From idea to attractive project proposal
Matrosov, Alexander; Palo-oja, Outi-Maaria; Juvonen, Pasi (2022)
Matrosov, Alexander
Palo-oja, Outi-Maaria
Juvonen, Pasi
Editoija
Mishra, Shreya
Dey, Ajoy K.
Bloomsbury Publishing India
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20230905119940
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20230905119940
Tiivistelmä
Objective:
The purpose of this study is to examine the development of ideas from Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) into project proposals for which funding is sought to strengthen and secure the early stages of the innovation path.
Phenomenon:
A small open economy like Finland is constantly in need of new innovations in the global market. HEIs have a significant role to play, especially in generating innovations, but their commercialization has proved challenging. Thus, RDI activities are supported by public RDI funding. This funding, however, is highly competitive, so making an interesting project application is an extremely demanding process.
Theoretical Anchoring:
Funders and organizations provide technical guidance for project applications, but there is little research in the traditional project management literature on what happens during a project preparation. Thus, we focus on collaboration capability building (Blomqvist & Levy, 2006) during critical incidents of the project preparation phase.
Context:
Finnish Higher Education Institutes use projects as means of contributing to new research knowledge, providing education based on it, and producing social impact. Twice a year, the national funder organizes a call to support the commercialization of research-based innovations in HEIs. In its projects, LAB UAS has succeeded in utilizing its previous understanding of pre-commercialization projects and is therefore an interesting project partner for universities and external stakeholders.
Research Design:
Two of the authors were involved in all the project preparations studied in this case study. We utilize their experience in project preparation as well as analyse discussions between other key players during the preparation, and memos, documents, and applications produced in connection with project preparation.
Findings:
Preliminary findings suggest that project planning involves several critical incidents that are handled differently by successful and unsuccessful projects. Projects framed around an idea that continues to provide interesting opportunities in both research and commercial areas seem to lead to a positive funding decision, although the opportunities also involve risks and uncertainties that need to be taken into account as the flexibility of the application.
Contributions:
The research provides an insider's view of the development phase of the commercialization project, expanding the theoretical literature of project research in an academic context.
The purpose of this study is to examine the development of ideas from Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) into project proposals for which funding is sought to strengthen and secure the early stages of the innovation path.
Phenomenon:
A small open economy like Finland is constantly in need of new innovations in the global market. HEIs have a significant role to play, especially in generating innovations, but their commercialization has proved challenging. Thus, RDI activities are supported by public RDI funding. This funding, however, is highly competitive, so making an interesting project application is an extremely demanding process.
Theoretical Anchoring:
Funders and organizations provide technical guidance for project applications, but there is little research in the traditional project management literature on what happens during a project preparation. Thus, we focus on collaboration capability building (Blomqvist & Levy, 2006) during critical incidents of the project preparation phase.
Context:
Finnish Higher Education Institutes use projects as means of contributing to new research knowledge, providing education based on it, and producing social impact. Twice a year, the national funder organizes a call to support the commercialization of research-based innovations in HEIs. In its projects, LAB UAS has succeeded in utilizing its previous understanding of pre-commercialization projects and is therefore an interesting project partner for universities and external stakeholders.
Research Design:
Two of the authors were involved in all the project preparations studied in this case study. We utilize their experience in project preparation as well as analyse discussions between other key players during the preparation, and memos, documents, and applications produced in connection with project preparation.
Findings:
Preliminary findings suggest that project planning involves several critical incidents that are handled differently by successful and unsuccessful projects. Projects framed around an idea that continues to provide interesting opportunities in both research and commercial areas seem to lead to a positive funding decision, although the opportunities also involve risks and uncertainties that need to be taken into account as the flexibility of the application.
Contributions:
The research provides an insider's view of the development phase of the commercialization project, expanding the theoretical literature of project research in an academic context.