The evaluation of professional competencies based on the analysis of textual CVs is a challenging endeavor, particularly when a large amount of profiles have to be examined. As a result, identifying potential candidates for a given job or project role may be a costly and time consuming process. Besides, people use different criteria to describe their experiences and to measure the competencies acquired, and this results in no assurance that the best person is being selected. This article presents a contribution aimed to synthesize the description and standardize the assessment of professional expertise described within traditional CVs. An integrated collective intelligence approach is presented which is composed by a methodology, an algorithm and a software tool, aimed to produce graphical and comparable skill charts which can speed up the selection process in global-scale recruitment campaigns, large corporate or project management scenarios, with relevant impact in the areas of professional social networking.

In the last two decades, knowledge management has evolved through a number of different research fields and practitioner contexts. A recent development is represented by the concept of collective intelligence, as a new collaboration and socialization paradigm, thus including a relevant knowledge management component, aimed to find better solutions to human problems and societal challenges. Collective intelligence research aims to extend the methods and application fields of collective intelligence. The current world economic crisis is relevant socio-economic and cultural problem and it can be assumed to be an interesting field of analysis and a research context for experimenting approaches and systems leveraging collective intelligence. In such scenario, this paper presents a conceptual model of collective intelligence aimed to enhance the potential of a community to realize technology-based innovation and entrepreneurship processes, thus supporting the growth of regions and organizations. Based on a literature review and initial expert validation, a design science approach has been applied to define a new model and prototypal technology/service solutions aimed to enhance the creation and development of technology entrepreneurship initiatives. The main constituents of the model and the core services are presented along with a discussion of their role in entrepreneurship dynamics. A preliminary demonstration of the operationalization of the model is provided through illustrative scenarios focused on competence development and business development processes. The validation of the model and the service architecture has been preliminary done qualitatively based on domain experts whereas empirical validation represents the objective of future studies. The work can have implications at theory level, in terms of further development of the collective intelligence concept, and at practitioner level, with the proposal of a socio-technical system addressing a new generation of solutions and customer-driven services. The research was developed in the frame of a research project aimed to develop successful technology entrepreneurship ecosystems.

The operational complexity of modern ships requires the use of advanced applications, called damage control systems (DCSs), able to assist crew members in the effective handling of dangerous events and accidents. In this article we describe the development of a knowledge-based decision support system (KDSS) integrated within a DCS designed for a national navy. The KDSS uses a hybrid design and runtime knowledge model to assist damage control operators through a kill card function which supports damage identification, action scheduling and system reconfiguration. We report a fire fighting scenario as illustrative application and discuss a preliminary evaluation of benefits allowed by the system in terms of critical performance measures. Our work can support further research aimed to apply expert systems to improve shipboard security and suggest similar applications in other contexts where situational awareness and damage management are crucial. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Digital technologies have enabled the emergence of a new breed of business ventures and introduced the concept of digital entrepreneurship as a transformative trend in the study of entrepreneurial processes and their outcomes. In particular, open innovation and collective intelligence have contributed to create a new techno-organizational system - or ecosystem - in which entrepreneurial activities are conceived and conducted. However, despite the significance of the phenomenon, the idea and archetype of Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (DEE) is still largely undertheorized. In particular, there is a need to build a comprehensive definition and define the modalities required to successfully design and govern such kind of ecosystem. This article propose a conceptual breakdown of digital entrepreneurship ecosystem with the purpose to identify the founding constructs and elaborate a definition and the foundations of a management approach. A governance model is defined which includes four key dimensions (how, what, why, how) and six fundamental processes. An illustrative application of the model is finally presented to describe a case of DEE.

Project management is a relevant area of competencies and skills for engineering students, although conceptual development may be ineffective if it is not properly integrated with real cases and simulations. In such perspective, this article presents a two-year experience made within undergraduate engineering curricula. Based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge as conceptual model, the training process was driven by a simulated case of project execution upon which the knowledge acquisition and competence development activities were associated. Whereas the instructor has assumed to be the project manager, sub-groups of the class were selected to act in the role of “responsible” of each of the ten project knowledge areas, i.e. scope, time, cost, stakeholder, etc.. The core of the module was thus a simulated execution of processes belonging to the different areas, with a collective discussion of the core issues, inputs, outputs and tools. The instructor has thus worked to define the overall context of the role-role playing session and to integrate the different contributions into a systemic view. The article describes the core model and the learning process developed and discusses the implications at both theoretical and practitioner level, with guidelines to design effective project management training sessions within university and executive education programs.

Purpose – This article defines the foundation of a new organizational, process and service paradigm aimed to support the smart growth of territories through more performing technology entrepreneurship initiatives enabled by a collective intelligence approach. Design/methodology/approach – An extended literature analysis has been addressed to define the main components of the model, i.e. Entrepreneurial Actor, Innovative Entrepreneurial Project, Technology Entrepreneurship Roadmap, and Technology Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. The area of technology entrepreneurship processes and the approach and tools of collective intelligence are hybridized, also using expert validation, with the final perspective to introduce an “eGosystem” model. Originality/value – The article introduces the core design elements for the creation of collaborative technology ecosystems which are glocal and context-independent (using ICT and virtuality), specific (tailored to technology domains) and dynamic (phase and time-dependent). The eGosystem adopts a “push” logic to build proactively around the entrepreneur a system of information, resources, knowledge assets, educational experiences, services, competencies and relations needed to successful stay on the market. Practical implications – The entrepreneurship eGosystem model can be the basis upon which to build more effective tech-entrepreneurship processes and promote smart growth of regions and territories, as well as to create the foundation of integrated approaches to human capital creation in the technology entrepreneurship domain.

