Nuria Calvo, Jacobo Feás, David Rodeiro-Pazos, Braulio Pérez and Sara Fernández-López
This paper aims to explore the determinants of firms’ attitudes to R&D cooperation with universities with the goal to propose a model of knowledge transfer university-firm.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the determinants of firms’ attitudes to R&D cooperation with universities with the goal to propose a model of knowledge transfer university-firm.
Design/methodology/approach
By understanding university-industry cooperation as a process, the model in this study is based on two factors: the “promoter of university-industry relations” (PUIR) and a technological system that is able to match the research supply of universities with the demand for innovation of the firms. A total of 375 firms, 420 research groups and 18 experts in knowledge transfer from Spain, Portugal and France have been involved in this study.
Findings
This study provides the first evidences of the relation between the number of matches’ demand-supply of research, the number of university-firm relations and the willingness to cooperate; all of these presented in the knowledge transfer model. Results also reinforce the utility of the role of PUIR and the matching system in the open innovation process.
Research limitations/implications
However, more evidences are necessary to get a complete validation of the model. In the future, the continuous utilization of the matching system by the PUIRs of the selected regions will allow the authors to evaluate how well the system is working by analysing the possible increases in formal collaboration university-firm in the area of R&D.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature through aligning the open innovation and intellectual capital theories in the specific and complex context of university-firm collaboration. Also, little research regarding this topic has been noticed in SUDOE European Union (EU) countries (SUDOE is an EU territorial cooperation programme that supports regional development by funding transnational projects).
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Nuria Calvo and Oskar Villarreal
Strategic decision making in cooperation projects. The decision deals with the process of generating a strategy for R&D and technological innovation in developing countries…
Abstract
Subject area
Strategic decision making in cooperation projects. The decision deals with the process of generating a strategy for R&D and technological innovation in developing countries, through international cooperation.
Study level/applicability
Students of programs of strategic management, business policy and management of international cooperation. Target courses include: strategic management seminars, international cooperation seminars, MBA.
Case overview
The case shows the process carried out by a team led by Braulio Perez Astray, manager of the innovation department of the Foundation University of A Coruna (Spain) and Radhames Mejia, executive vice-rector of the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (Dominican Republic) to design the strategy for R&D and Technological Innovation of the Dominican Republic. It describes the tasks and responsibilities undertaken in the INPOLTEC Project, the result of the international cooperation between Spain and the Dominican Republic. It included the involvement of the Administration of Government of both countries, the contributions of the scientific community and a significant sample of Dominican companies, as well as the advice of Spanish experts and technologists in the field of innovation and technology policy. The case arises from the position of Braulio Perez Astray, leader of the project. The objective of this case is to analyze the potential transfer of this experience to other countries in Central America and Caribbean.
Expected learning outcomes
The learning objective is to facilitate students to investigate the decisions in the strategic process in the field of innovation and to reinforce the focus of international cooperation as a mechanism for strategic support in stimulating the flow of knowledge in science and technology.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available. Please consult the librarian for access.
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Mohit Goswami, Akhilesh Kumar and Sanjeev Prashar
Smartphone demand has been driving people towards refurbished electronic products. However, a lack of transparency in refurbished product pricing makes purchases time-consuming…
Abstract
Purpose
Smartphone demand has been driving people towards refurbished electronic products. However, a lack of transparency in refurbished product pricing makes purchases time-consuming and reduces customer trust. Thus, our research aims to help practitioners and researchers understand how product life and usage characteristics, technical attributes and crowdsourced product reviews and sentiments affect exchange prices for refurbished/remanufactured smartphones.
Design/methodology/approach
Our five-stage exchange price predictive framework begins with data gathering and predictor variable identification. Thereafter, customer review data were scraped to populate both customer ratings and textual content, enabling sentiment analysis for the various smartphone configurations. Stepwise regression was used to find statistically significant factors and validate the predictive model. Testing for nonlinear effects, normality, outliers and homoskedasticity warrants power transformation of the target variable. The analysis used data from GSMArena.com and Amazon.com.
