Invitation for the seminar on Knowledge, Networks, & Innovation in Entrepreneurial Firms Organized by: Department of Information Systems

& Change Management (ISCM) Dutch Institute of Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurship (NIKOS) Institute for Governance Studies (IGS)

of the University of Twente Speakers: Prof. dr. J.-C. Spender, Leeds University / Cranfield University (UK) Prof. dr. Shaker Zahra, University of Minnesota (US) Dr. Aard Groen, University of Twente (NL) Dr. Fons Wijnhoven, University of Twente (NL) Wednesday 25th January 2006 10.00h 13.15h Drienerburght, University of Twente

Date: Time: Location:

We cordially invite you to the research seminar Knowledge, Networks, & Innovation in Entrepreneurial Firms. This seminar is organized in conjunction with the public defence of Jeroen Kraaijenbrink, whose dissertation is entitled: Towards a Systemic Model of Knowledge Integration: A Study in the Context of High-Tech Small and Medium Sized Firms. Keywords: Knowledge integration, Technology transfer, Entrepreneurship, University spin-offs, Innovation, Networks, Intangible Resources, Creativity, Value creation, Information services Chair: Wouter van Rossum (director Institute for Governance Studies) Program: 10.00 10.30 dr. Aard Groen Knowledge, networks and business development support in high tech setting Newly developed knowledge leading to more or less radical innovations is considered to be an important source for new economic activity. However, the cognitive and social distance to markets is big, this explains the often disappointing results of commercialisation of knowledge from universities. In this presentation a model of business development support is discussed which is designed to help to overcome such problems. The critical role of interaction in relevant networks will be highlighted based on theoretical and empirical results of recent and ongoing research at NIKOS and IGS. 10.30 11.15 prof.dr. J.-C. Spender "Intangible Resources and other Recent Thinking about Firms and their Management" A critique of the now-dominant RBV and Dynamic Capabilities approach on the grounds they overlook the creativity of managers, employees, and others associated with the firm. We need a theory of value creation that complements the basic theories of control. But having this target in mind, how are we to theorize the management of creativity? 11.15 11.30 Coffee break

11.30 12.00 dr. Fons Wijnhoven Critical roles of information services in networks of expertise. An IS contribution to knowledge integration The reduction of communication costs by the development of the Internet and telecommunication applications, gives opportunities to identify, acquire and utilize external knowledge in a global 24/7 economy. These opportunities result in new choice problems, uncertainties and ambiguities for knowledge sourcers. Information services, as intermediaries in networks and markets of expertise can play several roles to reduce these problems. This presentations describes several of these roles and illustrates the insights by analyzing existing information services. 12.00 12.45 prof.dr. Shaker Zahra Knowledge Integration in Corporate and University Spin-Offs Research highlights the importance of corporate and university spin-offs in developing, commercializing and diffusing innovations. Spin-offs have to quickly integrate vast amounts of technological, marketing, organizational and social knowledge to transform their discoveries into successful products. This study (a) examines the formal and informal methods corporate and university spin-offs use to achieve successful knowledge integration, and (b) shows how differences in these methods might influence the market and financial performance of corporate vs. university spin-offs.

12.45 13.15

wrap-up

13.30

Lunch

If you would like to attend the seminar, please send a confirmation to nikos@bbt.utwente.nl as soon as possible, before January 20, 2006. Please indicate whether we should reserve lunch for you.

About the speakers: J.-C. Spender (jcspender@yahoo.com) BA (1960), MA (1965) Engineering Honors, Oxford University, UK; PhD (1980) Corporate Strategy, Manchester Business School, UK; Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Doctoral research on a psychological/behavioral approach to corporate strategy-making after military service in experimental submarines, work as a nuclear engineer (Rolls-Royce), large systems sales manager (IBM), industrial banker (Slater-Walker), and management information consultant. PhD won the 1980 Academy of Management A. T. Kearney Prize and was later published by Blackwell (1989). Subsequent research focused on managerial cognition and the epistemological issues within organization and management theorizing. As an academic, worked at City University (London), UCLA, Glasgow University, Rutgers, and other universities before becoming Dean of the business school at FIT/SUNY. Also taught in Finland, Scandinavia, Japan, China, New Zealand and throughout Europe. Now consulting, researching, writing, teaching, and lecturing around the world on managerial creativity, leadership, knowledge management, and strategy. Shaker Zahra (szahra@csom.umn.edu) Shaker A. Zahra is Robert E. Buuck Chair of Entrepreneurship and Professor of strategy and organization at the Carlson School of Management at University of Minnesota, where he is also the Academic Co-director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Previously, he was Paul T. Babson Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Georgia State University. Further, Shaker has been a visiting or guest professor at several universities in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Shakers research focuses on the intersection of corporate and technology-based entrepreneurship, especially in global companies and industries. His research has appeared in leading journals that include the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Business Venturing, and Information Systems Research. He has also published or edited 10 books. His research has received several major awards (including an honorary Ph.D. from Jonkoping International Business School, Sweden) and grants. The recipient of several research honors, he was elected 21st Century Fellow of the National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, Fellow of the Southern Management, and Research Fellow of the Raymond Institute for Family Business. He has served on over 15 journal editorial boards and currently serves as the International Entrepreneurship area editor of JIBS. Shaker has also served as the Director of the Babson Kauffman Entrepreneurship Research Conference (BKERC) and is the incoming chair for the Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management. Shaker has been a consultant to several companies in the US and other countries, taught in the executive programs at Babson, Georgia State and Georgia Tech. He has also taught in several company-sponsored executive education and MBA program. He has taught at several Ph.D. programs in the US and other countries. His teaching has received several awards. Aard Groen (a.j.groen@utwente.nl) Aard Groen is associate professor marketing & entrepreneurship, research fellow of IGS, scientific director of NIKOS, the Dutch Institute for Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurship at the University of Twente, the Netherlands, and head of department of Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Strategy and International Management. Groens research interest is focusing on knowledge intensive entrepreneurship in networks. He published in journals & books on entrepreneurship, marketing, environmental management, university-industry interaction and technology dynamics. Groen is member of the editorial board of the Journal of Technopreneurship. Groen teaches on all academic levels Innovation, Marketing & Entrepreneurship. Groen is involved in several projects on business development methods in national and international contexts, among others in Twente, Moscow, South Africa, and the Baltic region. Groen received his PHd in business administration at the University of Groningen, and studied public administration (Msc) at the University of Twente. Groen is member of the steering group of EISB the EFMD-chapter on entrepreneurship, several Dutch policy councils and chaired conferences on High Tech Small Firms (Enschede, 2004, 2006), Dutch Flemish academy of entrepreneurship, European summer school on entrepreneurship, and delivered key notes to conferences in The Netherlands, South Africa and Russia.

Fons Wijnhoven (a.b.j.m.wijnhoven@utwente.nl) Fons Wijnhoven is associate professor of Knowledge Management & Information Systems at the University of Twente, an associate of the national research school on operational management BETA, and has been the interim head of the department of Business Information Systems. His research is on the development of information services. His articles appeared in journals such as the Journal of Management Information Systems, Management Learning, the Journal of the OR Society, and Journal of Strategic Information Systems. He teaches knowledge management, research methodology, information systems development, and information services, and coordinates two master of science tracks on business information systems and industrial engineering. Fons is associate editor of the Internal Journal of Knowledge Management and acts on the board of several other IS and KM related journals.