Feb 2018· Journal of Systems and Software· Vol abs/1802.09393, pp. 69-87· 78 citations· ⚡ 6 influential· 103 references
Computer ScienceBusinessEngineering
TL;DR
This study investigates how Lean internal startup facilitates software product innovation in large companies and identifies its enablers and inhibitors, and shows the potential of the method-in-action framework to investigate the Lean startup approach in non-startup context.
Abstract
To compete in this age of disruption, large companies cannot rely on cost efficiency, lead time reduction and quality improvement. They are now looking for ways to innovate like startups. Meanwhile, the awareness and use of the Lean startup approach have grown rapidly amongst the software startup community in recent years. This study investigates how Lean internal startup facilitates software product innovation in large companies and identifies its enablers and inhibitors. A multiple case study approach is followed in the investigation. Two software product innovation projects from two large companies are examined, using a conceptual framework that is based on the method-in-action framework and extended with the previously developed Lean-Internal Corporate Venture model. Seven face-to-face in-depth interviews of the employees with different roles are conducted. Within-case analysis and cross-case comparison are applied to draw the findings from the cases. A generic process flow summarises the common key processes of Lean internal startups. The findings suggest that an internal startup that is initiated management or employees faces different challenges. A list of enablers of applying Lean startup in large companies are identified, including top management support and cross-functional team. Both cases face different inhibitors due to the different process of inception, objective of the team and type of the product. Our contributions are threefold. First, this study is one of the first attempt to investigate the use of Lean startup approach in large companies empirically. Second, the study shows the potential of the method-in-action framework to investigate the Lean startup approach in non-startup context. The third is a general process of Lean internal startup and the evidence of the enablers and inhibitors of implementing it, which are both theory-informed and empirically grounded.
Due to their innovative potential and contributions to advancing circular business models, startups play a significant role in the transition toward the circular economy (CE). Yet, despite their agility and focus on creating and delivering value aligned with CE principles, startups also often face specific barriers and challenges when developing circular solutions. One possible way to overcome these obstacles is through the application of open innovation (OI) concepts. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding integrated studies on how OI can support startups innovating toward the CE. The present study aimed to contribute to this understanding by investigating the topic through a systematic literature review, followed by a qualitative content analysis. From an OI perspective, the findings of the study suggest a set of managerial practices, along with the identification and analysis of actors and tools that startups can use to support CE development and implementation. Finally, an integrative framework is proposed that may guide startups in adopting OI to support CE implementation.
Daniel Jugend, Marina Fernandes Aguiar, Paula de Camargo Fiorini et al.· Business Strategy & Deve...· 0 citations
This study aims to examine how large technology multinationals use digital platforms as dynamic capability infrastructures to integrate open innovation (OI) with business process management (BPM) via absorptive capacity mechanisms.
The study adopts a qualitative multi-case design based on four global technology firms. Data were collected from 30 elite interviews, 24 annual reports, and more than 300 webpages and analysed through a three-stage coding process.
The findings show that digital platforms support open innovation by enabling firms to sense external opportunities, seize knowledge from distributed actors and reconfigure innovation-related business processes. Four strategic objectives shape platform deployment: developing global expert networks, accelerating digital transformation, accessing external R&D talent and exploring future technologies. The study also identifies firm-, managerial- and employee-level challenges that affect the integration of platform-generated knowledge into BPM routines.
The qualitative case design provides rich process insight but limits statistical generalisability. Future research could test the proposed relationships through quantitative and longitudinal designs.
Managers should align platform types with open innovation objectives, establish clear governance mechanisms, invest in absorptive capacity and develop analytics and digital skills to translate external knowledge into process improvements.
The study contributes by conceptualising digital platforms as infrastructures that connect open innovation with BPM through dynamic capabilities and absorptive capacity. It clarifies how platform-enabled knowledge flows are embedded into business processes and identifies the organisational conditions that support or constrain this integration.
