Perspectives on User Innovation

There has been a dramatic shift towards more open, democratised, forms of innovation that are driven by networks of individual users. Users are now visibly active within all stages of the innovation process and across many types of industrial output, and their influence is spreading across many sectors. They are actively engaged with firms in the co-creation of products and services, and firms can no longer control the innovation agenda. This developing phenomenon has large implications for our understanding of the management of innovation. Drawing on practice-based insights, together with theoretical approaches developed in Innovation Studies and Science and Technology Studies, this book brings together a collection of recent work that examines key aspects of this emerging new model of innovation, while highlighting exciting new ideas in this area. With content contributed by academics, practitioners and researchers, this book is a good reference source for academics and general public interested in the management and policy implications of user innovation. Contents:Introduction: Perspectives on User Innovation (S Flowers & F Henwood)Exploring the Role(s) of Users in Innovation:The Historical Construction of User Innovation (G Voss)The Dynamics of User Innovation: Drivers and Impediments of Innovation Activities (C Raasch et al.)Intermediaries, Users and Social Learning in Technological Innovation (J Stewart & S Hyysalo)Drawing Users into the Innovation Process:User-Centric Innovations in New Product Development — Systematic Identification of Lead Users Harnessing Interactive and Collaborative On-Line Tools (V Bilgram et al.)Proactive Involvement of Consumers in Innovation: Selecting Appropriate Techniques (K L Janssen & B Dankbaar)User-Producer Interactions in Emerging Pharmaceutical and Food Innovations (E H M Moors et al.)New Directions in User Innovation Research and Policy:Outlaw Community Innovations (C Schulz & S Wagner)User Innovation: The Developing Policy Research Agenda (S Flowers)The Freedom-Fighters: How Incumbent Corporations are Attempting to Control User-Innovation (V Braun & C Herstatt) Readership: Students, academics and researchers studying and teaching innovation management, managers dealing with innovation processes and new product development in companies. Keywords:User-Driven;Innovation;New Product Development;STS;Social Learning;Collaborative Online ToolsKey Features:Presents the latest research findings into the ways in which users participate in innovationOffers new insights concerning the practice, management and policy implications of user innovationCombines practice-based insights and theoretical approaches