Nina Rilla

R&D (Re)Location and Offshore Outsourcing: A Management Perspective

The paper reviews and systematizes the management literature directly and indirectly related to (re)location of research and development (R&D), in the form of both insourcing and outsourcing. The focus in particular is on R&D offshore outsourcing and its main drivers, including locational constraints and opportunities, motives, strategic decisions and managerial challenges. The analysis synthesizes and links the main propositions and findings of the theoretical and empirical work to build an original management and strategy centred framework which looks at R&D (re)location from a client–vendor perspective. In this case, the client is the offshoring company, and the vendors are the firms located in the host country. The characteristics of the firms and locations considered vis‐a‐vis the offshoring firms goals are examined, the strategies implemented, the management and organizational challenges that R&D offshore outsourcing entails, and the ways in which offshoring impacts on both home and host locations are investigated.

Insights from Social Network Analysis -- Case Board Interlocks in Finnish Game Industry

In the world of networked innovation and ecosystems, flows of resources into the organization as well as between organizations are emphasized. This allows for using network measures for better understanding. In this study, we look at the case context of Finnish game industry, concentrating especially on inter-organizational flows of board networks or interlocks, and the possibilities of using SNA metrics for insights. The game industry has been very successful, with a turnover of 1.8 Billion Euros in 2014, and we explore the role of board interlocks in it. Our findings of the formal board member networks indicate that in contrast to the assumptions of high actor or node level metrics (degree and betweenness centrality) and the network level metrics (density and clustering), board interlocks are limited.

Innovation trends and industrial renewal in Finland and Sweden 1970-2013

ABSTRACT We examine trends in innovation output for two highly ranked innovative countries: Finland and Sweden (1970–2013). Our novel dataset, collected using the LBIO (literature-based innovation output) method, suggests that the innovation trends are positive for both countries, despite an extended downturn in the 1980s. The findings cast some doubt on the proposition that the current stagnation of many developed countries is due to a lack of innovation and investment opportunities. Our data show that Finland catches up to, and passes, Sweden in innovation output in the 1990s. In per capita terms, Finland stays ahead throughout the period. We find that the strong Finnish performance is largely driven by innovation increase in just a handfull of sectors, but is not restricted to few companies. Both countries saw a rise in innovation during the dot-com era and the structural changes that followed. Since 2000 however, Sweden has outperformed Finland in terms of total innovations, especially in machinery and ICT, while the Finnish rate of innovation has stabilised. We suggest that these patterns may be explained by different paths of industrial renewal.

Are There Failing Innovations? In Search of Understanding of Failure in Innovation Activities

The idea to study innovators’ understandings for innovation failure dates back to a research the authors, together with colleagues, accomplished on company innovation processes a few years ago. During intensive periods of data gathering, we carried out tens of interviews with innovators and directors of small and large innovative companies from different sectors across Finland. Most of the interviews were done in pairs and, right after each meeting with innovators and company people, we used to discuss and consider first impressions and insights gained during the interviews.