The Rhine Valley Curve: Innovation Efficiency of industrial firms in the Alpine Rhine Valley

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Type and Duration

FFF-Förderprojekt, January 2022 until June 2023

Coordinator

Chair of Entrepreneurship and Technology

Main Research

Growth and Complexity

Description

Innovation efficiency goes along with better innovation and firm performance. However, the relationship between innovation practices, processes and techniques and their effect on innovation efficiency remain unknown on a large scale. This research project aims to bring the two fields together, tackling innovative-ness from a perspective of limited resources. Therefore, quantitative and qualitative methods such as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), interviews and case study research are applied. Endogenous growth theory and the Dynamic Capabilities View (DCV) frame the work. The project assesses the innovation capability of the researched region, elaborates a framework for practitioners who are active in a similar cultural envi-ronment and contributes to the extension of the Innovation Management / Innovation Efficiency literature.

Keywords: Alpine Rhine Valley, Innovation Efficiency, Innovationmanagement

Practical Application

The research project contributes on a microeconomic and a macroeconomic level. On firm level, managers and practicioners are provided with a starting point to tackle innocation efficiency in their (industrial) companies. The participants (around 20-30 industrial companies in the Alpine Rhine Valley) of the research project are provided with their positioning regarding innovation efficiency, compared to other industrial companies in the Alpine Rhine Valley - and in Switzerland. The participating companies further benefit from a detailed analysis of their innovation management, and hence tailored suggestions to improve their innovation efficiency. However, also the managers of industrial firms in general, which aren't involved into the research project, benefit from the insights and guidelines that result from the project.

On a macroeconomic level we can retrieve the following benefits: First, it opens the door to compare the innovation capability of the region, in terms of innovation efficiency, with other regions. This in turn might point out scope to action. Second, as innovation management patterns are investigated within the regional context, policies and location factors may emerge on the way that positively influence innovation efficiency.

Reference to Liechtenstein

Das Forschungsprojekt setzt sich explizit mit dem Alpenrheintal und Firmen im Alpenrheintal auseinander. Dies umfasst folglich Liechtenstein sowie die schweizerischen und österreichischen Nachbarsregionen. Das Ziel des Forschungsprojekts ist es, die Region nachhaltig zu beeinflussen, im Sinne eines Beitrages zur Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Zukunftsfähigkeit der Unternehmen. Wie Garud et al. (2013, S. 774) erläutert, hängen Besonderheiten, wie sich ein spezifisches Innovationsmanagement entfaltet, vom kulturellen Umfeld ab. Durch die Fokussierung auf das Alpenrheintal wird sichergestellt, dass das kulturelle Umfeld berücksichtigt wird, was wiederum zu Rahmenbedingungen führt, welche für Industrieunternehmen in der Region funktionieren. Darüber hinaus sind viele der Unternehmen im Alpenrheintal aktiv in das Forschungsprojekt eingebunden, was (1) das Bewusstsein für das Thema schärft und (2) die Beziehung zwischen der Universität und den regionalen (Industrie-)Unternehmen aufbaut und stärkt. Schliesslich wirkt sich das Projekt nicht nur auf die Unternehmen aus, sondern auch auf regionale Akteure, wie z.B. die Handelskammer, indem es ihnen Informationen über die Innovationsleistung der Region liefert.

Publications

  • Stock, A., & Bayrle, N. (2022). Drivers of Exploitative and Explorative Innovation Efficiency. Presented at the R&D Management Conference 2022, Trento, Italy.

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