Chiara Verbano

Open innovation and new issues in R&D organization and personnel management

The steady growth of R&D costs and the increasingly widespread dissemination of information and communication technology over the past decade have resulted in the affirmation of the paradigm of open innovation, which consists in the continual expansion of access to sources of technological innovation outside the firm itself. Industrial companies are, in fact, turning more frequently to collaboration with university departments and other public and private research centers, and there is a notable increase in agreements regarding technological cooperation and the exchange of know-how between companies. In addition, recourse to highly specialized small research companies is on the rise. This is common, for example in the pharmaceutical sector and, more generally, in the area of biotechnological research. Furthermore, we are witnessing the development of the new role of innovation broker. These factors alter the traditional profile of company R&D structures, within which the role of researchers and technologists often changes. In particular, matrix and network organizational models are on the increase, and the professional figures of ‘integrators of knowledge and expertise’ (T-men) are assuming major importance at the expense of traditional scientists. As a consequence, the model for training and managing scientific personnel tends to change. This model, as it moves away from the prevailing pattern adopted by firms in Anglophone countries, is continually drawing closer, even from a cultural standpoint, to the R&D management approach found in the Japanese and German companies. The aim of this article is to investigate how the adoption of open innovation has changed the organizational structures of R&D and altered the methods used in managing its personnel. The results of the study are based on the analysis of four case studies of Italian multinational firms operating in the pharmaceutical, food, specialty chemical, and aerospace industries.

Managing Risks in SMEs: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

In times of crisis, companies need to carefully monitor current expenses and forecast potential costs, which could be caused by risky actions. Risk is inherent in all business functions and in every kind of activity. Knowing how to identify risks, attribute a value and a priority scale, design actions and mechanisms to minimize risks, and continuously monitor them, are essential to guarantee companies’ survival and create sustainable value. This is especially true for small- and medium-sized businesses that are most exposed to the harmful effects of the risks, due to limited resources and structural features. The objective of this study is to analyze available literature on the subject of risk management for small- and medium-sized enterprises from 1999 to 2009. The analysis derives interesting characteristics from the scientific studies, highlighting gaps and guidelines for future research.

Development paths of risk management: approaches, methods and fields of application

In the most recent stage of development of modern society, the growing complexity and dynamism of the contexts firms operate in has led to a relentless increase in the level of risk in all areas of firms’ management and activities. For this reason, the discipline and practice of risk management (RM) has taken hold more and more in very different sectors and contexts: from nuclear to supply chain to healthcare. The evolutionary path of RM has followed distinct paths of development that have adopted specific perspectives and, backed by different cultural matrices, led to unique approaches and methods. The aim of this paper is to provide a contribution to the identification and characterization of new paths of development based on a thorough analysis of the academic and managerial literature. This taxonomy can serve as an integrated reference to the RM discipline allowing those who deal with RM to identify and characterize the most suitable paths of development for a given context, within a comprehensive framework. This study can also promote a sort of ‘cross fertilization’ between experts in specific areas of RM as has been the case of clinical RM which draws from the experience gained in the field of complex engineering systems.

The Identification and Characterization of Open Innovation Profiles in Italian Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises

Open innovation () denotes a companys ability to draw on a range of external sources to meet their needs for innovation. Very few empirical analyses have been conducted on the extent to which this new paradigm is embedded in small and medium‐sized enterprises (). Thus, the present studys objective is to identify and characterize different profiles of in , considering the openness of the innovation process phases, variety and breadth of collaborations, determinants, barriers, and motivations. A survey was carried out among Italian manufacturing firms, and a database of 105 companies was obtained. With regard to data elaboration, a factorial and cluster analysis was conducted, and three different profiles emerged: selective low open, unselective open upstream, and mid‐partners integrated open. The different behaviors of the three clusters in terms of determinants, performance, contextual factors, barriers, and motivations were analyzed and discussed.

Addressing R&D investment decisions: a cross analysis of R&D project selection methods

Purpose – A large number of methodologies for R&D project selection have been developed and reported in the literature over the last few decades, and it has become a very popular research topic since the 1960s. The aim of this paper is to classify and characterize the determining aspects behind the research and development project selection process.Design/methodology/approach – After carefully reviewing the literature and analysing the latest contributions the paper identifies the key issues for the comparison of the existing techniques used to evaluate alternative projects and portfolios of R&D projects. In the second phase the main selection methods (including the latest project portfolio optimisation approaches) are reviewed and critically compared.Findings – The strengths, weaknesses, limitations and practicality of the methods analysed allow managers to choose the project selection model appropriate for their specific problems. Some integrated models (hybrid approach) and the latest solutions could f...

