The Organization of Innovation Brokers: An International Review

Research on networks of innovation has typically focused on relationships of competition and collaboration between firms in the network, sometimes extending the analysis to sources of new ideas such as universities. More recently, attention has been paid to the activities of intermediaries in such networks, which facilitate the innovation process, which are positioned between the sources and users of innovations. This paper focuses on the organization of a distinctive type of intermediary, which we have defined as an innovation broker, by providing an analysis of 10 case studies of organizations dedicated to innovation broking from around the world. Innovation brokers in our definition are organizations that are founded especially to undertake an intermediary role, rather than performing that role as a by-product of their principal activities. The results of this analysis suggest that the key role played by innovation brokers in the innovation process is the independent validation of new ideas, thereby facilitating diffusion. In order to carry out this task, innovation brokers are organized on a not-for-profit basis, typically as a public–private partnership. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for innovation theory and research in networks of innovation.     

Establishment and embedding of innovation brokers at different innovation system levels: Insights from the Dutch agricultural sector

In the systems perspective on innovation, co-operation between several different types of actors is seen as key to successful innovation. Due to the existence of several gaps that hinder such effective co-operation, the scientific and policy literature persistently points at the need for intermediary organizations to fulfill bridging and brokerage roles. This paper aims to provide an overview of the insights from the literature on such ‘innovation brokers’, and to contribute to the literature by distilling lines of enquiry and providing insights on one of the lines identified. Taking as an empirical basis experiences with different types of innovation brokers that have emerged in the Dutch agricultural sector, it identifies a number of tensions with regard to the establishment and embedding of such organizations. The paper indicates that, despite being perceived to have a catalyzing effect on innovation, innovation brokers have difficulty in becoming embedded as their clients and/or financiers find it difficult to grasp the nature and value of their activities.     

农户中介组织选择行为分析

从种植户视角采用定量与定性相结合的方法研究苹果种植户与三类中介组织的行为关系规律,得出如下结论:分散的苹果收购商和种植户在苹果销售过程中需要中介组织发挥桥梁或纽带作用,目前,这个桥梁或纽带主要是由农民经纪人群体担当。苹果种植户组织化程度低使公司+基地+农户组织模式很难实现苹果贸易公司和苹果种植户之间产销的有效结合。农民专业合作经济组织的发展提高了苹果产业组织化程度,但导致相关利益主体的行为扭曲,其中主要表现是在现行的政府主导型、龙头企业及大户控制型、村社结合型等主要类型果农协会中,苹果种植户不同程度受到政府行政干预、龙头企业及大户控制、乡村级组织操纵而处于被动地位,其利益难以保障,协会对种植户苹果产后销售等服务明显缺位。     

企业网络能力对双元创新的影响机制

创新网络既是提高产业集群竞争力的重要基础,也是提高企业自身创新能力的有力保证。双元创新包括利用式创新和探索式创新,是企业创新过程中的两种模式。通过构建企业网络能力与双元创新概念模型,提出企业网络能力与双元创新正相关假设,通过收集生物医药、电子信息等高科技行业企业315份有效问卷进行模型验证。研究结果显示：网络能力与网络位置跃迁对企业双元创新有显著正向影响;网络位置跃迁在企业网络能力与双元创新之间起中介作用;环境不确定性在企业网络能力与网络位置跃迁的正向关系中起显著负向调节作用;创新支持氛围对企业网络能力与双元创新、网络能力与网络位置跃迁关系有显著正向调节效用。     

Informal boundary-spanning communication in the innovation process: an empirical study

The sources of ideas embodied uithln successful technological innovation have been a subject of interest in many studies since the 1950s. This research suggests that sources external to the innovating organization account for between 34% and 65% of the inputs important to the development of successful innovation. In addition, studies have long highlighted personal boundary-spanning communication as an important mechanism for the transference of such ideas. Despite this recognition, there has been little systematic evaluation of the role and importance of informal boundary-spanning communication in the innovation process. This paper provides the results of an empirical study, of the role and source of infomally derived inputs into the development products of 35 commercially successful innovations. It was found that inormal mechanisms were often enlployad to transfer ideas and information, as well as other resources, during the idea-generation, ,problem-solving and field-testing phases of these innovation projects. Indeed, the research indicates that the mobilization of informal boundary-spanning contacts and networks my ofen be an important, and sometimes critival, factor in successful innovation.     

