Low-Cost, Low-Tech Innovation

Low-Cost, Low-Tech Innovation

Author: Vijay Vyas

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-11-13

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 1136686673

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Like much of SMEs research, innovation studies of small enterprises have commenced later and are less numerous. The focus of such studies remains high-technology enterprises, which continue to attract both academic and popular interest, oblivious to the innovative endeavours of people in traditional low-tech industries. This book attempts to address this imbalance through a comprehensive analysis of innovation in this largely neglected area. Based on case studies of seven small innovative food companies, this book presents an in-depth analysis of innovation in the Scottish food and drinks industry and unravels a lesser-known approach to effective low-cost product innovation, which is simple and economical, yet elegant and successful. Using careful data collection and rigorous statistical testing, the analysis and findings in this book address a wide spectrum of interests: academics in business schools, policy makers in governments and executives and entrepreneurs in food and other low-technology sectors.


Book Synopsis Low-Cost, Low-Tech Innovation by : Vijay Vyas

Download or read book Low-Cost, Low-Tech Innovation written by Vijay Vyas and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-11-13 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like much of SMEs research, innovation studies of small enterprises have commenced later and are less numerous. The focus of such studies remains high-technology enterprises, which continue to attract both academic and popular interest, oblivious to the innovative endeavours of people in traditional low-tech industries. This book attempts to address this imbalance through a comprehensive analysis of innovation in this largely neglected area. Based on case studies of seven small innovative food companies, this book presents an in-depth analysis of innovation in the Scottish food and drinks industry and unravels a lesser-known approach to effective low-cost product innovation, which is simple and economical, yet elegant and successful. Using careful data collection and rigorous statistical testing, the analysis and findings in this book address a wide spectrum of interests: academics in business schools, policy makers in governments and executives and entrepreneurs in food and other low-technology sectors.


Innovation in Low-tech Firms and Industries

Innovation in Low-tech Firms and Industries

Author: Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2008-01-01

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 1848445059

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This very valuable book collects together excellent empirical essays on what amounts to a silent majority in advanced industrial societies: low and medium tech manufacturing industries. Such industries employ more people and make a larger contribution to aggregate value creation than their more lauded high-tech counterparts and moreover, they constitute extremely important customer industries for such higher tech producers. They may be neglected, but they are not going away indeed, this volume shows that they are growing and adapting to the new competitive challenges of globalization. Attending to the dynamics of innovation and change in this large sector is crucial for understanding processes of social and economic restructuring in Europe today. The essays in this volume are the first place to look for insight into this extremely important area of political economic life in Europe. Gary Herrigel, University of Chicago, US Innovation in Low-Tech Firms and Industries challenges the currently fashionable notion that the advent of a knowledge-based economy demands that all social resources should be diverted to high-technology industries. Hirsch-Kreinsen and Jacobson point out these constitute a small part of even the most advanced economies. Attention has been diverted from the important innovation processes which occur in low and medium technology (LMT) sectors. This volume calls on us to achieve a much better and wiser balance in our industrial policy. Terrence McDonough, National University of Ireland, Galway The authors of this book make an urgently needed provocative point: ordinary engineering and technology ( low-tech ) continue to be of greater importance, in our knowledge society , than high-tech activities, and they may be similarly demanding by the competence they require and produce. This counteracts the exaggerated hype about high-tech firms or activities. The high-tech classification itself is highly arbitrary and often superficial. The authors show in what way low-tech activities and firms are important, and how they can be cultivated to buttress the economic strength of industrial and post-industrial nations. Researchers and policymakers, please take note! Arndt Sorge, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin, Germany and University of Groningen, The Netherlands It is a general understanding that the advanced economies are currently undergoing a fundamental transformation into knowledge-based societies. There is a firm belief that this is based on the development of high-tech industries. Correspondingly, in this scenario low-tech sectors appear to be less important. A critique of this widely held belief is the starting point of this book. It is often overlooked that many of the current innovation activities are linked to developments inside the realm of low-tech. Thus the general objective of the book is to contribute to a discussion concerning the relevance of low-tech industries for industrial innovativeness in the emerging knowledge economy. Providing examples of both theoretical and empirical research in this area, Innovation in Low-tech Firms and Industries will be of great interest to postgraduate students and academic researchers in innovation studies. It will also appeal to policy makers in the field of innovation policy as well as industrial economists and sociologists interested in traditional industries in advanced economies.


