Ingrid Isenhardt

Network Management for Clusters of Excellence - A Balanced-Scorecard Approach as a Performance Measurement Tool

Supplementary Cluster Activities constitute an important organisational part within the structure of the German Cluster of Excellence “Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass” at RWTH Aachen University, because they focus on the entire clusters efficient networking process and successful strategic cluster development. As research teams from different scientific fields collaborate, the strategic management of interdisciplinary processes becomes necessary to enhance scientific cooperation. Therefore, amongst other measures of cluster development, a Balanced-Scorecard-Approach is implemented to measure the performance of the entire Cluster of Excellence. With the annual implementation of the Balanced-Scorecard-Approach, crucial key performance indicators have been collected, compared and analysed for the strategic management of the Cluster of Excellence, to facilitate innovation activities through adequate measures.

Strategic implementation of Open Innovation methods in small and medium-sized enterprises

Over the last decades, an increased appreciation of external contributors within the product development process can be noticed as a significant development within innovation management. This open form of innovation is summarised under the concept of Open Innovation. Yet, it is difficult to apply it to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) as they struggle to implement these Open Innovation methods. It is therefore very important to develop appropriate organisational forms for these enterprises. In this context, the article describes both the environmental changes and the specific characteristics of SME as well as their impact when using Open Innovation in SMEs. The goal of this article is to develop a first concept for the implementation of Open Innovation methods into the innovation management of SME.

Making Scientific Performance Measurable - Experiences From a German Cluster of Excellence

New organizational forms of highly complex and interdisciplinary cooperation like clusters of excellence constitute a new challenge in terms of cluster management and controlling. With regard to the requirements for adequate means of operationalization and evaluation, conventional performance measurement approaches and indicators are not sufficient, because they focus mostly on monetary aspects. Within the cluster of excellence “Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass” a performance measurement approach is implemented, focusing on quantitative as well as qualitative performance indicators. The approach bases on a Balanced Scorecard that is specified to the needs of interdisciplinary research cooperation. A mean of making various performance indicators measurable thus depicts a yearly survey among all hierarchical levels of cluster members to reflect the progress of the scientific output. The results are used as a basis of decision-making for the cluster management board. With regard to this, an operationalization and evaluation of performance indicators supports a continuous improvement process within the entire interdisciplinary cooperation. A further development of the measurement approach considers an integration of concepts like benchmarking and intellectual capital reporting to allow a more holistic form of scientific performance measurement.

On-professional competences in engineering education for XL-Classes

Far reaching changes in university higher education have taken place in the last ten years. Different factors, e.g. necessity of on-professional competences in engineering education, rising or vast student numbers and new technical possibilities, have influenced the academic teaching and learning process. Therefore interdependence between requirements and didactical-educational possibilities is given. Because of changed circumstances an adaption of teaching methods and concepts is required. At the same time Bologna arrogates students to be placed in the centre of the teaching and learning process and claims on-professional competences for todays students. Especially for XL-Classes this is a specific challenge. One of the questions ensuing is how to increase learning success by the use of specific didactical methods? With a research approach connecting different proven didactical concepts and considering the previously shown conditions, the concept of the lecture “communication and organizational development” (KOE) at RWTH Aachen University has been redesigned. This lecture, organized by the Institute Cluster IMA/ZLW & IfU at RWTH Aachen University, is mainly frequented by up to nearly 1.300 students of the faculty of mechanical engineering and inherent part of the bachelor-curriculum. The following practical example prospects the multi-angulation of didactical concepts and shows up innovative educational teaching.

Automation, Communication and Cybernetics in Science and Engineering 2009/2010

The book is the follow-up to its predecessor Automation, Communication and Cybernetics in Science and Engineering 2009/2010 and includes a representative selection of all scientific publications published between 07/2011 and 06/2012 in various books, journals and conference proceedings by the researchers of the following institute cluster: IMA - Institute of Information Management in Mechanical Engineering ZLW - Center for Learning and Knowledge Management IfU - Associated Institute for Management Cybernetics Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Innovative fields of application, such as cognitive systems, autonomous truck convoys, telemedicine, ontology engineering, knowledge and information management, learning models and technologies, organizational development and management cybernetics are presented.

User Acceptance as a Key to Success for the Implementation of a Telematic Support System in German Emergency Medical Services

The German research project Med-on-@ix aims at optimising the efficiency and quality of preclinical emergency health care by introducing a telematic rescue assistance system into the emergency system. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will be supported on site by the virtual presence of a specialised physician in a remote Competence Centre. The transmission of vital parameters, auscultation signs and video material from the emergency site to the Competence Centre by a telematic support system enables a better and quicker treatment – especially in the 14,3% of emergency cases, in which the manual skills of a physician are not necessary on site [GHM03].

