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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors influencing small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) adoption of innovation approaches.

The methodology involves two steps. First, all the variables relevant to the adoption of innovation in SMEs are identified. Subsequently, primary data are gathered from decision makers of 213 SMEs, and a multinomial logistic regression analysis is performed.

The results indicate that SMEs adopt both open innovation and closed innovation approaches. The firm-level factors such as firm age, firm size, education qualification, work experience and culture, and external factors such as customers, competition, technological advances and ecosystem influence adoption of open innovation approach compared to closed innovation approach. Factors such as culture among firm-level factors and competition among external factors influence the adoption of closed innovation approach.

The study helps the managers or the decision makers of the SMEs to know the suitable factors influencing the firm to adopt innovation which could potentially help the firms in their business strategy.

The study explores the adoption of innovation approaches of SMEs in emerging economies. The outcomes of this research have far-reaching implications for theory and practitioners in emerging economies.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the key factors influencing the service innovation of mobile social networks (MSNs), figure out the mechanism of all factors in different stages of service innovation and help mobile social application developers promote better service innovation.

From previous research, this paper adopted nine initial factors that influence the service innovation of MSNs, and divide the service innovation process into three stages (i.e. demand analysis, service design and innovation implementation). On that basis, the authors constructed a model, and then collected data from 184 managers from 20 leading MSN corporates in China through questionnaires to examine the model. Furthermore, factor analysis was used to extract key factors influencing the service innovation of MSNs, correlation analysis was employed to discuss the relationship among factors and regression analysis was applied to explore their specific roles in different stages in the service innovation process.

The empirical results show that the service innovation of MSNs is mainly influenced by five key factors: user, developer, market environment, social environment and technology. The authors found that different factors played remarkably different roles in the three stages. In specific, all factors but technology are important in the demand analysis stage; all factors but social environment are critical to service design; and all factors but user contribute to the implementation of service innovation.

The results of this study can help mobile social application developers and mobile social service providers in China to better understand the driving force of service innovation and what should be emphasized in different stages, and then find the optimal path to implement service innovation, improve their service quality and user experience and facilitate the development of Chinese MSNs.

This is the first research that comprehensively explores factors influencing the service innovation of Chinese MSNs from multi-dimensional perspectives, which provides profound theoretical guidance to the practice of service innovation in China. Also, it contributes to the development of innovation theory of traditional web services.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the international position of Estonia among the member states of the EU and countries closely associated with the EU, from the perspective of the effect of research and development (R & D) policy on innovation activities in the business sector.

Based on existing scientific research literature on the relationships between R & D policy and business sector R & D activities and innovation performance, a set of indicators describing R & D policy measures was created for the business sector. Using principal component analysis (PCA) method, independent robust dimensions of R & D policy were brought out. After eliminating the problem of multicollinearity in R & D policy indicators, robust multiple regression models were conducted to present a comprehensive empirical description of the shaping of business sector R & D and innovation activities in the sample of investigated countries.

Based on the literature, the influences of R & D policy measures on business sector R & D activities and innovation performance were systemised; public R & D policy dimensions were empirically defined; the intensity of R & D policy influence on business sector R & D activities was estimated; the differences between real and prognostic values of business sector performance indicators in Estonia were calculated in order to characterise the efficiency of Estonian R & D policy and the influence of the socioeconomic environment.

The lack of comparable data describing R & D policy and R & D activities and innovation performance in the business sector limits the comprehensiveness of the analysis (i.e. the number of analysed indicators).

The assessment and comparative analysis of the influence of R & D policy components on business sector R & D activities and innovation performance in different countries makes it possible to identify directions for increasing the efficiency of R & D policy under the specific influence of the socioeconomic environment, especially in new member states of the EU.

Using the PCA method significantly increased the robustness of the macro-quantitative description of R & D policy dimensions. By combining the set of new synthetic R & D policy indicators created by the PCA with the multiple regression analysis method, a significant increase in the robustness of model coefficients (i.e. the assessments of influence intensity) was achieved. These robust models create the basis for reliable empirical assessment of the influence of R & D policy and a comparative analysis of the results.

