Fabio Nonino

Open innovation web-based platforms: The impact of different forms of motivation on collaboration

Abstract Given that open innovation web-based platforms (OIPs) allow for the collaboration of individuals and companies, this paper focuses on exploring the motivations for participating and collaborating in OIPs. Extant studies are conflicting, especially with respect to the importance of the monetary reward as a motivation. Moreover, literature supports our premise from the individuals’ motivations analysis viewpoint, but not from the companies’ perspective. Finally, literature does not consider the differences related to different members and to different phases of the innovation process. First, we base the literature on open innovation on the Internet (crowdsourcing, peer production and open source) to identify the potential motivations. We then deeply analyse 116 OIPs to determine if the motivations can be a function of the phase of innovation and the dependency on members. We show that the design of the motivational system should take into consideration the different stages of the innovation process and that the OIPs should consider moving from ‘work place’ logic to ‘social place’ logic.

Exploring the Impact of Motivations on the Attraction of Innovation Roles in Open Innovation Web-Based Platforms

Recently, a large number of new innovative enterprises engaged in different competitive markets by promoting innovation both in products and in services through open innovation web-based platforms, which allow for the collaboration of individual users and companies and for so-called crowdsourcing. A key issue concerns the identification of the most important motivations that could attract users with a specific role to proactively participate and contribute to the open and collaborative innovation processes. This article, after highlighting the theoretical background, grounded on large body of psychology and sociology literature on the motivation behind collaboration, discusses the results of the analysis of 26 open innovation web-based platforms based on a multiple research methodology (qualitative empirical study, factor analysis and multi-dimensional scaling). It also discusses the effects of ‘motivational systems’ and platform models on the attraction of the individuals characterised by different innovation roles.

A model for assessing the coherence of companies’ knowledge strategy

This paper proposes a strategic model for assessing the coherence between companies’ knowledge strategies and their business strategies as well as in their competitive and organisational contexts. In analysing knowledge management literature, we locate three principal strategies: (1) knowledge development (internal or external), (2) knowledge sharing (codification or personalisation) and (3) knowledge exploitation (internal or external). We then position the three strategies and six related policies in the context-content-process dimensions of Pettigrews model to create a useful framework for strategic analysis and a model to assess the coherence of companies’ knowledge strategy. The model can be used to evaluate how an existing knowledge strategy aligns with a companys characteristics and to formulate and implement a coherent knowledge strategy based on the current competitive environment, organisational context and business strategy.

Additive manufacturing management: a review and future research agenda

Based on the phenomenal changes that additive manufacturing (AM) has brought to industries and markets, managerial approaches should be re-examined and developed to take advantage of emerging opportunities. This revolutionary technology is dramatically changing business and innovation models, shrinking supply chains and altering the global economy. For example, 3D printing shifts production locations closer to customers and leads to free-form product design as well as sustainable manufacturing. Several studies have been conducted on AM technology, but the research stream on AM management is still developing, with studies dispersed in journals across different research areas. Our study presents both systematic and quantitative analyses of the literature, including co-citation analysis, factor analysis and multidimensional scaling, to explore the structure of the AM research domains in the scope of management, business and economics. We found eight main research streams: AM technology selection, supply chain, product design and production cost models, environmental aspects, strategic challenges, manufacturing systems, open-source innovation and business models and economics. Finally, based on the results of our in-depth analysis of the literature, we found nine promising future research directions.

An Exploratory Taxonomy of Business Games

This article proposes a business game taxonomy. The taxonomy creates a comprehensive definition of business games in general and identifies their parameter-defining characteristics. A successful taxonomy can facilitate the comparison of different game-based educational tools and can direct application-based research to a game’s most learning-associated components. The field’s existing taxonomies within the literature are inadequate for both purposes. The genesis of our five-part taxonomy of business games was both literature-based and intuitive. It is hoped that this taxonomy will serve to develop a global database to be built collaboratively by the community of business game users and developers.

