COINS · Complex and Open Innovation for Networked Society

Complex and Open Innovation for Networked Society

Leeds University Business School and Ericsson AB created a unique platform for researchers to engage in collaborative production of knowledge by investigating challenges for managing processes of complex innovation created by advances in digital technology. Five ESRs, accompanied by experienced, interdisciplinary and intersectoral group of supervisors studied development of innovation capabilities and organizational responses to disruptive innovation required for strategic transformation at large and technology-intensive organizations. The rich and unique complementary training programme, enables ESRs to pursue a variety of professional careers in academia, industry, consultancy and public policy. They benefited from competency and skills development for professional innovation management and technology entrepreneurship. The overall objectives were to: Establish a highly motivated group of ESRs committed to the collaborative production of knowledge across sectors that fuses academic rigour with practical relevance. Strengthen collaboration between industry and academia by providing an innovative arrangement for industrial engagement in doctoral training in the interdisciplinary area of technology innovation management. Deliver a range of high-quality research outputs that positively impact scholarly knowledge, practising managers, policymakers and wider community influenced by innovation. The project has been highly successful. Four Early Stage Researchers are finalizing their doctoral theses and they are expected to complete their doctoral degrees in 2020. One Early Stage Researcher has already left the project in order to peruse career of an innovation manager at a high-technology company. Leeds University Business School gained a valuable experience of managing doctoral training collaboration with academic partner and the lessons learned will be incorporated into future doctoral programmes and initiatives. The individual research projects are integrated into an original and holistic framework for managing corporate innovation that helps practicing managers at establishing companies to innovate by building new businesses. The framework effectively integrates strategy, corporate entrepreneurship, creation of new markets, platform business models, open innovation, management talent and culture into a holistic tool for strategically managing corporate innovation. The insights gained are highly relevant for companies that face discontinuous changes and the need for managing digital transformation.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union