The purpose of this paper is to complement organizational diffusion research by illustrating influence of factors specific to collective adoption process, which has received limited focus in diffusion research. The research question is how do different actors perceive attributes of innovation and how does that influence the process towards initial adoption of a new technology?

Owing to limited prior research and need to assess multiple innovation variables, the paper employs an inductive case study. Uses Rogers' five main perceived attributes of innovation as an analysis framework and functional actors as a unit of analysis. Two cases with early stage companies commercialising new, differentiating technologies to global, established value networks. Key actors influencing the adoption of the technologies interviewed.

The paper illustrates how actor characteristics and perceptions of innovation attributes are interrelated; perceptions of different functional actors on innovation attributes differ, both gating and advancing the adoption process for innovations; and the actors' differing perceptions and the resulting interaction influence the duration and outcome of adoption process.

Non‐traditional methodology in diffusion research leading to larger interpretation of the findings, but enabling assessment of multiple variables and their interrelations not captured with traditional approaches. Areas for further research: generalizable patterns in interrelation between actors' functional roles and perceptions of innovation attributes as well as evolution of perceptions during collective adoption process.

Innovation providers need to identify both the parties gating and advancing the innovation as well as their underlying motivations. They need to ensure sufficient interaction between themselves and the actors and among the actors to leverage the positive momentum to overcome the resistance towards innovation.

The paper addresses the organizational diffusion research critique of, e.g. Frambach, of Damanpour, and of Wejnert on insufficient attention being paid to actor level characteristics and their influence on diffusion as well as interaction of different variables. The paper empirically illustrates how factors specific to collective adoption influence the process towards adoption.

This paper aims to analyze the extent to which the influence of external knowledge search on innovation performance is contingent on both a firm’s innovation strategy and the industry context in which it operates.

The paper adopts a contingent approach that centers analysis on the influence of situational factors, either exogenous or endogenous to the organization, as determinants of the external knowledge search in promoting the firm’s innovation performance. The empirical study is based on a large sample of 18,955 firms operating in 29 industries that belong to 13 European countries.

This analysis reveals that a broad knowledge search is more effective for firms that innovate in new goods, while a deeper knowledge search is more effective for firms that innovate in new services. The results of this study also indicate that external knowledge search varies across industries, with search depth being used more in industries in which the knowledge development process is cumulative and appropriable, while the external breadth search is preferred in industries with a high level of technological opportunity.

The current approach implies recognizing that the knowledge search strategies may not always be effective, and that firms should align the search strategy to both internal and external factors. Analyzing the influence of these factors can help managers to better choose the type of knowledge search (e.g. intensive or extensive search) that best aligns with the firm’s innovation objectives.

Over the past few years, several scholars have focused on green innovation in the agri-food industry. In line with this research stream, the purpose of this paper is to cover some unexplored areas regarding if stakeholder pressures have a positive influence on family engagement to implement green innovation practices and socially responsible practices.

By adopting a qualitative research methodology, mainly based on a multiple case study, this paper seeks to cover some unexplored areas regarding the understanding the relationship between stakeholders, family involvement and business practices in green innovation. The authors analyze eight cases from five Latin American countries selected, all are family firms focused on agricultural production.

Latin American family firms from agri-food industry, have a positive influence from internal/external stakeholder to implement green innovation initiatives and socially responsible practices, that result in short/long term business practices.

The originality of the proposed conceptual model stems from the need to overcome the previous theoretical models based on the stakeholder theory, which deals separately with internal/external influence over the firm.

This study aims to analyze the influence of inbound and outbound open innovation practices on firm performance among Indian product small and medium-sized enterprises.

A cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach is adopted. The data is collected from 213 decision-makers of software product firms through an online survey using the criteria-based snowball sampling method. The data is processed in IBM SPSS 23.0 and analyzed using multiple regression.

Collaboration with customers and purchasing intellectual property rights (IPR) are the key inbound practices that positively influence firm performance. Outbound innovation practices such as selling out IPR and spin-off influence firm performance negatively and positively, respectively. Inbound open innovation practice such as trade show participation helps in product development and outbound open innovation practice such as spin-off helps in product development.