Book Synopsis Innovation in Low-tech Firms and Industries by : Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Download or read book Innovation in Low-tech Firms and Industries written by Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This very valuable book collects together excellent empirical essays on what amounts to a silent majority in advanced industrial societies: low and medium tech manufacturing industries. Such industries employ more people and make a larger contribution to aggregate value creation than their more lauded high-tech counterparts and moreover, they constitute extremely important customer industries for such higher tech producers. They may be neglected, but they are not going away indeed, this volume shows that they are growing and adapting to the new competitive challenges of globalization. Attending to the dynamics of innovation and change in this large sector is crucial for understanding processes of social and economic restructuring in Europe today. The essays in this volume are the first place to look for insight into this extremely important area of political economic life in Europe. Gary Herrigel, University of Chicago, US Innovation in Low-Tech Firms and Industries challenges the currently fashionable notion that the advent of a knowledge-based economy demands that all social resources should be diverted to high-technology industries. Hirsch-Kreinsen and Jacobson point out these constitute a small part of even the most advanced economies. Attention has been diverted from the important innovation processes which occur in low and medium technology (LMT) sectors. This volume calls on us to achieve a much better and wiser balance in our industrial policy. Terrence McDonough, National University of Ireland, Galway The authors of this book make an urgently needed provocative point: ordinary engineering and technology ( low-tech ) continue to be of greater importance, in our knowledge society , than high-tech activities, and they may be similarly demanding by the competence they require and produce. This counteracts the exaggerated hype about high-tech firms or activities. The high-tech classification itself is highly arbitrary and often superficial. The authors show in what way low-tech activities and firms are important, and how they can be cultivated to buttress the economic strength of industrial and post-industrial nations. Researchers and policymakers, please take note! Arndt Sorge, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin, Germany and University of Groningen, The Netherlands It is a general understanding that the advanced economies are currently undergoing a fundamental transformation into knowledge-based societies. There is a firm belief that this is based on the development of high-tech industries. Correspondingly, in this scenario low-tech sectors appear to be less important. A critique of this widely held belief is the starting point of this book. It is often overlooked that many of the current innovation activities are linked to developments inside the realm of low-tech. Thus the general objective of the book is to contribute to a discussion concerning the relevance of low-tech industries for industrial innovativeness in the emerging knowledge economy. Providing examples of both theoretical and empirical research in this area, Innovation in Low-tech Firms and Industries will be of great interest to postgraduate students and academic researchers in innovation studies. It will also appeal to policy makers in the field of innovation policy as well as industrial economists and sociologists interested in traditional industries in advanced economies.


Low-tech Innovation

Low-tech Innovation

Author: Oliver Som

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2014-10-28

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 3319099736

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This book highlights the economic relevance of the so-called low-tech industries and firms. Non R&D intensive firms continue to be the economic backbone of several developed industrial countries. They form the core of National Innovation Systems and contribute significantly to growth and employment. However, due to their lack of R&D activity, they are easily overlooked in the general innovation debate. This book provides latest empirical findings on the current economic relevance and specific innovation strategies and management of non-R&D intensive firms in Germany. It discusses their future role in a knowledge driven economy as well as possible implications for innovation and technology policy. An outcome of several years of dedicated research conducted at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), this book will prove of immense value to researchers and policy makers dealing with innovation and knowledge strategy.


