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Previous research has highlighted the digitization of innovation processes and outcomes especially with regard to the impact of information technology (IT) on new product development (NPD). Instead of analyzing generic IT usage in the NPD, the purpose of this paper is to explore the influencing factors on the adoption of specific software tools to support innovation management methods, called innovation management software (IMS) and their specific functionality.

The authors used an online questionnaire and gathered data from 99 innovation managers of German industrial firms to explore which functionalities embedded in the tools such as aided innovation methods and activities influence the adoption of IMS.

This study’s results indicate in contrast to the previous assumptions in the literature that the likelihood of IMS adoption by innovation managers is positively influenced if the IMS tools offer support functionality for idea evaluation and portfolio management but decreased for idea generation and scenario management. Therefore, this paper can show, that the digitalization of the innovation process though IT tools is more finely nuanced than a “the more – the better” logic often promoted in the digitalization context and proposed in the literature on IMS before.

These findings advance the understanding of technological and organizational drivers of the transformation toward the digitalization of the innovation process from the perspective of innovation managers, who intend to do so by successfully introducing and using IMS in their NPD. Additionally, suppliers of IMS get valuable empirical-based indications from the user perspective that potentially supports their development and sales activities. From a theoretical perspective, this study extends prior research on IT usage and digitalization in the innovation process by expanding to an under-researched category of digitization for the innovation manager perspective aspects of the NPD activities.

This study updates the discussion on demand-pull attention as a source of radical product innovation. Demand-pull attention shows an ex ante alignment with market characteristics and needs as opposed to pushing resources toward markets. The authors suggest a holistic framework and specify three dimensions of demand-pull attention: anticipated or revealed market demand, market environment, and external economic environment. Based on a large German longitudinal panel consisting of 941 firm-year observations from 2003 to 2013, the authors conceptualized the measurement of demand-pull dimensions’ attention and radical product innovation using computer-aided text analysis of annual reports. The authors analyzed the relationship between the attention that a firm pays to different demand-pull dimensions and the firm’s strategic intention to radically innovate; thus, the authors actually focused on the cognitive sources of radical product innovations. This chapter suggests that radical product innovation activities are positively driven by attention toward the market environment and market demand orientation. However, the hypothesis, which assumed a negative relationship between attention toward the external economic environment and radical innovation, could not be significantly confirmed. This demands a closer look into the underlying decision processes of firms when deciding on radical product innovations. With the theoretical grounding on the attention-based view of the firm, the authors contribute to a better understanding of the role that organizational cognition plays in innovation processes.

In this article, we introduce a new concept in HERMES, the FP7 funded project in Europe, in developing technology innovations towards computer aided memory management via intelligent computation, and helping elderly people to overcome their decline in cognitive capabilities.In this project, an integrated computer aided memory management system is being developed from a strong interdisciplinary perspective, which brings together knowledge from gerontology to software and hardware integration. State‐of‐the‐art techniques and algorithms for image, video and speech processing, pattern recognition, semantic summarisation are illustrated, and the objectives and strategy for HERMES are described. Also, more details on the software that has been implemented are provided with future development direction.

A large‐scale random sample is used to empirically examine the relationships between adoption of computer‐aided design (CAD) and five organisational characteristics that are likely to affect the probability of a firm adopting an information technology. The organisational characteristics tested are bureaucratic control, internal communication, external communication, organisational innovation, and the firm’s size. Results indicate that bureaucratic control, internal communication, and external communication do affect the likelihood of a firm adopting CAD but organisational innovation and organisational size do not. These results suggest there are differences and similarities between the organisational influences associated with classic adoption models developed with emerging technologies and the organisational influences associated with CAD adoption and possibly other mature information technologies.

The purpose of this paper is to study the features and capabilities of a computer‐aided design (CAD)‐based programmable manipulator for subtractive and additive manufacturing.

The technical milestones in the development of the Cybaman replicator are reviewed, and then various applications are described.