Flipped Classroom on Top – Excellent Teaching Through a Method-Mix

The continuing technological progress and changing conditions of studying have induced a demand for a realignment of academic teaching including the imparting of knowledge and competence transfer. The question “How do students learn?” gains a stronger focus of attention again. As a result, teachers take the tertiary didactical interventions and innovations into account. These trends are geared towards a “shift from teaching to learning” and call for a student-centred teaching (The Bologna Declaration 1999, p. 4). To meet the previously described developments, the Center for Learning and Knowledge Management at RWTH Aachen University presents a concept based on a didactical method mix. Within the framework of the course “Kommunikation und Organisationsentwicklung” (communication and organizational development, KOE) a combination of numerous methods established, already scientifically validated and positive evaluated methods plus new, innovative methods is used. The lecture is conceptualized mainly for first semester of mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University. The sessions discuss various content-related aspects of organizational development such as work and cooperation processes in a company or repercussions and challenges of worldwide division of labor. The didactical conception of the lecture combines the following elements: Based on the “Flipped Classroom” approach a participatory learning curve emerges for the students. The course consists of two central elements. First, there is the “KOE-Online-Lecture”, a video recording of the traditional lecture. In order to prepare for the “KOE-Discussion-Forum” they are able to watch the “KOE-Online-Lecture” in advance. The “KOE-Discussion-Forum” constitutes the second element; it takes place every week and provides the opportunity to discuss open questions or to hold lively debates. In practical-oriented tutorials for large groups the learning contents can be reflected and deepened. The plenary “KOE-Discussion-Forum” addresses several learning-types with different didactical concepts and demonstrates various ways of studying (Flechsig, K.-H. 1996, Kleines Handbuch didaktischer Modelle, Neuland). In the context of this paper the didactical concept of “KOE”, which hosts over 1,400 students, is described in detail in its complex methodological structure. Future efforts for a continuous optimization of the concept and an adaption of the target audience are delineated.

Unterstützung interdisziplinärer Integration am Beispiel einer Exzellenzcluster-Community

Aktuelle wissenschaftliche Fragestellungen sind haufig nur durch eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher wissenschaftlicher Fachdisziplinen zu beantworten. Dies gilt besonders fur Forschung im Bereich des Maschinenbaus und speziell im Bereich der Produktionstechnik. Zielsetzung ist dabei die Kombination verschiedener Kompetenzen aus unterschiedlichen Fachdisziplinen zur Losung von Forschungsfragen und Problemstellungen einzusetzen, die sich an Schnittstellen der Fachdisziplinen ergeben. Voraussetzung hierfur ist die Integration dieser verschiedenen Fachdisziplinen in einer interdisziplinaren Community. Im Rahmen dieses Beitrags wird zunachst ein Analyseinstrument vorgestellt, dass zur Erfassung von Bedarfen zur Integration innerhalb der interdisziplinaren Community dient. Drei Masnahmen zur Unterstutzung dieser Integration werden vorgestellt, deren Entwicklung auf Basis von Bedarfen der Community begonnen wurde und auf dieser kontinuierlich aktualisierten Grundlage iterativ fortgefuhrt wird. Das Ziel dieses Vorgehens ist die Unterstutzung einer kontinuierlich optimierten Integration der Community im Exzellenzcluster ,,Integrative Produktionstechnik fur Hochlohnlander“.

Towards Measuring User Experience, Activation and Task Performance in Immersive Virtual Learning Environments for Students

The technological progress in the field of Virtual Reality (VR) facilitates the availability and applicability in learning scenarios. Applying VR technologies in a virtual environment (VE) can further intensify the students’ learning experience to a more immersive and engaging involvement in the learning process. In order to use immersive virtual learning environments (VLE) in high school and higher education as a teaching and learning tool, first it has to be assessed which individual-related variables influence the VLE experience and in which way the user experience (UX) affects task performance in VLEs. The paper describes the concept of a specific VLE using Minecraft as a setup for a research study. Furthermore, the research design is outlined. The paper describes the conducted pretest of the study and presents preliminary results of the pretest.

Trust Is Good, Control Is Better - An Open Innovation-Controlling for SME

Until now the practical work concerning Open Innovation was focused on the conceptual and use-oriented field. Both the methods and their potentials are depicted but there is no research on the cost-effectiveness of Open Innovation and the applicability of its methods – especially in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). Currently SME have no instrument helping them to decide whether they should adopt Open Innovation. Hence it is necessary to create such an instrument to give the SME support to decide if “the formal discipline and practice of leveraging the discoveries of others as input for the innovation process through formal and informal relationships” [RP08] is worthwhile. In this paper the research project “Invoice – Efficiency of Open Innovation for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises” is presented. Within this project the Institute for Management Cybernetics e.V. (IfU) and the Technology and Innovation Management Group (TIM) at RWTH Aachen University develop an instrument to control Open Innovation-methods in SME.