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Innovation and the dynamics of capability accumulation in project-based firms.


by Bayer, Steffen^Gann, David
Innovation: Management, Policy, & Practice • Oct-Dec, 2007 • management of innovations by project management firms

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STEFFEN BAYER

Innovation Studies Centre

Tanaka Business School

Imperial College London--South Kensington Campus

London, UK

DAVID GANN

Innovation Studies Centre

Tanaka Business School

Imperial College London--South Kensington Campus

London, UK TABLE 1: RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES

ASSET STOCKS

Resources

Tangible Intangible Capabilities financial resources, project reputation, functional, organisational

backlog/workload, staff knowledge and project capabilities TABLE 2: CAUSAL LINKS--WORK ACQUISITION AND WORKLOAD Cause Effect Polarity changes workload + complexity of complexity of + new projects projects desired complexity of + complexity of new projects new projects excellence of reputation + completed project loss of reputation - reputation project comp- reputation + letion rate reputation attractiveness +

to highly skilled

employees reputation complexity of +

new projects reputation work +

acquisition resource time allocation + allocation on to acquisition project level share of time allocation + project level to acquisition time allocated to acquisition time allocation work + to acquisition acquisition work workload + acquisition

Meaning (all else Cause being equal!) References changes Changes of project Cooper, 1980;

specifications by clients Lyneis et al., 2001

increase workload. complexity of If the complexity of new logical new projects projects increases, so will the relationship

complexity of the portfolio. desired The company can (depending on Hobday, 1998; complexity of opportunities) determine the Davies & Hobday, new projects complexity of new projects. 2005 excellence of Excellence of completed project very plausible completed results in improved reputation. relationship project loss of Reputation is gradually lost Gann & Salter, reputation over time because past 2000

achievements are forgotten or

considered irrelevant. project comp- Completed projects increase very plausible letion rate reputation relationship reputation Highly qualified experts prefer very plausible

to work for companies with a relationship

good reputation. reputation A good reputation allows the very plausible

company to acquire more complex relationship

work. reputation Reputation increases the amount very plausible

of work that can be acquired. relationship resource The more resources are logical relation- allocation on allocated away from the central ship; see also project level level of the organisation the Hobday, 2000;

more can be spent on work Sapsed, 2005

acquisition by project teams

(keeping "share of project

level time allocated to

acquisition" constant). share of A higher share of time logical project level allocated to acquisition relationship time allocated implies that more time is to acquisition available for acquisition. time allocation The more time is allocated to very plausible to acquisition acquisition the more work will relationship

be acquired. work The acquisition of new work logical acquisition results in an increase in relationship

workload. TABLE 3: CAUSAL LINKS--PROJECT EXECUTION Cause Effect Polarity complexity of financial + projects resources complexity of project - projects completion

rate innovative excellence of + problem completed solving project project financial + completion resources rate project workload - completion rate quality of excellence of + project completed execution project quality of project com- + project pletion rate execution resource time allocation + allocation on to execution project level share of time allocation - project level to execution time allocated to acquisition time allocation project + to execution completion

rate time pressure quality of pro- -

ject execution workload time pressure +


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