Purpose

This paper aims to seek answers to the question: What are the relevant factors that allow not-for-profit innovation networks to successfully transition new technologies from proof-of-concept to commercialisation?

Design/methodology/approach

This question is examined using the knowledge-based view and network orchestration theory. Data are collected from 35 interviews with managers and engineers working within seven centres that comprise the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC). These centres constitute a not-for-profit innovation network where suppliers, customers and competitors collaborate to help transition new technologies across the “Valley of Death” (the gap between establishing a proof of concept and commercialisation).

Findings

Network orchestration theory suggests that a hub firm facilitates the exchange of knowledge amongst network members (knowledge mobility), to enable these members to profit from innovation (innovation appropriability). The hub firm ensures positive network growth, and also allows for the entry and exit of network members (network stability). This study of not-for-profit innovation networks suggests the role of a network orchestrator is to help ensure that intellectual property becomes a public resource that enhances the productivity of the domestic economy. The authors observed how network stability was achieved by the HVMC's seven centres employing a loosely-coupled hybrid network configuration. This configuration however ensured that new technology development teams, comprised of suppliers, customers and competitors, remained tightly-coupled to enable co-development of innovative technologies. Matching internal technical and sectoral expertise with complementary experience from network members allowed knowledge to flow across organisational boundaries and throughout the network. Matrix organisational structures and distributed decision-making authority created opportunities for knowledge integration to occur. Actively moving individuals and teams between centres also helped to diffuse knowledge to network members, while regular meetings between senior management ensured network coordination and removed resource redundancies.

Originality/value

The study contributes to knowledge-based theory by moving beyond existing understanding of knowledge integration in firms, and identified how knowledge is exchanged and aggregated within not-for-profit innovation networks. The findings contribute to network orchestration theory by challenging the notion that network orchestrators should enact and enforce appropriability regimes (patents, licences, copyrights) to allow members to profit from innovations. Instead, the authors find that not-for-profit innovation networks can overcome the frictions that appropriability regimes often create when exchanging knowledge during new technology development. This is achieved by pre-defining the terms of network membership/partnership and setting out clear pathways for innovation scaling, which embodies newly generated intellectual property as a public resource. The findings inform a framework that is useful for policy makers, academics and managers interested in using not-for-profit networks to transition new technologies across the Valley of Death.

中文翻译：

---

利用非营利创新网络将新技术跨越死亡之谷

目的

本文旨在寻求以下问题的答案：让非营利性创新网络成功地将新技术从概念验证过渡到商业化的相关因素是什么？

设计/方法论/途径

使用基于知识的视图和网络编排理论来研究这个问题。数据收集自对高价值制造弹射器 (HVMC) 七个中心工作的经理和工程师的 35 次访谈。这些中心构成了一个非营利性创新网络，供应商、客户和竞争对手在其中合作，帮助新技术跨越“死亡之谷”（建立概念验证和商业化之间的差距）。

发现

网络编排理论表明，中心公司促进网络成员之间的知识交流（知识流动性），使这些成员能够从创新中获利（创新专有性）。中心公司确保网络的积极增长，并允许网络成员的进入和退出（网络稳定性）。这项对非营利性创新网络的研究表明，网络协调者的作用是帮助确保知识产权成为提高国内经济生产力的公共资源。作者观察了 HVMC 的七个中心如何采用松散耦合的混合网络配置来实现网络稳定性。然而，这种配置确保了由供应商、客户和竞争对手组成的新技术开发团队，保持紧密耦合，以实现创新技术的共同开发。将内部技术和部门专业知识与网络成员的互补经验相匹配，使知识能够跨越组织边界并在整个网络中流动。矩阵式组织结构和分布式决策权为知识整合创造了机会。在中心之间积极调动个人和团队也有助于向网络成员传播知识，而高级管理层之间的定期会议确保了网络协调并消除了资源冗余。矩阵式组织结构和分布式决策权为知识整合创造了机会。在中心之间积极调动个人和团队也有助于向网络成员传播知识，而高级管理层之间的定期会议确保了网络协调并消除了资源冗余。矩阵式组织结构和分布式决策权为知识整合创造了机会。在中心之间积极调动个人和团队也有助于向网络成员传播知识，而高级管理层之间的定期会议确保了网络协调并消除了资源冗余。

原创性/价值

该研究超越了对企业知识整合的现有理解，并确定了知识如何在非营利创新网络中交换和聚合，从而为基于知识的理论做出了贡献。这些发现挑战了网络编排者应该制定和执行专有制度（专利、许可、版权）以允许成员从创新中获利的观念，从而对网络编排理论做出了贡献。相反，作者发现非营利性创新网络可以克服专有制度在新技术开发过程中交换知识时经常产生的摩擦。这是通过预先定义网络成员资格/合作伙伴关系的条款并制定明确的创新扩展路径来实现的，其中体现了新产生的知识产权作为公共资源。