农村经济组织形态的演变与创新——山东省莱阳市农业产业化调查报告

农业产业化的进程也是一个农村经济组织演变和创新的过程。作者在对山东省莱阳市调研的基础上描述和分析了这一历史过程。在农业产业化之初 ,农村的主要经济组织形式是合作社和“龙头企业 +农户”。但是 ,这两种组织形式都存在着一些缺陷。前者主要是受制于资金不足和缺乏抵押性资产 ;后者主要是契约不能对当事人构成有效约束。为了克服这些缺陷 ,有必要引入组织中介 ,形成新的组织形式———“龙头企业+合作社 +农户”或“龙头企业 +大户 +农户”。这种组织变革在一定程度上弥补了原有制度缺陷 ,从而在实践中日益发展成为农业产业化的主要组织形态。但是 ,由于契约是不完全的 ,合作社和大户抵押性资产不足 ,这两种组织形式也面临着一些新问题 ,本文探索了组织改善和组织创新的路径。     

企业数字化转型对商业模式创新的影响

基于组织变革理论与知识基础观,引入知识管理与企业家导向变量,探讨企业数字化转型对商业模式创新的影响机制与情境效应。结果表明：①数字化转型对商业模式创新存在显著正向影响;②知识管理在数字化转型对商业模式创新的影响过程中发挥中介作用;③相比于低水平企业家导向,高水平企业家导向会强化数字化转型与知识管理的关系,弱化知识管理与商业模式创新的关系。     

Why do firms disclose knowledge and how does it matter?

In this paper we propose a simulation model aimed at describing the emergence and the dynamics of innovation networks, with particular emphasis on the role of open knowledge disclosure. It is argued that firms that widely disclose knowledge to other firms are more likely to enter innovation networks and to acquire a central position within these networks. By disclosing knowledge, firms increase their reputation, which indicates to other organizations that they are competent, and that it is worth starting a partnership with them. The higher a firm reputation, the higher its probability of entering new R&D partnerships with other firms. Our model provides, therefore, a rationale for behaviors of open knowledge disclosure by showing that such strategies, although risky in the short run, may pay in the long run by enabling firms to access external sources of knowledge more easily.     

团队创造力影响主流与新流创新绩效的机制及路径

基于创造力理论,对团队创造力进行了向例与变例、过程与结果的二维度、两阶段划分,分析了其对主流、新流创新绩效的作用机理,并提出研究假设。利用来自278份有效调研问卷的数据进行多元回归分析和结构方程模型分析。结果显示:向例团队创造力两阶段均正向促进主流创新绩效,结果阶段抑制新流创新绩效;变例团队创造力两阶段均正向促进新流创新绩效,结果阶段抑制主流创新绩效;向例(变例)团队创造力创造结果阶段在创造过程阶段与主流(新流)创新绩效之间起部分中介作用,向例(变例)团队创造力创造结果阶段在创造过程阶段与新流(主流)创新绩效之间起完全中介作用。     

初创企业未获取价值与商业模式创新

技术或业务升级会产生新价值和放大原先的一些未获取价值。作为技术与商业绩效之间的中介变量，商业模式创新在商业变革中发挥了非常重要的作用。技术或业务升级中产生的未获取价值和资源拼凑是初创企业成长的两个新兴议题，关系到商业模式及其创新。采用单案例法深度分析某初创企业后发现：①商业模式创新存在新的驱动因素与机制;②商业模式创新不仅是认知活动与过程，也是实践活动与过程;③任何初创企业的商业模式中都隐藏着未获取价值，但将不同未获取价值转变成现实价值需要不同拼凑行为。最后，基于上述发现，为初创企业识别技术创新升级中的未获取价值、开展拼凑活动和商业模式创新提出对策建议。     

