Technology Entrepreneurship 4:00 - 5:30Pm Thursday, 14Th November, 2019 Locomotion 3 Technology Entrepreneurship
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Technology Entrepreneurship 4:00 - 5:30pm Thursday, 14th November, 2019 Locomotion 3 Technology Entrepreneurship 237 Re-examination of Strategic Innovation Networks in context of Technological Entrepreneurship/Innovation in 2019 Martin Beckinsale De Montfort University, Liecester, United Kingdom Abstract Topic Re-examination of Strategic Innovation Networks in context of Technological Entrepreneurship/Innovation in 2019 Hansen et al. (2011) suggests ‘Social media tools cultivate the internal discussions that improve quality, lower costs, and enable the creation of customer and partner communities that offer new opportunities for coordination, marketing, advertising, and customer support. The paper contends innovation should be added to this and suggested by Beckinsale (2017). It is the importance of the networks, their connections, their value, their availability and the awareness of them that can play a significant role in innovation amongst small firms and technological entrepreneurial firms. Hansen et al (2011: 4) contends that it is the information contained in networks that has significant business value by exposing participants in the business network who play critical and unique roles’ In the innovation literature internal and external networks have been viewed as critical to the innovation process (Boddy, 2014). Social media adds a complexity to networks not addressed in the innovation literature. Adding multiplicity to social networks and potentially creating multiple networks depending on decisions made including the use of social media. Applicability to the conference theme – ‘SPACE – exploring new frontiers and entrepreneurial places’ The paper is relevant to Innovation and with the social networks connection innovative communities as well as using new technologies for Entrepreneurial aspirations. Aim In the context of 2019 and developments in social media for business/commerce and potential value in supporting networks in an Open Innovation environment the paper aims to re-examine the social networking innovation literature and conceptually considers its value and development in the rise and use of social media for innovation. Methodology In response to the topic an aim and the focus on social media use and activities the primary strategy for data collection is observation. The research takes an online ethnographic approach. Observations of case studies social media as well as non online social networks and actor network observation. Therefore, observing and recording online and offline case actions and behaviour (Collis and Hussey, 2014: 148). The non-participant observation will be undertaken via social media technologies used by the case studies. Some of the activities and meta-data will be analysed using a variety of online tools (example: simplymeasured.com) as well as social actor network theory and innovation literature themes (table below provides indicators). Durkin et al.’s (2013: 724) theoretical model of social media adoption and use provides the framework of observation and assist in the conceptual framework development. Conceptual Development Example of Themes Review of social network and actor network theory. Themes related to actors, stakeholders, innovation and network variables. Review of Innovation and Open Innovation literature focusing on themes of networks, networking, Contribution As the pace of change in our world has increased, competitive advantages have become temporary. Companies, entrepreneurs now need to be able to support and nurture innovation - not as one-off projects, but as a repeatable process. Implications for practice, if applicable The focus on the paper in on practice and understanding through the development of current theory the practice of entrepreneurial firms. The understanding derived from the research and paper should contribute to how entrepreneurs might wish to think about developing innovative communities online to ensure their business remains innovative. Conference Track Technology Entrepreneurship Presentation PowerPoint Presentation 69 SMEs and Space Industries Paul Lewis1, Adrian Jannetta2 1Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. 2INTO Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Abstract This paper examines the roles that SMEs can undertake in space industries, both now and in the future. The space industries sector is one of the few sectors that have been shown to be resilient during the last recession. The global space economy is currently valued at an estimated £155-£190 billion and it has been estimated that it will grow to £400 billion by 2030. The UK space sector has trebled in size in real terms since 2000. With a turnover of £13.7 billion (2014/15), the UK currently captures between 6.3% and 7.7% of the global market. Productivity is more than four times the UK average, which is a reflection of the high levels of capital investment in the sector. The workforce is also highly skilled, with a much higher proportion of workers being qualified to at least graduate level, compared to the UK active population in general. The Queen’s Speech 2017 to Parliament laid the foundations of the Space Industry Bill, with the intention of making the UK the most attractive place in Europe for commercial space activities, including launches from British soil. Traditionally space activities have been dominated by a few large organizations. Partly this has been dictated by the cost, due to two factors: 1. The difficulty of lifting a mass out of Earth’s gravity field; 2. For manned missions, the difficulty in providing a reliable human-rated life support system. Space activities were originally the province of national space agencies, but more recently the commercial sector has become involved in areas such as satellites and exploration. Whilst, again, these tended to be large organizations, more recently the size of organization has decreased so that SMEs are now able to get involved, beyond being just a component supplier in the supply chain. In addition, consumer activities such as tourism are now being actively developed. The space satellite industry, where a satellite is a body placed in an orbit, consists of a variety of functions including satellite operators, service providers, designers, manufacturers, launch services providers, ground equipment suppliers and data analysis. Earth-orbit satellites carry out a range of civil and military tasks such as pollution monitoring, weather forecasting and scientific research, as well as communications and surveillance applications. Satellites also orbit other solar system objects such as the Sun and some planets. In a similar manner, probes are also sent on fly-by missions to planetary bodies, whilst satellites can be used to explore the Universe in general. Whilst satellite technology is improving, the cost is decreasing. Smaller companies often seek alliances with larger organisations and different parts of a satellite can be produced by different manufacturers. An example of a small producer can be a University research team, some of whom build instrumentation for larger consortia. There is plenty of scope for smaller companies to become involved in different parts of the supply chain, either as an upstream component supplier or downstream service supplier, as well as an OEM running their supply chain. Small companies that can innovate and develop new technologies would be ideally placed to be involved. They would also be well positioned to find new uses for satellite technology. As satellite size has reduced and they have become lighter, satellite launches are moving away from being the province of the larger organisations. Skyrora, a British company with 120 staff, is currently testing its own rocket, produced using 3D printing. They are also scouting for a launch site, possibly northern Scotland, with an eventual payload capability of 100kg. Space tourism is defined as travelling into space for recreational purposes. The first space tourist, Dennis Tito, bought a seat on a rocket launch to the International Space Station in 2001, albeit with a multi-million dollar ticket price. Despite the price tag there have been a few more commercial passengers since then. Consequently there are now a number of companies actively developing commercial space travel. Some are just experience flights, although others are considering habitats in space (Bigelow Aerospace, Space Island Group), whilst another plans to offer trips around the moon (Space Adventures). Whilst many of these ventures may be beyond the capabilities of an SME, depending on how successful they are, they may require support services within the capability of SMEs. These might range from managing the customers, training and space-bound hospitality services. Other consumer-related commercial ventures suitable for SMEs might be along the lines of Earth to Sky Calculus. This group carries out experiments by sending helium balloons into the stratosphere (the so-called edge of space). As a means of fund-raising, they also send aloft artefacts such as jewellery and other items, which are recovered and sold as having been into space. Looking to the future, an area just starting to be explored is asteroid exploitation. The asteroids represent debris left over from the formation of the solar system. Since it is believed that they formed from the same protoplanetary disc as the planets, it may be that their chemical structure is not too dissimilar. Hence many elements that we consider to be essential for our industries and in increasingly