, while the search for efficiency and the risks reduction in innovation are less relevant. Additionally, several key improvement areas for RTOs are identified (international collaboration, knowledge exploitation practices, OI management and IPR protection). Key Words: Open Innovation, research and technology organisations, organisational aperture, intellectual property, management

Explaining the evolution stages of strategic roles of research and technology management

In today's hyper competitive environment, research and technology organisations (RTOs) require comprehensive and extraordinary ability in research and technology management (RTM) through adoption of strategic approaches to survive and fulfil their mission effectively. By taking a strategic approach, strategic roles of RTM in activities of RTOs with a four-stage evolutionary model in a continuum from a completely neutral and passive position to an active and highly influential position is analysable. Hence in this paper, the evolution and development stages of the strategic roles of RTM and characteristics of each stage are discussed. Then, the essentials to move towards development stages of RTM are described and suggestions on managing the required changes are presented. Finally, managerial implications for the managers of RTOs who aim to move to the fourth stage of the evolution of RTM are discussed.

Collaborative Innovation by Intermediaries: Knowledge and Network Roles

The article examines the knowledge and network role of innovation intermediaries in collaborative projects using empirical evidence from Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) based in Europe. Adopting a sequential mix method research design, the paper finds that two different roles performed by innovation intermediaries in collaborative projects, namely knowledge and network roles, have differential impact on the generation of different types of innovation. The knowledge role of innovation intermediaries is conducive to the generation of exploratory innovation, whereas their network role contributes only to the development of exploitative innovation. Interestingly, both internal and relational capabilities are found to have a mediating role through which the network and knowledge roles of innovation intermediaries enhance exploitative and exploratory innovation.

Open innovation in Russian state-owned enterprises

ABSTRACTThis paper studies open innovation practices in Russian state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In 2011, the Russian Government set ambitious goals in science, technology and innovation, and uses its large SOEs as channels to achieve these targets. These initiatives focus on the collaboration among innovation actors and introduce open innovation (OI) principles. Based on a large-scale innovation survey, we compare private enterprises to state-owned peers and present selected case studies. Our data support the claim that Russian SOEs are driving the demand for technology and mainly absorb incoming OI activities. Different to their peers, SOEs extend their OI activities to the country’s knowledge producers, such as research and technology organisations (RTOs), and leading universities. They work on incorporating scientific knowledge that could, indeed, hold the key to globally competitive technological innovations, but also have better capabilities to include business partners.Abbreviation: OI: Open innovation; SOE: State-owned enterprise; RTO: Research and technology organisation; STI: Science, technology and innovation.

Strategic research and technology management in research and technology organisations

By using extended case study, this paper represents an inductive model of strategic research and technology management in research and technology organisations (RTOs) which extends the domain of the management of RTOs literature. Findings of this study are based on a field investigation of four large RTOs of a single industry. By using the view and perspectives of those involved in strategic research and technology planning and its implication, relevant factors have identified and categorised into six major themes or 'core categories'. These categories shape the strategic research and technology management in RTOs. By conducting a deep literature review (within and without RTO management and strategic management) and an exploratory research, this paper develops a theoretical description of factors that comprise strategic research and technology management process in RTOs. As a step towards improving previous work of Rush et al. and Bozeman, the 'picture' represented in this study is consistent with the researchers mentioned. This paper's findings are important as they contribute to the practitioners understanding of the nature of these inter related factors and may lead to a better understanding of how strategic research and technology management process in RTOs can be managed more effectively.

Strategic research and technology management in research and technology organisations

By using extended case study, this paper represents an inductive model of strategic research and technology management in research and technology organisations (RTOs) which extends the domain of the management of RTOs literature. Findings of this study are based on a field investigation of four large RTOs of a single industry. By using the view and perspectives of those involved in strategic research and technology planning and its implication, relevant factors have identified and categorised into six major themes or 'core categories'. These categories shape the strategic research and technology management in RTOs. By conducting a deep literature review (within and without RTO management and strategic management) and an exploratory research, this paper develops a theoretical description of factors that comprise strategic research and technology management process in RTOs. As a step towards improving previous work of Rush et al. and Bozeman, the 'picture' represented in this study is consistent with the researchers mentioned. This paper's findings are important as they contribute to the practitioners understanding of the nature of these inter related factors and may lead to a better understanding of how strategic research and technology management process in RTOs can be managed more effectively.