Absorbing radical ideas from unusual sources – the role of social integration mechanisms

If companies rely strongly on internal R&D and existing networks their ability to introduce radical innovations may suffer. Opening up to new idea sources may provide a solution. Incumbent companies, however, often suffer from the tendency to reject radical ideas from unusual sources. This study investigates how social integration mechanisms (SIMs; coordination, socialisation, and systems mechanisms) influence an incumbent steel company’s absorptive capacity (AC). A micro-level analysis of two radical ideas from unusual sources contributes to AC and radical innovation literatures by exploring relationships between SIMs and four AC capabilities (acquisition, assimilation, transformation, and exploitation). The findings suggest that AC capabilities are context-specific with respect to innovation novelty and idea source. The results emphasise the negative sides of socialisation and formalisation mechanisms, and the positive effects of coordination mechanisms on the AC capabilities in such high uncertainty contexts.     

网络嵌入、绿色动态能力与企业绿色创新——环境规制和管理者环境注意力的调节作用

基于动态能力理论、社会网络理论和制度理论等,探讨网络嵌入对企业绿色创新的影响,并进一步考察绿色动态能力在其中的中介作用以及环境规制、管理者环境注意力的调节作用。运用多元回归和Bootstrap方法进行实证检验,结果显示：结构嵌入和关系嵌入对企业绿色创新均具有显著影响;绿色动态能力在结构嵌入、关系嵌入与绿色创新之间起中介作用;环境规制、管理者环境注意力均正向调节绿色动态能力与绿色创新间关系。     

员工创新行为缘何不同：成就目标导向对员工创新行为影响的双路径研究

目标导向会对员工行为产生指引和影响作用。基于目标导向理论和知识管理理论，引入知识共享和知识隐藏两个变量，考虑情境因素的影响，构建多类别成就目标导向通过双路径影响创新行为的理论模型，研究成就目标导向对创新行为的影响机制。实证发现：不同成就目标导向对创新行为的影响存在差异，其中，学习目标导向和绩效趋近目标导向正向影响创新行为，知识共享起中介作用；绩效回避目标导向负向影响创新行为，知识隐藏起中介作用；心理安全氛围调节成就目标导向对创新行为的影响。     

技术创新网络分裂断层、知识权力与创新独占性——知识势差的调节作用

创新独占性可表征创新合作群体对于自身知识、技术创新成果的利用和分享程度，决定着创新合作群体能够在多大程度上从创新成果中获利。创新独占性具有外部排他性和内部互补性的显著特征，有必要从技术创新网络视角出发，审视创新子群间相互关系对创新独占性的影响机理。以参与合作研发的高新技术企业群体为研究对象，构建技术创新网络分裂断层对创新独占性影响路径的概念模型。结果显示：技术创新网络分裂断层对创新独占性产生正向影响，知识权力在技术创新网络分裂断层与创新独占性之间发挥中介作用，技术创新网络分裂断层对创新独占性的影响受知识势差的负向调节。     

核心企业治理机制对模块化网络创新绩效的影响——知识转移的中介作用

从知识转移视角提出核心企业不同治理机制对模块化网络创新绩效影响的概念模型与研究假设。结合268家以模块化方式运行的样本企业调研数据,运用层次回归分析法进行实证检验。结果发现：核心企业规则治理机制、合同治理机制和关系治理机制对模块化网络创新绩效均有显著正向影响,其中,规则治理机制的影响最为显著;显性知识转移在规则治理机制、合同治理机制与模块化网络创新绩效之间发挥完全中介作用;隐性知识转移在关系治理机制与模块化网络创新绩效之间发挥部分中介作用。研究结论可为核心企业更好地管理和运用模块化创新网络提供理论指导。     

Knowledge matching in the technology outsourcing context of online innovation intermediaries

