Definition of innovation
intermediary organization can be based on national and sub national innovation
systems and on technology transfer of institutions constituting the spreading
of innovation. On the other hand, marketing behaviour and innovation strategy
of companies also can be connected with this definition[1].
In my point of view,
innovation intermediaries need to be defined through the “human side” of
innovation – by the knowledge, motivation and actions of the participants in the
innovation process. Definition of innovation intermediaries thus need to be
based not on a superior system or organization but on the people participating
in this process.
Innovation intermediary
organizations are funded because of a special market and communication niche, or
because of a knowledge gap or information shortage. These organizations and
their employees complement the activity of participants in the innovation
process with their knowledge and skills.
Innovation is closely
connected with the inventor or researcher and marketing the invention also
needs experts who have knowledge and information about the market. Intermediary
organizations employ people with specific skills and attributes and with these
they can influence the effectiveness of the innovation process.[2]
The innovation process can be
illustrated as a special market in which researchers stand on one side – as
producers of inventions – and companies on the other side – as consumers of
innovation. Between them intermediaries are seated with task like vendors on a
fair or like marriage brokers. They try to put the two participants in touch
with each other but as they speak different languages the job is really
difficult. This market is special because of this “language barrier” and that
two parties have variant motivations and interests. Therefore intermediaries
need to know them – like marriage broker knows the man and woman –, have to
speak their languages and discover and understand their motivations. So
intermediaries have to work on the field of human relations and human
resources.
1. figure: simple model of innovation
process
Resource: own compilation
The above figure shows a simple model. The model
is simple because it does not contain all component of the process - laboratories,
high educational institutes, marketing companies e.g. are missing. Besides I
wish to emphasize the human side of innovation mentioning researchers and
entrepreneurs in spite of indicating high educational institutes and companies.
As the knowledge and relationship is very important in the process and it is
bound closely to persons and skills, I keep to use the above designations.
I use this simple model to elaborate a new
definition to innovation intermediary organizations. Unlike previously
mentioned definitions I start off from the human side of innovation and the
distinctive knowledge of people in the innovation process. Therefore I define
innovation intermediary organizations as organized
groups of people which are connected or impregnated into the innovation process
and supplement the missing knowledge, information, skills, attributes or relations
of researchers and entrepreneurs with their specific knowledge, information,
skills, attributes or relations to help in the market based production and the
marketing of the innovative product.
Nincsenek megjegyzések:
Megjegyzés küldése