Developing a strategic research and technology management model based on strategic entrepreneurship approach

Effective management of research and technology organisations (RTOs) in the turbulent environment is challenging and required using innovative strategic approach to facing with it. One of these approaches is the strategic entrepreneurship, which this study uses to strategic view to the management of RTOs. In this study, with the review of previous studies in the field of strategic entrepreneurship by an emphasis on empirical evidence from those, in the innovative framework using configuration methodology, a conceptual model for strategic research and technology management based on strategic entrepreneurship approach is presented. The existence of hyper competitive conditions which lead the RTOs to adopt entrepreneurial strategies is the reason of choosing strategic entrepreneurship approach for this study. Developed model consists of seven building blocks, including the resources and capabilities, networks and strategic alliances, resources orchestration, exploration process, exploitation process, technological achievements which have competitive advantage and lead to technological competitiveness of the industry. Results of analysis using the strategic entrepreneurship approach increases the strategic understanding of RTOs and specifically enhancing the understanding of how opportunity-seeking and advantage-seeking are value drivers in a RTOs.

Developing a strategic research and technology management model based on strategic entrepreneurship approach

Effective management of research and technology organisations (RTOs) in the turbulent environment is challenging and required using innovative strategic approach to facing with it. One of these app...

Innovation intermediaries and collaboration: Knowledge–based practices and internal value creation

This paper analyses how knowledge-based practices adopted by innovation intermediaries enable them to generate value for themselves when collaborating with their clients. While the literature focuses on value creation for their client organisations, little is known about how innovation intermediaries create internal value even though this is essential for ensuring their long-term survival and sustaining their key facilitating role in the innovation system. This understudied issue is explored using empirical evidence from a sub-set of innovation intermediaries, Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs). The results indicate that by capitalising on existing knowledge vested in employees and collaborators as well as understanding and shaping the knowledge base of the innovation ecosystem, innovation intermediaries generate internal value from their involvement in collaborative innovation, which range from different financial to non-financial types of value. Implications for intermediaries, their collaborators and for policymakers are then discussed.

KNOWLEDGE INPUTS TO SCIENCE- AND DEVELOPMENT-BASED REGIMES: EVIDENCE FROM THE BEHAVIOUR OF RUSSIAN RTOs

Little is known about how transfer processes are shaped by the underlying industry and its technical regimes. In our analysis, we differentiate between Science and Technology-modes of learning which incorporate the latest developments in research, and a more practice-oriented mode based on industry-specific knowledge. We test whether Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), that provide technology transfer to firms, follow one or the other mode in correspondence to their customer's needs. Our analysis is based on 67 Russian RTOs transferring technology either to low-tech or high-tech manufacturing firms. For high-tech manufacturing, the use of patents and the intake of scientists are vital for successful technology transfer. Own basic research is positively correlated only with transfer to low-tech manufacturing.

Strategic alliances for advanced materials' intellectual property value chain: research and technology organisation's perspective

Intellectual property value chains (IPVCs) comprise exploratory studies, laboratory demonstration, field tests, transfer and/or commercialisation of technologies. Strategic technological alliances (STAs) between different organisations aim at strengthening the IPVCs. This phenomenon has influenced research and technology organisations (RTOs) due to their important role in the IPVCs. Characteristics of technology area, e.g., advanced materials technology (AMT) for this paper, play a crucial role for such alliances. An RTO shall be responsible for arranging complementary assets during exploratory studies, laboratory demonstration and field test stages, while commercialising entity shall be responsible for assembly of complementary assets for competitive manufacturing and marketing. In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop two-step process including: 1) assessment of the level of technology development using intellectual property development indices (IPDIs) for advanced materials technologies; 2) proposing a matrix to assist RTOs in identifying the useful partners from industry, academia and R&D.

