This year's ISPIM Connects Global 2020 took place from 6 to 8 December 2020 in a virtual format. Under the motto "Celebrating the World of Innovation" 99 experts from 21 different countries presented their research results, success stories and regional insights in more than 80 presentations.
This year's experts and thinkers included Joanne Hyland, President of the Rinnovation Group, Karel Vredenburg, Director of Global Design Leadership at IBM, and Tamako Watanabe, specialist at the Japan Research Institute.
From HNU, Prof. Dr. Daniel Schallmo, Prof. Dr. Lang, Daniel Hasler, Tobias Hackl and Katharina Ehmig-Klassen were represented. Together they prepared the contribution: "Understanding Digital Platforms in B2B: Literature Review and Case Studies". In this article they explained the history of digital platforms as well as concrete examples of three companies and their B2B models. Katharina Ehmig-Klassen, Prof. Dr. Daniel Schallmo Christopher A. Williams and Prof. Dr. Lang presented a paper entitled: "Applying Design Thinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Higher Education". This paper dealt with the application of Design Thinking in an online format and in cooperation with companies.
The two other contributions include Crisis-Driven Business Model Innovation - Decision-Making Under Stress" and "How SMEs digitally mature: Conceptual research framework and initial findings".
About ISPIM
ISPIM, the International Society for Professional Innovation Management, is a community of members from research, industry, consulting and the public sector who all share a passion for innovation management. It drives the question of how to successfully turn ideas into new products, processes and services to promote economic growth and well-being. ISPIM was founded in Norway in 1983 and is the oldest, largest and most active international innovation network.
Background to the contributions
Applying Design Thinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Higher Education
This paper describes an integrative Design Thinking approach with goals, activities, instruments and relevant results, which has been applied in science in the past. The approach was applied in teaching during the COVID 19 pandemic. The research is case study based and the main findings are that it is possible to apply Design Thinking in the context of a pandemic and work online. The approach meets both the requirements of university teaching and the needs of companies. The paper also offers important success factors for the use of the approach.
Crisis-Driven Business Model Innovation - Decision-Making Under Stress
This paper aims to develop an approach to crisis-driven business model innovation based on studies of decision making under stress and multi-causal mistakes. First, a lack of non-technical skills leads to wrong decisions. Second, our brain functions differently under stress than under normal conditions. Thirdly, unconscious decision making under stress comes into play, including two mechanisms: similarity matching and frequency gambling. The authors have analysed case studies of companies that practice crisis-related business model innovation. The results show that crisis-related business model innovation is currently an important issue. Existing theories do not combine crisis management for business models and decision-making under stress, and there is no approach to this in the current literature. Based on the research, the authors provide an approach to crisis-related business model innovation that comprises the following four phases: Business model analysis, risk identification, idea derivation and idea implementation.
Understanding Digital Platforms in B2B: Literature Review and Case Studies
This paper offers researchers an overview of the topic of digital platform approaches in the SME and B2B context. The findings are based on a systematic literature review in which existing approaches to digital platform building were analysed and compared, with a special focus on SMEs in the B2B context. In addition, three case studies were carried out in which German SMEs have set up their own digital B2B platforms. The results show that companies are using digital platforms to switch from a traditional position as product suppliers to product and service providers.
How SMEs digitally mature: Conceptual research - framework and initial findings
The aim of this paper is to present key development results and principles for the development of a digital maturity model for SMEs. The results provide insights into the concept and methodological principles of developing a digital maturity model for SMEs. There are significant conceptual and methodological deficiencies in the existing maturity model for SME literature. The ability of SMEs to use a validated digital maturity model as an important way of promotion is limited. strategic digital transformation and ultimately offer them a proven digital direction. The paper offers an important concept and methodological challenges.