Book Synopsis Low-tech Innovation by : Oliver Som

Download or read book Low-tech Innovation written by Oliver Som and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-10-28 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book highlights the economic relevance of the so-called low-tech industries and firms. Non R&D intensive firms continue to be the economic backbone of several developed industrial countries. They form the core of National Innovation Systems and contribute significantly to growth and employment. However, due to their lack of R&D activity, they are easily overlooked in the general innovation debate. This book provides latest empirical findings on the current economic relevance and specific innovation strategies and management of non-R&D intensive firms in Germany. It discusses their future role in a knowledge driven economy as well as possible implications for innovation and technology policy. An outcome of several years of dedicated research conducted at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), this book will prove of immense value to researchers and policy makers dealing with innovation and knowledge strategy.


Low-tech Innovation in the Knowledge Economy

Low-tech Innovation in the Knowledge Economy

Author: Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13:

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This volume brings together reflections and research findings on so-called lowtech industries. The accepted wisdom seems to accept that mature, industrialised nations are undergoing a fundamental transformation into the much vaunted Knowledge Society. There is a firm belief that in this situation the advancement of high-tech industries is essential for growth and development. Correspondingly, in this scenario so-called low-tech sectors appear to be less important in and for the major industrialised countries. The starting point of this volume is a fundamental critique of this widely held belief. In fact, many of the processes we witness today are based on developments outside the realm of high-tech and lowtech industries are important not only for employment and growth but also for knowledge formation in European economies.


Book Synopsis Low-tech Innovation in the Knowledge Economy by : Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Download or read book Low-tech Innovation in the Knowledge Economy written by Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen and published by Peter Lang Publishing. This book was released on 2005 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume brings together reflections and research findings on so-called lowtech industries. The accepted wisdom seems to accept that mature, industrialised nations are undergoing a fundamental transformation into the much vaunted Knowledge Society. There is a firm belief that in this situation the advancement of high-tech industries is essential for growth and development. Correspondingly, in this scenario so-called low-tech sectors appear to be less important in and for the major industrialised countries. The starting point of this volume is a fundamental critique of this widely held belief. In fact, many of the processes we witness today are based on developments outside the realm of high-tech and lowtech industries are important not only for employment and growth but also for knowledge formation in European economies.


High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech

High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech

Author: William W. Falk

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 1988-01-01

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 9780887067280

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Fifty years ago the quality of life in the 13 states of the Old South was judged to be among the lowest in the country. A lack of industrial development and the pervasiveness of a sharecropping system of agricultural production combined to keep the South mired in the backwaters of the American economy. Over the past five decades, however, the South has moved to the forefront as an area of economic growth. The authors show that significant improvements have taken place almost entirely in and around the major cities. Rural areas--especially those with a high percentage of blacks --remain saddled with an economic base dominated almost entirely by slow growing, stagnating, and declining industries. The uneven development of the region is the result of a set of industrial policies in which communities attempt to lure prospective employers with lucrative business incentive packages. Guarantees of cheap, unorganized labor, tax holidays and giveaways of land and buildings are some of the 'chips' community leaders use in this high stakes game. Rural communities are often caught in bidding wars among themselves in which they are forced to offer even more lucrative incentives and in the process reallocate resources away from needed human services. Consequently, Falk and Lyson target the need for a national industrial policy that will bring some order to the industrial recruitment process.


Book Synopsis High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech by : William W. Falk

Download or read book High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech written by William W. Falk and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 1988-01-01 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fifty years ago the quality of life in the 13 states of the Old South was judged to be among the lowest in the country. A lack of industrial development and the pervasiveness of a sharecropping system of agricultural production combined to keep the South mired in the backwaters of the American economy. Over the past five decades, however, the South has moved to the forefront as an area of economic growth. The authors show that significant improvements have taken place almost entirely in and around the major cities. Rural areas--especially those with a high percentage of blacks --remain saddled with an economic base dominated almost entirely by slow growing, stagnating, and declining industries. The uneven development of the region is the result of a set of industrial policies in which communities attempt to lure prospective employers with lucrative business incentive packages. Guarantees of cheap, unorganized labor, tax holidays and giveaways of land and buildings are some of the 'chips' community leaders use in this high stakes game. Rural communities are often caught in bidding wars among themselves in which they are forced to offer even more lucrative incentives and in the process reallocate resources away from needed human services. Consequently, Falk and Lyson target the need for a national industrial policy that will bring some order to the industrial recruitment process.