A six‐axis fixed‐datum manipulator allows cutters, grinders, polishing heads, and even laser deposition to be combined in one set of automated processes. The CAD‐based approach simplifies both hardware and software and makes the machine simple to operate. The replicator is particularly useful in small‐batch component production, including medical and dental implants and jewellery manufacture. The high‐accuracy 3D manoeuvrability of the manipulator makes it a valued tool at the ISIS facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

The paper draws attention to a unique and powerful programmable manipulator for accurate positioning and small‐batch production.

Computer‐aided systems for all four of the conventional divisions of the field of library housekeeping are now operational in libraries. In Great Britain the only activity not yet operational is that of periodicals control, although two libraries have already used a computer to produce lists of periodicals holdings. The aim of this paper is to describe simply how computer‐aided housekeeping systems work, from the point of view of the librarian, and to mention briefly some typical applications of each type of system.

Given the importance of information technology in today′s society an understanding of the process by which technologies are diffused within and between societies is clearly important. Presents a model of this diffusion process which has been developed on the basis of an extensive research programme looking at the diffusion of production and inventory control systems within the components sector of British industry. This model suggests attention needs to be paid to three factors – the technological innovation itself, the vendors/suppliers of the innovation, and the user organization. Highlights the practical utility of this approach.

The purpose of this paper is to report a research which is conducted to examine the power of computer aided design (CAD) in achieving agility in traditional organizations.

The CAD model of the knob of an electronic switch was developed. This model was shown to the team of executives. The theoretical and practical knowledge provided by them were utilized to design new ten CAD models of the knob. The reactions of the executives about these new models were gathered and analyzed.

The creation of a CAD model of an existing product is found to be a useful input for evolving new models in an agile manner. It is found to be an easy task to gather the theoretical and practical knowledge for achieving design agility through the visualisation of CAD models.

This paper is conducted on only one component manufactured by an electronic switches manufacturing organization. Although it appears to be a limitation of this paper, the nature of the design process carried out in this traditional organization mimics that of any other design practices carried out in the world. Hence, the contributions of this paper are applicable in traditional manufacturing environment.

Throughout the conduct of this research, the practitioners' views are gathered. Their views are favorable towards the successful usage of CAD model in achieving design agility.

For many years, CAD has been used for carrying out complex design projects. However, it appears that it has not been used in its simplest form to visualise and bring out new models electronically for achieving design agility. This simple approach is presented in this paper which may be used by both theorists and practitioners.

Reports research which aimed to find the organizational conditions required for companies considering innovating their operating core by adopting any advanced manufacturing technology, and implementing and operating this technology effectively. Describes a model of the organization of manufacturing innovation which was used in longitudinal case studies of the adoption, implementation and early operation of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), to analyse these processes and to find the conditions affecting their level of success. It appears that the activities, innovation roles, organizational arrangements and slack resources which are required according to the model determine most of the success of the innovation process. Concludes that the model contributes to our understanding of how to organize and manage complex processes such as manufacturing innovation.

A perceptible gap has been observed in the literature concerning the adoption of product innovations into construction projects by designers (architects and engineers). This is seen specifically in the scant investigation into this group as a relevant source of construction innovation. It is also seen in the failure of current literature to reflect this group's interpretation of innovation linkages. The result is a gap in knowledge and a difficulty in correlating construction innovation models to the work of designers. The purpose of this paper is to seek to address this gap by identifying and classifying recent examples of innovation using an accepted construction innovation model.

The primary objective was to expand this accepted construction innovation model's interpretation of innovation linkages and identify those linkages that directly relate to the work of designers and address aspects of building form rather than merely aspects of cost and process efficiencies.

The results revealed that the interpretation of building linkages by designers were much more diverse than those as perceived by the manufacturers and suppliers of the products. New linkages included aspects of building orientation, facade design, services integration, floor layouts, lighting design, fire safety and sustainability. In some cases, the designer's interpretation of the product's linkages had substantial implications for the marketing strategy of the products, and even the potential to change the classification grouping of the innovation.

This paper forms part of a wider piece of research into the management of innovation for construction professionals. The timely research is necessary to motivate design professionals in the adoption of new product innovations into their building designs.