Findings
Our study validates extant findings and provides several novel insights for functional yet hedonistic products like smartphones. Unlike other pure hedonistic products, refurbished phone buyers care more about usage duration than life. Besides having a strong affinity for the sleekness of the phone, such customers are strongly dissuaded by the presence of negative textual content in the customer reviews.
Originality/value
Our study augments the current understanding of exchange price modelling by bringing in perspectives from life cycle characteristics, technical attributes and product reviews.
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Fulya Acikgoz, Burak Borulu and Mehmet Cem Bölen
Due to advances in both software and hardware, obsolescence risk refers to the fear that a product will soon become obsolete, which can be very high for technological products…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to advances in both software and hardware, obsolescence risk refers to the fear that a product will soon become obsolete, which can be very high for technological products such as smartwatches or smartphones. Drawing on the perceived risk theory and innovation resistance, this study examines the effects of different obsolescence risks on consumer resistance to smartwatches.
Design/methodology/approach
A sequential explanatory approach using a mixed method was adopted in this study. In Study 1, we conducted semi-structured and in-depth face-to-face interviews with 16 individuals to identify the most important obsolescence risks affecting consumers’ resistance to smartwatches. This qualitative study develops a novel theoretical model based on interpretive results, including technological, economic, functional, and aesthetic obsolescence risks. In Study 2, we tested our theoretical model by applying partial least-squares structural equation modeling to a sample of 298 smartwatch users.
Findings
The results show that consumer resistance to smartwatches is affected by technological, economic, functional, and aesthetic obsolescence risks.
Originality/value
Although most extant studies have focused on the factors influencing the adoption and use of consumer electronics, little is known about the role of obsolescence risk in consumers’ resistance to these products.
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Jan Brusselaers, Ellen Bracquene, Jef Peeters and Yoko Dams
The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent a consumer’s repair strategy impacts the annual costs of ownership of a washing machine and two types of vacuum cleaner.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent a consumer’s repair strategy impacts the annual costs of ownership of a washing machine and two types of vacuum cleaner.
Design/methodology/approach
The annual cost of ownership is determined by calculating the annual life cycle cost (LCC) for the respective devices. The annual LCCs of the different scenarios allow a comparison of the different repair strategy options. A Monte Carlo simulation is run to introduce parameter variability. The device’s failure rate is estimated by a combination of data sets on the devices’ performance.
Findings
Results demonstrate that the repair of the devices considered is a more favourable option over replacement. A consumer who aims for the lowest annual LCC should allow for a high number of repairs per device, without putting a maximum on the cost per repair. However, the consumer should become more cautious when a device approaches the end of its expected lifetime. Finally, the purchase of warranty can be interesting when the warranty covers a sufficiently long proportion of the device’s (expected) lifetime and when its cost does not exceed a threshold proportion of the initial purchase price.
Research limitations/implications
The costs for repair might be overestimated. Future research can focus on the reduction of repair costs following self-repair.
Practical implications
The results provide strong arguments in favour of repair instead of replacement of broken devices.
Originality/value
This is the first research to quantify the influence of consumer behaviour in the context of repair of devices on the ownership costs of these devices.
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Joana Baleeiro Passos, Daisy Valle Enrique, Camila Costa Dutra and Carla Schwengber ten Caten
The innovation process demands an interaction between environment agents, knowledge generators and policies of incentive for innovation and not only development by companies…
Abstract
Purpose
The innovation process demands an interaction between environment agents, knowledge generators and policies of incentive for innovation and not only development by companies. Universities have gradually become the core of the knowledge production system and, therefore, their role regarding innovation has become more important and diversified. This study is aimed at identifying the mechanisms of university–industry (U–I) collaboration, as well as the operationalization steps of the U–I collaboration process.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is aimed at identifying, based on a systematic literature review, the mechanisms of university–industry (U–I) collaboration, as well as the operationalization steps of the U–I collaboration process.
Findings
The analysis of the 72 selected articles enabled identifying 15 mechanisms of U–I collaboration, proposing a new classification for such mechanisms and developing a framework presenting the operationalization steps of the interaction process.