Emergency Driven Innovation

Emergency Driven Innovation

Author: Ernesto Antonini

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-09-24

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 3030559696

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This book explores the relationship between the circular economy and the building technologies within the quintuple helix innovation model. The main question the book answers is whether and how the conversion of sustainable construction processes can be a powerful engine of innovation for the industry. The post-disaster settlements and temporary shelters are assumed as examples of what can be defined as circular buildings in regards to the technical arrangements and features, material and process reversibility, as the social and participative dimensions. Several cases of these interventions are documented and classified by three thematic axes: design, building and living. This highlighted new trajectories for innovation in building technology, consistent with the social, economic and productive dynamics that no longer allows for growing performance by increasing the resource demand. A theoretic framework is traced supporting this vision, which shows how the low technologies can respond to the transition of the economic model from linear to circular. Within this trajectory, the low-tech design for remanufacturing represents a reference framework and a promising tool applicable to the building processes. The enabling technologies and new paradigms for the transition to circular economy emerging from the European research scenario are also mapped, outlining z`the possible future developments in line with open technical and societal challenges.


Book Synopsis Emergency Driven Innovation by : Ernesto Antonini

Download or read book Emergency Driven Innovation written by Ernesto Antonini and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-09-24 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the relationship between the circular economy and the building technologies within the quintuple helix innovation model. The main question the book answers is whether and how the conversion of sustainable construction processes can be a powerful engine of innovation for the industry. The post-disaster settlements and temporary shelters are assumed as examples of what can be defined as circular buildings in regards to the technical arrangements and features, material and process reversibility, as the social and participative dimensions. Several cases of these interventions are documented and classified by three thematic axes: design, building and living. This highlighted new trajectories for innovation in building technology, consistent with the social, economic and productive dynamics that no longer allows for growing performance by increasing the resource demand. A theoretic framework is traced supporting this vision, which shows how the low technologies can respond to the transition of the economic model from linear to circular. Within this trajectory, the low-tech design for remanufacturing represents a reference framework and a promising tool applicable to the building processes. The enabling technologies and new paradigms for the transition to circular economy emerging from the European research scenario are also mapped, outlining z`the possible future developments in line with open technical and societal challenges.


Industrial Innovation, Networks, and Economic Development

Industrial Innovation, Networks, and Economic Development

Author: Anant Kamath

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-11-27

Total Pages: 181

ISBN-13: 131759889X

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This book offers an innovative examination of how ‘low–technology’ industries operate. Based on extensive fieldwork in India, the book fuses economic and sociological perspectives on information sharing by means of informal interaction in a low-technology cluster in a developing country. In doing so, the book sheds new light on settings where economic relations arise as emergent properties of social relations. This book examines industrial innovation and microeconomic network behaviour among producers and clusters, perceiving knowledge diffusion to be a socially-spatial, as much as a geographically spatial, phenomenon. This is achieved by employing two methods – simulation modelling, and (quantitative, qualitative, and historical) social network analysis. The simulation model, based on its findings, motivates two empirical studies – one descriptive case and one network study – of low-tech rural and semi-urban traditional technology clusters in Kerala state in southern India. These cases demonstrate two contrasting stories of how social cohesion either supports or thwarts informal information sharing and learning. This book pushes towards an economic-sociology approach to understanding knowledge diffusion and technological learning, which perceives innovation and learning as being more social processes than the mainstream view perceives them to be. In doing so, it makes a significant contribution to the literature on defensive innovation and the role of networks in technological innovation and knowledge diffusion, as well as to policy studies of Indian small firm and traditional technology clusters.