Knowledge and cultural diffusion along the supply chain as drivers of product quality improvement: The illycaffè case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to widen the knowledge base on supply chain learning by exploring and explaining how an enterprise can compete and win in the international market by integrating quality management practices along its supply chain and, above all, by becoming the coordinator in a supply chain learning (SCL) network.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted an exploratory case study on a group operating in the coffee market that is universally recognised for the high quality of its products: illycaffe.Findings – This paper illustrates and explains how the illycaffe Group implements, competes and wins in the international market because of its exemplary business strategies, its focus on the competitive priority of quality, and consistent and integrated supply chain management practices that are sustained by an innovative approach: the diffusion of knowledge, know‐how and a culture of excellence in coffee quality along the entire value chain. The authors find that the diffusion...

Integrated production/distribution planning in the supply chain: the Febal case study

Purpose – The paper seeks to investigate empirically the criticalities of a production system constrained by distribution, in order to propose a model capable of integrating production and distribution planning for a simultaneous improvement in terms of efficiency and efficacy.Design/methodology/approach – Starting from an overview of previous works about integrated analysis of a production‐distribution system, an exploratory case study in the Italian industry of modular kitchens has been used, with multiple levels of analysis and multiple data collection methods.Findings – Three solutions for a better integration of production‐distribution systems are proposed; the solutions are characterized by increasing levels of benefits and complexity. The article focuses on the implementation of the less complex scenario, called “overlapping of selling areas”, proposing a series of algorithms used for the implementation of a software prototype.Research limitations/implications – The case study has been chosen becau...

Impact of additive manufacturing on business competitiveness: a multiple case study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the impacts of additive manufacturing (AM) in manufacturing, business strategies and business performance and to determine the contingent factors driving performance. Accordingly, this study also clarifies the relationship between these impacts and company and product characteristics. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an exploratory study using multiple case research methodology, sampling 16 heterogeneous companies based on the theoretical replication approach. The potential impacts of AM were identified by reviewing the previous literature. For the driving factors, the paper follows the literature on AM, as well as the theories arisen from technology management literature. The qualitative information was collected by means of semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis to measure the effectiveness of AM in these aspects. Findings The paper derives and provides empirical insights regarding how this technology affects the industry. This study reveals how the implementation of AM in the Rapid Manufacturing (RM) of products made of metal has boosted productivity. These findings also demonstrate an increasing competitiveness of the early adopter SMEs using RM. Research limitations/implications This empirical research has been conducted by means of qualitative data. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the propositions by quantitative measures. Practical implications The paper provides insights for the adaption of AM and its impacts on business strategies and performance. Originality/value This paper contributes to expanding the literature by depicting explicit links between the implementation of this revolutionary technology and business strategies and performance.

A mechanism for supporting collective innovation: the open contract-based challenge

The paper proposes a multi-attribute combinatorial auction-based mechanism, called open contract mechanism (OCM), which allows an organization or an individual (seeker) to dynamically and simultaneously bargain the features of distinct innovation contracts with other organizations and individuals (solvers), in general collective innovation environments. In such contexts, a seeker does not possess specific skills and technical knowledge which are crucial for an innovation or for a part of a new product development project, while some solvers might be willing to provide their relevant know-how to the seeker. To induce collaboration between the seeker and solvers, voluntary and legally enforceable agreements need to be formulated, where a fair evaluation of the intellectual property rights of any party is guaranteed, and all technical and economic aspects are detailed. Therefore, OCM allows the seeker to involve solvers in defining a collection of open contract schemes, related to the supply of the required specific skills and technical knowledge. The solvers must submit offers in terms of contract versions of these contract schemes. In such a way, OCM aims at partially extracting from the solvers their multidimensional private information regarding economic and technical issues, in order to reduce the occurrences of pre- and post-contractual opportunistic behaviours.

The impact of implementation process on the perception of enterprise resource planning success

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the implementation process on the ERP’s success in the post-adoption stage, measured as system’s acceptance, reliability and utility perceived by users, inside the organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The authors adopted a multiple case study research design. The data collected, provided by IT managers and 120 key-users from four companies, has been used to investigate the impact of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation phases on selected constructs of the Task-Technology Fit (TTF) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The empirical evidences highlight a direct relation between the effectiveness of the implementation phases and the ERP’s success. Findings – The research results emphasize the importance of the quality of the software, but especially the importance of the implementation phases’ management, which require technical and managerial ability of the team made up of people from the system integrator and the...