Innovation Systems and Processes Summary

Innovation Systems and Processes
(GEO4-2257)


Summary

,Contents
Lecture 1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................3
Lecture 2. Neo-Schumpeterian Economics.............................................................................................8
Lecture 3. Innovation Systems..............................................................................................................13
Lecture 4. Political Economy and Innovation........................................................................................19
Lecture 5. SCOT & ANT.........................................................................................................................23
Lecture 6. User Innovation...................................................................................................................27
Lecture 7. Transition studies.................................................................................................................35
Lecture 8. Futures in and of Innovation Studies...................................................................................45

,Lecture 1. Introduction
“Transceding received wisdom is the essence of innovation” (Anderson and Tushman 2004)
This is true as your access to innovation studies, but it is also true as the essence of following a
(university) master program.

Context: what can innovation theories do?

 Addressing problems of new products, new knowledge, new practices: economic and societal
embedding of new technologies
 Adoption, use, acceptance, diffusion, rejection of new technologies
 Grasping these problems
o Identify patterns
o Provide explanations
o Give advice
 Formulate improved understanding & give advice how to do better

“Theories can serve as important heuristics devices that enable researchers to make sense of large
amounts of data”

Theoretical concepts:




Sustainable innovation: The introduction of a new product, a good or service, or a new process that
has significantly improved characteristics or intended uses (Sovacool 2017)

ISP in the IS Program: Learning Objectives
Become familiar with seminal contributions to innovation theory

 Learn to read text, learn to contextualize text!
 Understanding how authors build up argumentation, concepts and theory!

Understand the role of theory for tackling innovation problems

 Know-what and know-how
 Ontological and epistemological differences
 Understand that different theories/concepts ask for different types of data and thus methods

Society focus (as compared with company focus of innovation management) -> In broad terms the
societal embedding of technology (more focused on the miso and macro level)

, Disruption

 The concept of disruptive innovation (DI) (new market disruption)
 DI is not a radical innovation, but “radical” in its consequences for companies and markets
 DIs disrupt existing dimensions of “good” performance
 Hence: incumbents disadvantaged because they focus on existing customers -> innovators
dilemma
 Disruptive innovation: entrants enter the market targeting un(der)served customers (new-
market footholds or low-end footholds)




Seven Theories

1. Introduction: History of innovation studies

2. Economic theories of innovation (block 1)
 Neo-Schumpeterian economic
 Innovation systems perspective
 Political economy and innovation

3. Sociological and historical theories of innovation (block 2)
 Social construction of technology and Actor-network theory
 User innovation
 Transition studies

4. Futures in and of innovation studies