Creativity for service innovation: a practice-based perspective

Purpose– The success of service innovation is largely dependent on creativity. So far, however, the question of how to reinforce creativity in the development of innovative services, while being an important managerial issue, has not attracted much attention from the academics. The purpose of this paper is to fill in this gap, by studying what constitutes capabilities for reinforcing creativity in service innovation, from a practice-based perspective.Design/methodology/approach– Through the theoretical lens of the resource-based view we set out to conduct three case studies in highly service-innovative European research and technology organisations (RTOs). Through 24 interviews and analysis of secondary sources, we collect our data, which are then analysed from a multi-case perspective, in order to gain understanding on the resource-related practices and resulting capabilities for reinforcing creativity in service innovation.Findings– By studying the resource-related practices of reinforcing creativity in service innovation, this study brings about seven relevant capabilities; namely attracting, stimulating, combining, providing, breeding, opening up and accepting. In this perspective, our work represents an important theoretical contribution in terms of explicitly proposing specific capabilities for reinforcing service innovation creativity.Originality/value– The research is original for a couple of reasons. First, creativity in service innovation has not been explicitly studied before, especially through empirical research. Second, our findings offer a set of original capabilities propositions that can be practically applied in service-innovative organisations. Finally, our research is carried out in a novel field, as RTOs have rarely been studied regarding service innovation-related creativity, even though they represent a very interesting type of organisations in this perspective.

Systemic transformation, anticipatory culture, and knowledge spaces: constructing organisational capacities in roadmapping projects at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

This article suggests that, in the current interlinked innovation meta-system, research and technology organisations (RTOs) would benefit from developing two systemic capacities: partial structural openness enabling flexibility in organisation and an anticipatory culture that builds on an anticipatory agency, that is, a proactive participatory approach that leads to action. In this article, we explore the questions of systemic transformations and the building of an anticipatory culture in the context of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. First, we discuss the strategic development paths, anticipatory culture and systemic transformation capacities in the context of RTOs. Second, we show how process-based roadmapping can be applied in building the systemic transformation capacities and anticipatory culture. Third, we illustrate these notions by analysing four roadmapping projects as case studies.

Regional balance of technology transfer and innovation in transitional economy: empirical evidence from Russia

During the last decade, the role and meaning of research and technology organisations (RTOs) and their contribution to the innovation potential of countries has been questioned. In this paper, RTOs are understood as “…organisations with significant core government funding (25% or greater) which supply services to firms individually or collectively in support of scientific and technological innovation and which devote much of their capability (50% or more of their labour) to remaining integrated with the science base…” (Hales, 2001). Transitional economies like Russia face substantial challenges with national and regional innovation policies for supporting and enabling knowledge transfer. In this context, RTOs often maintain obsolete behavioural schemes of non-market public institutions isolated from the real economic sector. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate and explain some unexpected knowledge transfer phenomena crucial for efficient regional innovation policies using Russian RTOs as example.

The Internationalisation of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)—Conceptual Notions and Illustrative Examples from European RTOs in China

Recently, the internationalisation of business R&D has received much attention. Much less attention has been paid to another group of actors within national systems of innovation, namely, non-university research and technology organisations (RTOs). The article aims to conceptualise this highly diverse sector and to ascertain how its characteristics influence the internationalisation propensity of RTOs. The close relationship of RTOs with governments and their policies is seen as the most important aspect. The article presents the motives and strategies for R&D internationalisation of both the business and academic sectors, which together feed into the strategic considerations of RTOs. In addition, it provides (secondary) empirical evidence of RTO internationalisation activities and enriches the empirical foundation by providing qualitative insights from interviews with five European RTOs with representative offices in China. The focus on China is justified by its high level of ambition, investment and recent achievements in science and technology, and the great amount of R&D-related foreign direct investment in recent years. We conclude by drawing a tentative comparison of the internationalisation processes of enterprises and RTOs.