Ghadeer R. Alsaeed, Naheed Bashir· Business Process Management...· 0 citations
Background: The adoption of Business Intelligence (BI) practices has gained attention across enterprises as rapid advances in digital technologies enable the automation of business processes and enhance organisational competitiveness. BI tools offer SMEs the ability to generate insights that support informed decision-making. Despite these benefits, SMEs often encounter challenges in adopting and implementing BI, particularly in relation to financial constraints, limited staff skills, and organisational culture. Objectives: This study investigates the adoption of BI practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to examine the extent of BI integration and its impact on decision-making, competitiveness, and the critical success factors influencing effective BI implementation. Method: A qualitative research approach aligned with an interpretivist paradigm was employed. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was adopted as the lens to guide the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with nine (9) participants, including owners, a director and co-founder, and employees from three purposively selected SMEs. Participants were chosen to reflect diverse organisational roles and experiences with BI tools. The interview data were analysed thematically to identify patterns related to BI adoption, utilisation, and effectiveness. Results: The findings indicate that BI adoption among South African SMEs remains limited, with many enterprises relying primarily on basic BI tools. Nevertheless, SMEs that have adopted BI reported improvements in decision-making speed and overall competitiveness. Key challenges identified include data integration issues, financial limitations, and a lack of technical skills. Successful BI adoption was found to depend on leadership support, appropriate training, strategic alignment, and the use of tailored, cloud-based BI solutions. Conclusion: The study concludes that while BI adoption offers notable performance benefits for South African SMEs, its success is contingent upon addressing financial, skills-related, and cultural barriers. Enhanced funding support, practical training initiatives, and effective change management are essential. The study contributes practical insights into the enablers and challenges of BI adoption in a developing economy context and extends the discourse on BI adoption in emerging economies, offering guidance for policymakers, SME owners, and technology providers seeking to enhance SME competitiveness through data-driven decision-making.
Mirano Jansen, K. Ohei, Sam Lubbe· Veredas do Direito· 0 citations
The hybrid work format has become a new normal, but the question of what makes such teams genuinely effective remains open. Contrary to popular belief, the presence of digital platforms and advanced tools does not guarantee productivity growth. Moreover, technology investments often yield returns opposite to expectations - not because the software is substandard, but because structures and people cannot keep up with it. Based on a systematic review of studies published in recent years, the article shows that the root of the problem lies in the asynchrony of three components: technology, organizational design, and management culture. Each changes at its own pace, and it is the gap between them that becomes the main source of losses. The paper proposes a typology of organizational lags - temporal, competency-based, structural and cultural - as well as metrics and tools for their diagnosis and reduction. The main conclusion upends conventional logic: the effectiveness of hybrid teams is determined not by the level of digitalization, but by the degree of synchronization of changes. The results are addressed to managers who are looking not for another technology, but for a way to make what has already been implemented work.
Anton Sergeevich Sharapov· EKONOMIKA I UPRAVLENIE: PROB...· 0 citations
The study explores the digitalization of human resource (HR) processes in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the lens of the Employee Lifecycle model. The aim of the research is to assess the potential for integrating digital tools across different stages of employee management and to identify practical mechanisms that enhance organizational efficiency under resource constraints. The methodological framework combines a theoretical review of the Employee Lifecycle concept and digital HR transformation with a qualitative case study of a small enterprise operating in the Republic of Moldova. The analysis demonstrates that digital tools, such as online recruitment platforms, cloud-based documentation, task management systems, and ERP solutions, can significantly improve the efficiency, transparency, and coordination of HR processes in SMEs. At the same time, the findings reveal an uneven level of digitalization across lifecycle stages: while performance management and operational coordination are relatively well digitalized, earlier stages such as recruitment, onboarding, and employee development remain less formalized. The study highlights the dual nature of digitalization, emphasizing both its benefits such as reduced transaction costs, improved data-driven decision-making, and increased flexibility, and associated risks, including data security concerns, over-reliance on digital tools, and potential decline in interpersonal interaction. The results suggest that the effectiveness of digital HR in SMEs depends not on the number of technologies adopted, but on their integration into a coherent management system aligned with the Employee Lifecycle model.
Ilie Gagauz· Development Through Research...· 0 citations
Digital technologies are reshaping industrial research and development (R&D), yet multinational corporations continue to face significant challenges when transferring and embedding digital tools across globally distributed research sites. Limited research has examined how R&D engineers adapt to digital tools that alter established routines and reshape everyday work practices. This study investigates the intrafirm transfer of the digital manufacturing platform tool in Unilever, a leading global fast moving consumer goods company, focusing on its introduction from the corporate R&D center in the U.K. to laboratories in China and the USA. Drawing on a qualitative case study approach with in-depth interviews of process engineers and managers, the analysis indicates largely positive adoption, particularly in experimental traceability and knowledge sharing. The findings also reveal tensions that arise during the rollout, reflecting behavioral and organizational complexity associated with cross site deployment of digital tools. The study contributes to research in engineering management by identifying managerial actions that support successful technology transfer, including sustained communication and structured planning. It also emphasizes the importance of R&D engineers developing digital literacy as a key capability for interpreting and engaging with emerging technologies.
K. Malik, Andrew James, Adam Kowalski· IEEE transactions on enginee...· 0 citations
The new ChartNet training dataset could improve the accuracy of vision-language models that help analyze business trends or interpret scientific figures.