Book Synopsis Industrial Innovation, Networks, and Economic Development by : Anant Kamath

Download or read book Industrial Innovation, Networks, and Economic Development written by Anant Kamath and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-11-27 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers an innovative examination of how ‘low–technology’ industries operate. Based on extensive fieldwork in India, the book fuses economic and sociological perspectives on information sharing by means of informal interaction in a low-technology cluster in a developing country. In doing so, the book sheds new light on settings where economic relations arise as emergent properties of social relations. This book examines industrial innovation and microeconomic network behaviour among producers and clusters, perceiving knowledge diffusion to be a socially-spatial, as much as a geographically spatial, phenomenon. This is achieved by employing two methods – simulation modelling, and (quantitative, qualitative, and historical) social network analysis. The simulation model, based on its findings, motivates two empirical studies – one descriptive case and one network study – of low-tech rural and semi-urban traditional technology clusters in Kerala state in southern India. These cases demonstrate two contrasting stories of how social cohesion either supports or thwarts informal information sharing and learning. This book pushes towards an economic-sociology approach to understanding knowledge diffusion and technological learning, which perceives innovation and learning as being more social processes than the mainstream view perceives them to be. In doing so, it makes a significant contribution to the literature on defensive innovation and the role of networks in technological innovation and knowledge diffusion, as well as to policy studies of Indian small firm and traditional technology clusters.


The Paradox of Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries

The Paradox of Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries

Author: Isabel Schwinge

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-07-22

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 3658109378

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This book presents the first multidimensional investigation of KIE in the context of low-tech industries and gives insights in paradox conditions and specific mechanisms, using the example of the German textile industry. Therefore, the author solves conceptual inconsistencies and develops an alternative framework referring to systemic concepts of sectoral innovation systems and KIE as well as to the concept of institutional entrepreneurs. As a result, the deviation of willful actors from a restricting institutional environment and sources of entrepreneurial opportunities can be investigated more comprehensively.


Book Synopsis The Paradox of Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries by : Isabel Schwinge

Download or read book The Paradox of Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries written by Isabel Schwinge and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-07-22 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the first multidimensional investigation of KIE in the context of low-tech industries and gives insights in paradox conditions and specific mechanisms, using the example of the German textile industry. Therefore, the author solves conceptual inconsistencies and develops an alternative framework referring to systemic concepts of sectoral innovation systems and KIE as well as to the concept of institutional entrepreneurs. As a result, the deviation of willful actors from a restricting institutional environment and sources of entrepreneurial opportunities can be investigated more comprehensively.


Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries

Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries

Author: Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2014-05-30

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1783472049

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This book will appeal to social scientists, economists and students of innovation and entrepreneurship studies. Policy-makers and company representatives will also find much of interest in this book, with its surprising insights into a field that has b


Book Synopsis Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries by : Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Download or read book Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries written by Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2014-05-30 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will appeal to social scientists, economists and students of innovation and entrepreneurship studies. Policy-makers and company representatives will also find much of interest in this book, with its surprising insights into a field that has b


Marketing of High-technology Products and Innovations

Marketing of High-technology Products and Innovations

Author: Jakki J. Mohr

Publisher: Pearson Prentice Hall

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 584

ISBN-13: 9780136049968

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This title provides a thorugh overview of the issues high-tech marketers must address, and provides a balance between conceptual discussions and examples; small and big business; products and services; and consumer and business-to-business marketing contexts.


Book Synopsis Marketing of High-technology Products and Innovations by : Jakki J. Mohr

Download or read book Marketing of High-technology Products and Innovations written by Jakki J. Mohr and published by Pearson Prentice Hall. This book was released on 2010 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title provides a thorugh overview of the issues high-tech marketers must address, and provides a balance between conceptual discussions and examples; small and big business; products and services; and consumer and business-to-business marketing contexts.