This paper focuses on innovation matchmaking by online innovation intermediaries that operate as technology outsourcing services. These services connect employers wishing to commission individuals to complete technical activities to individuals with knowledge to undertake the project. We present three new metrics based on the statistical mechanics of complex networks to assess forms of knowledge matches between the knowledge required by employers’ projects and the knowledge offered by service providers. Based upon the results, we identify several challenges open innovation intermediaries, employers, and providers face: structuring knowledge to identify providers who can provide solutions beyond the immediate exigencies of the problem, choosing a provider among many potential matches, and choosing an online innovation intermediary when several suitable alternatives exist. The metrics provide insight into potential solutions to these challenges. We conclude with recommendations to improve the service offerings of online innovation intermediaries.     

员工地位竞争动机、知识分享行为与创新绩效——基于嵌入性悖论视角

组织中个体创新常常面临嵌入性悖论。相对于传统地位竞争的反功能视角，人们日益认识到地位竞争尤其是威望型地位竞争，可以为个体提供创新资源和动力。有效化解这一悖论，关键在于明晰何种类型的地位竞争以及何种程度的嵌入性可以促进个体创新。对一家大型多业务单元传媒集团227名员工进行实证调查，分析结果表明：威望型地位竞争可以通过促进个体知识分享行为提升个体创新绩效；非正式地位较低的个体更有可能具有威望型地位竞争动机；正式地位与非正式地位对个体地位竞争动机有交互影响，处于高正式地位的成员如果在非正式网络中处于边缘位置，则更可能在地位竞争中表现出威望型地位竞争动机。     

企业组织知性资本、知识管理能力与开放式创新绩效

开放式创新是企业在共享经济与全球经济背景下落实创新驱动发展战略的有效途径,但是开放式创新对于很多企业而言是一种挑战,因此探索开放式创新绩效提升路径具有重要意义。基于306份企业调查问卷数据,采用结构方程模型方法,检验组织知性资本、知识管理能力与开放式创新绩效关系。研究结果表明,企业组织知性资本显著正向影响开放式创新绩效,知识管理能力在其中发挥显著中介效应,且在网络嵌入性调节组织性格与知识管理能力关系的过程中知识管理能力的中介效应仍然显著。     

异质性资源对企业生态创新的影响——以资源管理为中介

为获取长期竞争优势，企业应充分利用各种资源进行生态创新。基于资源基础理论(RBT)，以资源管理为中介，探讨异质性资源对企业生态创新的影响机理。以406家制造企业为样本，采用偏最小二乘结构方程模型(PLS-SEM)和模糊集定性比较分析方法（fsQCA）进行实证检验。结果发现，内部资源和外部资源均对企业生态创新具有正向影响，资源管理在异质性资源影响生态创新的过程中起部分中介作用。在生态创新二阶模型中，生态管理创新的作用明显优于生态产品创新和生态工艺创新。通过fsQCA进一步发现导致低生态创新的两种前因构型，拓展了资源基础理论在企业生态创新领域的运用，可为我国企业实施和评价生态创新行为提供参考。     

Strategic responses to fuel cell hype and disappointment

This article investigates the interplay of expectation dynamics and innovation processes at the level of organizations and at the innovation system level. We examine how different kinds of organizations contributed and responded to a recent hype and disappointment cycle in the field of stationary fuel cells. Among others, we trace how innovation and discourse activities changed and we explain the observed differences in strategic responses. We show that the sensitivity of organizations to expectation dynamics depends on at least three factors: the strategic embedding of the new technology, the organization's dependence on external legitimacy and its role in the innovation system. Moreover, we show that – in their aggregation – strategic responses affected the level of the technological innovation system as well. Not only did the pace and direction of innovation activities change, but structures such as actor constellations and institutions were also modified. Our study thus provides insights into the interplay of expectation and innovation dynamics, which is important for our understanding of larger transformation processes, e.g. toward more sustainable modes of energy supply.