The study analyses the influences of inbound and outbound open innovation practices on firm performance among software product firms in emerging economies. The research outcomes have vast implications for theory and practitioners.

Little research has been conducted on the internal factors that drive green product (GP) innovation and how family influence affects firm adoption of GP innovation. This study aims to apply multiple perspectives to bridge this research gap, adopting the resource-based view (RBV) to examine what and how internal factors affect firm adoption of GP innovation, and using the behavioral theory of family firms to investigate whether family influence fosters or hinders firm adoption of GP innovation.

This study used a multichannel approach and adopted content analysis to collect and evaluate data on listed Taiwanese firms and used cross-sectional regression analysis to examine the effect of internal factors and family influence on firm adoption of GP innovation.

The results showed that the internal factors of green capabilities, R&D intensity and firm size significantly and positively affected firm adoption of GP innovation separately. Furthermore, the study found that family influence (ownership and control) significantly and negatively affects firm adoption of GP innovation separately.

This study contributes to the academic research of innovation management, green management and family firms in several aspects, but also has some limitations. This study examined only the relationship between a firm’s internal factors and GP innovation. Future research might test the relationship between a firm’s internal factors and adoption of green process innovation. In addition, such research can explore how integrated internal and external factors influence firm adoption of GP innovation.

From the RBV, the internal factors of green capabilities, R&D intensity and firm size that can exert crucial effects on firm engage in firm’s adoption of GP innovation. This study suggests that top managers in family-influenced businesses should maintain appropriate commitment and support for fostering and facilitating firm GP innovation.

From the RBV, this study examined how internal factors affect firm adoption of GP innovation. Moreover, based on the behavioral theory of family firms, this study further examined how family influence (ownership and control) affects firm adoption of GP innovation. This paper extended both perspectives to examine green issues.

From the RBV, this study examined how internal factors affect firms’ GP innovation. Moreover, based on institutional theory, this study further examines how a family firm moderates the relationship between a firm’s internal factors and GP innovation. The paper extended both perspectives to probe further the green issues.

The purpose of the paper is to analyse children's impact on innovation decision making empirically.

This paper is a diary study with 14 parents depicting their experiences with regard to the topic of interest over a period of two weeks.

Children's influence is stronger in earlier stages of the innovation buying process, based on different communication strategies with differing effects on their parents' purchasing behaviour.

This paper helps marketers tailor appropriate marketing and innovation strategies. Special attention is given to the familial dynamics in the innovation decision‐making process. This is to prevent inter‐family conflicts fuelled by the children's requests.

This is one of the first attempts to test Rogers' innovation‐decision process. Moreover, despite its many bonuses, the diary method has rarely been applied in the context of familial purchase decision making.

By taking a micro-level perspective, this paper aims to examine the influence of the ongoing paradigm shift from technological to social innovation on principal investigators (PIs) and thereby links the two emerging research fields of entrepreneurial ecosystems and social innovation. The purpose of this paper is to build the basis for future empirical analyses.

The paper is a conceptual paper and therefore focuses on theoretical considerations. Taking a quadruple helix approach, PIs are outlined as central actors of entrepreneurial ecosystems and transformative agents of the innovation process.

PIs can proactively shape the innovation process and thus the shift from technological to social innovation, through various channels. They can affect all other actors of the quadruple helix, e.g. by exerting influence on the process of scientific change, on the public opinion and/or on the industry partners. Further, the paradigm shift might change the universities' role in the quadruple helix, substantiating their importance in the process of social change.

As PIs are influencing all other actors of the quadruple helix, they are central actors of entrepreneurial ecosystems and thus crucial players in the innovation process. Hence, they need to be supported in fulfilling their role of transformative agents, accelerating and shaping the paradigm shift from technological to social innovation. Universities should therefore reconsider their missions and vision as well as their role within the society.

This paper considers the influence of an ongoing paradigm shift from technological to social innovation on entrepreneurial ecosystems. This work focuses especially on the PIs' role as transformative agents. Therefore, it builds a bridge from entrepreneurial ecosystems to social innovation and thus contributes to both research fields. Moreover, the paper shows the great potential of PIs to influence and shape social innovation.