Connecting SMEs through Design, a Framework for the Intermediary

Connecting SMEs through Design, a Framework for the Intermediary

Van Vulpen, E.

Daalhuizen, J.J. (mentor)
Kamphuis, H. (mentor)
Smulders, F.E.H.M. (mentor)

Industrial Design Engineering

Product Innovation Management

Master of Science Strategic Product Design

2009-12-04

Purpose - Open Innovation provides opportunities to overcome the problems that SMEs have in a product innovation process. The purpose of this study is to understand and improve the pivotal roles of the innovation intermediary in an open setting to match small firms through design activities. The matching process is caught in a model that pinpoints which essential roles are important at several stages. Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of empirical qualitative research by participation action research. By use of a time-line the interventions and roles of the innovation intermediary are mapped. These interventions and roles are evaluated with (i) the engaged actors, and (ii) observations. Findings - The report illustrates how Open Innovation for small firms is created by the innovation intermediary. Collaborative activities between small firms is not achieved easily. Therefore the intermediary should take an active position in brokering by selecting and connecting firms, suggesting matchability characteristics. The major roles to achieve matches is the ‘connector’, ‘diagnoser’, and ‘project initiator’. Practical implications - The described process is used to communicate the valuable function of the innovation intermediary in an Open Innovation setting for small firms. Furthermore, it shows that passive Open Innovation hardly works for small firms. Originality/value - The study provides the first steps in research of a new type of intermediary organizations for small firms in an Open Innovation context. It suggests a model based on empirical findings of interventions for the innovation intermediary and improvements for future projects similar to the project which is studied in this research project.

Product Innovation
Open Innovation
Small Firms
Intermediary
Roles

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:da916cf6-987b-4863-be81-89be80e2bc21

Campus only

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2009 Van Vulpen, E.