Originality/value
In this paper, the authors screened nearly 1,500 papers and analyzed in detail 86 papers addressing U–I collaboration, mechanisms of U–I collaboration and operationalization steps of the U–I collaboration process. This paper provides a new classification for such mechanisms and developing a framework presenting the operationalization steps of the interaction process. This research contributes to both theory and practice by highlighting managerial aspects and stimulating academic research on such timely topic.
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One of the newest crimes to be put on the books is stalking, usually defined as repeatedly being in the presence of another person with the intent to cause emotional distress or…
Abstract
One of the newest crimes to be put on the books is stalking, usually defined as repeatedly being in the presence of another person with the intent to cause emotional distress or bodily harm after being warned or requested not to do so. Stalking must be done over a period of time to indicate a pattern or continuity of purpose. Threats against a person or person's family may be stated or implied in stalking. Stalking victims are followed and harassed at work, at school, and at home. Stalking can also be done electronically, either using computers to send harassing e‐mail messages or by jamming telefacsimile machines with unwanted transmissions. There have been numerous high‐profile stalking cases that gained a great deal of publicity and focused attention on stalking. “Celebrity stalking” cases came to the public's attention in 1982 when actress Theresa Saldana was stabbed by a stalker. In 1989 actress Rebecca Schaeffer was shot and killed by a man who had stalked her for two years. In the 1990s the assault on skater Nancy Kerrigan, television talk shows and movies, and nonfiction works on stalking, including cases that ended with the death of the stalking victim, have focused public attention on this issue.
Marina Fernandes Aguiar, Jaime A. Mesa, Daniel Jugend, Marco Antonio Paula Pinheiro and Paula De Camargo Fiorini
Although product design is a fundamental element in the transition towards the circular economy, the knowledge of practices, methods and tools oriented to circular product design…
Abstract
Purpose
Although product design is a fundamental element in the transition towards the circular economy, the knowledge of practices, methods and tools oriented to circular product design has not been widely developed. This study aims to contribute to the circular economy research area by investigating and analyzing the main design approaches to circular products and their relationship to new product development.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a systematic review and qualitative analysis of 120 articles. In these studies, the authors analyzed aspects such as design strategies used, the barriers to the adoption of circular product design and the relationships between the phases of new product development processes with circular product design studies.
Findings
The findings revealed that the circular product design approach has added new design strategies to those already recommended by ecodesign, such as multiple use cycles, emotional durability and biomimicry. Furthermore, the results showed that most circular product design articles focus on the planning and concept development phases of the new product development process.
Originality/value
In this article, the authors systematized the findings of an emergent research area: the development of new products for the circular economy. Its main contributions lie in the identification of design strategies, the classification of Design for X approaches, analysis of such approaches during the new product development process and discussion of their main barriers. Finally, this study presents contributions for managers and designers who are starting the transition to a circular strategy.
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Lidwine Spoormans and Ana Pereira Roders
Although residential neighbourhoods are the largest and most resilient share of a city and the process of urban conservation and renewal is ongoing, methods to assess their values…
Abstract
Purpose
Although residential neighbourhoods are the largest and most resilient share of a city and the process of urban conservation and renewal is ongoing, methods to assess their values are limited. This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review, revealing the state of the art and its knowledge gaps with regard to methods for assessing values of architecture in residential neighbourhoods.
Design/methodology/approach
The systematic literature review is based on studies selected by a research protocol, using a digital database of peer-reviewed literature. A metanarrative approach is used to synthesise the qualitative data from reviewed articles. This review has two stages: (1) giving an overview of the field and (2) categorising research methods and disciplines.
Findings
The review revealed a wide variety of studies from different disciplines and deduced its key trends, titled as “storylines”, concerning the methods to assess significance, integrating a broader scope of values and different perspectives. In particular, the “storylines” outside traditional heritage disciplines offer methods to include more stakeholders, link value assessment to policy development or highlight heritage potential. Results reveal the diversity in concepts and strengthen the need for an interdisciplinary vocabulary on values and methods, enabling planners and policymakers to compare their results and help to create more attractive and resilient cities.
Originality/value
By reviewing and comparing the selected studies from a wider range of disciplines and research fields, this paper shares insights into the complementary characteristics of the different types of value research, outlining the added value of the different perspectives.