Varjonen 2006 Innovation Management

HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Development and Management in Industry

Virpi Varjonen

Management of Early Phases in Innovation Process
A Case Study of Commercializing Technology in a Small Enterprise

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Engineering
Turku, June 28th 2006

Supervisor: Professor Mikko Mustakallio
Instructor: Patricia Wiklund, M. Sc. (Econ. & Bus. Adm.)

HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

ABSTRACT OF THE MASTER´S THESIS

Industrial Engineering and Management
Author: Virpi Varjonen
Subject of the thesis: Management of Early Phases in Innovation Process;
A Case Study of Commercializing Technology in a Small Enterprise
Number of pages: 89

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Date: June 28 , 2006

Library location: TU

Professorship: Development and Management in Industry

Code of professorship: TU-117

Supervisor: Professor Mikko Mustakallio
Instructor: Patricia Wiklund, M. Sc. (Econ. & Bus. Adm.)
Innovation management concerns the management of all activities in the process from idea generation to its successful commercial and practical application, named innovation.
Managing the innovation process is a challenging task and the more technology is involved in the process, the more complex and uncertain it gets. Although small enterprises are significant developers of new technologies, they have, however, seldom been the object of innovation studies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to better understand the innovation management in small enterprises and especially in the early phases of the technological innovation process. This study focuses on the key management areas, the main obstacles and drivers, and the strategic decision-making tools in these early phases.
The research design of this explorative research applies a qualitative research strategy where a case study method is utilized to collect and analyze the data. This embedded singlecase involves a

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