Evaluating Performance of University Spin-Off Companies: Lessons from Italy

Academic spin-offs are very special start-up companies that are founded by an academic inventor with the aim to exploit technological knowledge that originated within a University setting in order to develop products or services. During the last two decades, academic spin-offs have received increasing attention from both researchers and practitioners, mainly due to their ability to advance industrial application of scientific knowledge. Much of the studies available in literature on this matter, however, have focused on USA’s spin-offs, while still little attention has been paid to the European countries, and to Italy in particular. Thus, the aim of our research is twofold: first, to fill this gap in literature. Second, to propose, on the basis of the above mentioned literature review, a model of ex-ante evaluation of the spin-off companies’ performance. Specifically, the research methodology followed was a combination of literature analysis and Delphi technique: we first extensively reviewed the extant literature on spin-off companies, then we proposed to a panel of expert the indicators that emerged from the literature as affecting the performance of academic spin-offs.

Guidelines for overcoming hospital managerial challenges: a systematic literature review

Purpose The need to respond to accreditation institutes’ and patients’ requirements and to align health care results with increased medical knowledge is focusing greater attention on quality in health care. Different tools and techniques have been adopted to measure and manage quality, but clinical errors are still too numerous, suggesting that traditional quality improvement systems are unable to deal appropriately with hospital challenges. The purpose of this paper is to grasp the current tools, practices, and guidelines adopted in health care to improve quality and patient safety and create a base for future research on this young subject. Methods A systematic literature review was carried out. A search of academic databases, including papers that focus not only on lean management, but also on clinical errors and risk reduction, yielded 47 papers. The general characteristics of the selected papers were analyzed, and a content analysis was conducted. Results A variety of managerial techniques, tools, and practices are being adopted in health care, and traditional methodologies have to be integrated with the latest ones in order to reduce errors and ensure high quality and patient safety. As it has been demonstrated, these tools are useful not only for achieving efficiency objectives, but also for providing higher quality and patient safety. Critical indications and guidelines for successful implementation of new health managerial methodologies are provided and synthesized in an operative scheme useful for extending and deepening knowledge of these issues with further studies. Conclusion This research contributes to introducing a new theme in health care literature regarding the development of successful projects with both clinical risk management and health lean management objectives, and should address solutions for improving health care even in the current context of decreasing resources.

The development of a technology transfer strategy in the aerospace industry: the case of the Italian Space Agency

Abstract In this paper the conceptual approach to technology transfer adopted by the Italian Space Agency is presented. The approach distinguishes itself from previous frameworks for the attempt to provide a sound answer to some basic features of the space technology transfer processes such as availability of technology, availability of information and availability of contacts between the actors involved. The model is illustrated with reference to the space industrys perspectives for current and future strategies of technology development and transfer. Preliminary evidence indicates that this system of technology transfer is remarkably effective and might have a significant effect on economic growth and standard of living.

Factors affecting technology transfer offices' performance in the Italian food context

In recent years, growing attention has been devoted to the commercialisation of knowledge and technologies developed by universities and public research institutions. A central role in this particular process is played by the technology transfer offices (TTOs), which are on the one hand in charge of promoting the transfer of knowledge and technology to external companies, and on the other hand are also responsible for protecting and licensing the intellectual property of the research organisation. This paper is focused on a TTO operating in the food context, with the specific objectives of identifying the performance indicators and the main factors affecting its performance and, finally, analysing the relationships among these factors. Results highlighted the importance of both external and internal factors for the performance of a TTO operating in this context. In addition, we found both direct and indirect relations within these factors.

Technology transfer in the Italian space industry: organizational issues and determinants

Purpose – In todays competitive market, organizations are increasingly aware of the need to exchange the technologies, experience and knowledge they have developed in order to access new markets and revenue streams. They also recognize the need to acquire new technologies and knowledge from the external environment in order to exploit their ideas and create new products. Technology transfer (TT) is defined as the process for the passing and subsequent use of technology, expertise, know‐how or facilities for a purpose not originally intended by the developing organization. Above all, the transfer of space technology is recognized as complex, even though it is increasingly adopted: space technologies can, for example, be adopted for healthcare products, improved waste management and water recovery, as well as by manufacturers. Notwithstanding, few studies have focused on the TT process inside the space sector. The purpose of this paper is to verify which process and what determinants result in the transfer...