In this book, Sigvald Harryson demonstrates how to use know-who based networking to increase knowledge whilst reducing complexity. He reveals new synergies between external and internal knowledge networking that promise to enhance the innovation performance of any transitional, transnational company. The book develops and builds upon knowledge in the interconnected areas of entrepreneurship and networking across different levels and units of analysis. In-depth studies of a wealth of absolute best practice companies are explored, illustrating how concrete management practices can be established to acquire and then transform science into sales in more time- and cost-efficient ways. A unique framework is developed to overcome the dichotomies between knowledge creation and business implementation. Through this, the author provides the necessary foundations from which profitable growth through innovation (GTI) can be developed: * Identification and analysis of the most important barriers to entrepreneurship * Enabling factors and intelligence processes required for forceful innovation * A GTI process for application in practice. Know-Who Based Entrepreneurship shows that the knowledge and innovation process is no longer limited to intracorporate know-how, but has now expanded to encompass global know-how. It will thus be invaluable to business managers, international scholars and researchers of R&D, innovation, entrepreneurship and the knowledge economy.

Many companies today are unable to respond fast enough to market shifts because they have concentrated too much on making technology more specialized to their own needs, hoping that this will preserve their competitive edge. Unfortunately, this has actually left many R&D staff short of the cross-functional skills they need to enable large projects to work. This innovative and original book, written by a leading management consultant, addresses these concerns and provides new insights into the theories and practices of innovation management. Ultimately, this book argues, the innovation process is no longer limited to 'know-how' but depends instead on 'know-who'. For companies to remain competitive and respond to market shifts, they must change their focus from internal specialization to learning through relationships. Three in-depth case studies from Canon, Sony and Toyota demonstrate the intracorporate benefits of external collaboration. This book provides concrete examples on how these companies use the principles of open sharing ideas, technologies and human resources; and performance measurement systems that reward cooperation and collective achievements. More importantly, it links the Japanese 'learning through know-who principle' with these practices in order to explain the high R&D performance, reduced development lead-times and improved overall competitiveness of these three firms. This book will be of great interest to business managers, international scholars of R&D and innovation and postgraduate students taking courses in technology and innovation.

Dr Harryson develops the principle of 'know-who' - first propounded and practised by Japanese companies but now increasingly championed by multinationals. Case studies are used from companies such as Kodak, Ericsson, IBM and Philips to highlight the networking patterns deployed by these companies and to ultimately confirm or deny the relevance of 'know-who' management. The book explains why, in a world where knowledge and intellectual value is widely acknowledged as crucial, companies can achieve both innovativeness and productivity through 'know-who'. By enhancing our understanding of 'know-who' based management of knowledge and innovation, the author suggests new approaches to dealing with the knowledge economy and to solving the paradoxical organizational needs of creative invention and rapid innovation. This approach is based on new networking patterns and new ways of using the results of extra-corporate networking such as: * gathering global market intelligence in cooperation with R&D staff * internal networks promoting the diffusion of external and internal knowledge * aligning R&D staff with marketing and production by internal 'know-who' mechanisms Written by a leading management consultant, the theories discussed will be essential reading for business managers, international scholars and researchers of R&D, innovation and the knowledge economy.

In this fully revised and updated second edition of the widely acclaimed first volume, Sigvald Harryson provides powerful evidence as to how the most successful innovators are distinguished by their ability to synergistically link external and internal knowledge networks. Based on extensive research with leading global innovators along with ten years of experience in management of knowledge and technology for accelerated innovation, Managing Know-Who Based Companies provides practical guidance regarding how to manage these networks. Important theoretical arguments that advance our thinking about managing knowledge for innovation are also presented. The author studies how individuals and teams who possess the required active empathy and relationship-building skills to function as human knowledge bridges across various centres of excellence, functions and teams - the 'know-who' - are central to successful innovation in the global value networks of today's business environment. This book is recommended reading for CEOs of multinational companies who wish to make better use of the value networks in which they live and do business. It will also be of significant value to CTOs, CKOs and Human Resource Managers interested in new ways to turning both hard technologies and soft human brainpower within and beyond the corporate borders into faster and more powerful innovation.

In this book, Sigvald Harryson demonstrates how to use know-who based networking to increase knowledge whilst reducing complexity. He reveals new synergies between external and internal knowledge networking that promise to enhance the innovation performance of any transitional, transnational company. The book develops and builds upon knowledge in the interconnected areas of entrepreneurship and networking across different levels and units of analysis. In-depth studies of a wealth of absolute best practice companies are explored, illustrating how concrete management practices can be established to acquire and then transform science into sales in more time- and cost-efficient ways. A unique framework is developed to overcome the dichotomies between knowledge creation and business implementation. Through this, the author provides the necessary foundations from which profitable growth through innovation (GTI) can be developed: * Identification and analysis of the most important barriers to entrepreneurship * Enabling factors and intelligence processes required for forceful innovation * A GTI process for application in practice. Know-Who Based Entrepreneurship shows that the knowledge and innovation process is no longer limited to intracorporate know-how, but has now expanded to encompass global know-how. It will thus be invaluable to business managers, international scholars and researchers of R&D, innovation, entrepreneurship and the knowledge economy.