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Tracking the social organisation of innovation: tracking Mobile Hubs of innovation networks tackling societal challenges Silvia Andrea Pérez Perdomo Methodology Scientific and societal relevance 1. External environmental analysis: challenges, windows of opportunities and factors of the institutional landscape. The combination of the presented methodologies for tracking dynamics of innovation 2. Participatory tracking of challenges and arrangements made in the innovation journey networks are relevant for innovation, managerial and developmental sciences. It is a 3. Social network analysis and netchain analysis for mapping horizontal, vertical and cross integration of innovation methodological tool to promote collective-participatory: networks, flows of information and knowledge and types of inter-organisational relationships (formal e informal). • Identification of challenges by local actors and external stakeholders 4. Monitor, Evaluation and Change (M&E&C) tool • Identification of weaknesses, constraints and windows of opportunities offered in a particular context • Identification of missing linkages in the innovation networks • Identifying existent and potential synergies of alliances • Facilitation roles by managers and innovation intermediaries 1. Tracking the timing of innovation processes • Identifying needs of facilitating formal and informal inter-organisational relationships a • Identifying flows of information and knowledge (structural holes) • Identifying internal governance mechanisms and leadership styles of innovation networks, • Identify stagnant stages of the innovation process. • Monitor, Evaluation and Change (M&E&C) tool • Formulation of action plans c • Informative tool for policy making Multi-stakeholder innovation platform: A mobile Hub for the social organisation of innovation networks Temporally, spatially (Glo-cal) and virtually mobile hub of innovation networks. An open forum of multiple actors or stakeholders (a multi-stakeholder platform) that simultaneously explores opportunities to innovate, and exploits consolidated capacities to innovate in order to tackle societal challenges. Depending on the type Figure 1. A framework for tracking the explorative and exploitative and complexity of the challenge(s), this forum organises innovation at different dynamics using the cycle of networks levels and stages of the innovation process (Figure 1), facilitating innovation (adapted from b different arrangements for innovation (institutional, technological, knowledge Noteboom, 2001) among other) over time. Accordingly, the social organisation of innovation networks takes place through different governance mechanisms, having the facilitation of innovation managers and innovation intermediaries. 2. Tracking the social organisation of innovation networks over time: Governance mechanisms of innovation networks c a b Figure 2. Netchain analysis to observe changes on inter-organisational relationships over time: (a) reciprocal (↔), (b) sequential (↓) and all combined: pooled, reciprocal and sequential interdependencies (↔), (↓) , (---) (a) First order governance for mutual (b) Second order governance or hierarchical (c) Meta-governance: Ambidextrous-dynamic and hybrid adjustment (small and non hierarchical (larger innovation networks). governance of mobile hubs of innovation networks. S innovation networks). It is a type of governance of the social organisation of It is a type of hybrid-ambidextrous governance for the social o It is a type of governance of the social organisation innovation of larger networks in which different actors organization of innovation at different social network levels to deal are connected vertically (upstream and downstream) with complex –multilevel societal challenges. Examples: c of innovation of small networks were actors that in relation to the solution of a societal challenge they share bound in relation to a societal challenge they i face and dealt with collectively and without face and dealt with collectively, but with hierarchy. • Glo-cal , national and international mobiles hubs O hierarchy. Example, glo-cal, spatially and virtually Example, the vertical integration between actors in a • Mobiles hubs in an innovation system u e communities of practice, like the communities of supply chain, but also in relationships sustained • Mobile hubs in a value chain-netchains t practice mediated by information and among farmers and extension workers in the diffusion • Virtual mobile hubs (ICT mediated) t communication technologies. of technologies and knowledge transfer through linear • Mobile hubs in multi-stakeholder cooperatives a approaches. c l o 3. Tracking types of innovation networks, their roles and evolution m Dynamic ambidextrous-hybrid innovation network: the mobile C hub. e • Exploratory innovation network Exploitative innovation network s h Facilitating a simultaneous combination of pooled (---), sequential (↓) and a Facilitating reciprocal interdependencies (↔) among Facilitating sequential (↓) interdependencies among reciprocal (↔) interdependencies among actors (3 Bs: Bounding, actors at the (Bonding). actors (Bridging) Bridging and Breaching). Other functions consists of: (1) Identify l challenges and opportunities for innovation; (2) discuss the challenges Facilitates reciprocal interdependencies (↔), when the Facilitates sequential interdependencies (↓) with other and possibilities for exploring and exploiting innovations; (3) identify l innovation network requires stability. For instance, small actors with whom they are directly interdependent and invite the stakeholders who could contribute to the solution of the e producer organisations need a stable number of farmers in an activity that is sequential, who belong to a problems faced, (4) Propose actions plans, (5) Negotiation and (6) to do collective marketing to be able to comply with different layer (upstream or downstream) of the Monitor and adjust action plans according to the needs of stakeholders. n production and quality demands. netchain. The mobile hub is also a dynamic-hybrid mobile community of practice: g Facilitates Mode 2 knowledge sharing and Facilitates Mode 3 knowledge sharing and social learning. Facilitates Mode 1 knowledge sharing and learning. e learning. Empirical application examples: • (1). Mapping dynamics of innovation networks of potato netchains: 6 case studies in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, 2011. http://www.academia.edu/3507108/Mapping_dynamics_of_innovation_networks_Potato_netchains_in_Uganda_Rwanda_and_the_Democratic_Republic_of_Congo • (2) Multi-stakeholder cooperatives as incubators of innovation and entrepreneurship Acknowledgements To all the partner organisations and the community members that are participating in the Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program, who are collaborating for conducting the PhD research on Dynamics of innovations networks and the roles of innovation intermediaries to foster innovation in agricultural netchains: Potato netchains in Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lake Kivu Pilot Learning Site (LKPLS. References Lazzarini, S., Chaddad, F., Cook, M. .2001, "Integrating Supply Chain and Network Analysis: The Study of Netchains”; Nooteboom, B. (2001). Learning and innovation in organisations and economies. Contact Silvia Andrea Pérez Perdomo, PhD candidate Wageningen University; E-mail: silvia.perezperdomo@wur.n; erdperez@yahoo.com.ar First version In: Proceedings of the CIALCA International Conference 2011 Updated 2013©