In the last century, the governance of public administrations has undergone a paradigm change. The emergence of public participation and transparent procedures, also enabled by Internet, open data and social media, has driven the introduction of a post-bureaucratic system which is flat, connected and flexible, with individual empowerment as a key to address environmental complexity. This new system should balance the trade-offs between creativity, innovation and flexibility needed to solve emerging societal challenges and the efficiency as a basis of sustainable competitiveness. In such scenario, this article aims to present the static (forms) and dynamic (flows) elements of an ambidextrous organizational model to be adopted by central administrations and public agencies. The model is designed to optimize four interconnected dimensions: Organizational, related to the mix of exploration and exploitation activities; Individual, related to empowerment as a foundation of people growth and organizational development; Inter-organizational, related to networks as a mean for new knowledge acquisition; and Decisional, related to the complex decision process which requires analytical tools. The model defined is applied as a pilot test to Apulia, a developing region in southern Italy with a population of 4 million inhabitants and a growing GDP and import-export performance. In particular, the study presents the actions required for the operationalization of ambidexterity. A matrix structure is presented that integrates competencies related to Project Management structures, Business Process Management Systems, Dynamic Policy Making, and Research and Innovation. The article also introduces the functional requirements for a Decision Support System aimed to measure regional performance and the ability to deliver hi-quality services. The paper contributes at both theoretical level, by expanding the discussion on organic rather than mechanic models as privileged organizational archetypes in dynamic and collaborative scenarios, and practitioner level, through the preliminary proof-of-concept adoption of a comprehensive techno-organizational system for public organizations.

The recognized importance of entrepreneurship as a driver of socio-economic value, along with disruptive advances in nano, bio, info and cogno technology domains, have increased the world demand of technology-based entrepreneurial ventures or “technology entrepreneurship”. In this endeavour, engineering education can play a crucial role in the development of professionals able to proactively identify and pursuit market opportunities driven by discoveries in science and technology. There is thus a need to create effective entrepreneurial higher education systems which develop innovation-oriented competencies and skills through hands-on and experiential approaches and a synergy among academic and industry stakeholders. Our experience is aimed to infuse the essence of entrepreneurship in engineering professionals with the ultimate goal to develop the next-generation profile of entrepreneurial engineer.

Entrepreneurship is a catalyst for economic growth and national competitiveness. Succeeding in the Sustainable Knowledge Society (SKS) is based on the development of a new archetype of human able to identify and develop new ideas, exploiting technology-based opportunities, in order to create economic and social value. Such new profile has been defined as entrepreneurial engineer (EE). However, the development of EE requires radical innovations that cannot be confined to the traditional education system. This article, relying on the discussion of the preliminary results of a high-tech district case study, addresses the role of an Entrepreneurship ecosystem as intermediary to facilitate public-private partnerships in research and education, with the ultimate purpose to instill entrepreneurial attitudes in engineers, so fostering innovation and technological entrepreneurship in a local context.

This paper aims to propose a new organizational, process and service paradigm aimed to enhance the performance of technology entrepreneurship initiatives through the adoption of collective intelligence methods

The concept of ecosystem has been largely used to indicate the network of complementary actors, resources and relationships required to succeed in knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial initiatives. The development of ecosystems has been mostly considered as a region and industry-independent issue. This paper discusses the relevance of fostering the creation of more entrepreneur-centric ecosystems ("EGO-Systems") to support an effective idea-to-venture process. A model is presented which includes five components (entrepreneurial actor, stakeholders, project, roadmap, flows) and it is addressed to support technology entrepreneurship initiatives through an innovative approach which is glocal, project-specific and dynamic.

“Design for X” includes a set of techniques to realize the best product yet during the design avoiding re-works and loose of time and money. Among these, the design for assembly covers an important role and aims to design a product “thinking” to the physical assembling moment. Digital Mock-Up (DMU) is a process to enhance assembly feasibility and efficiency through specific design analysis and allow re-producing a product virtual assembling. Based on an action research based on a collaboration among company and university researchers, the paper aims to describe the development of a DMU application in a naval Italian aerospace company to improve a ship fuel system assembling. Technical features of the application are described.

Crowdfunding (CF) is increasingly adopted as a strategy to fund innovative projects and start-ups using the Internet. Although the advantages of CF overcome financial aspects, an integrative model depicting all the categories of benefits is yet to be introduced in literature. Based on a systematic review of entrepreneurship and CF-specific literature, the article elaborates and presents an integrative model of benefits for the project, the start-up and the creator in areas including, but not limited to, viability, cost reduction, market research, product design, and customer relationships. The model was refined and validated surveying experts and campaign creators, and analyzing successful cases of CF campaigns. The value of the article is both at theory level, with a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary classification of benefits, and at practitioner level, with a checklist and insights for individuals involved into the design and launch of attractive business ventures or CF platforms.

The benefits of managing companies through a process-based approach are well recognized in the business literature and in many corporate contexts. However, there is a limited discussion on how to practically design and develop an organization based on processes. This paper aims to address this relative ‘gap’ in the literature by presenting the case of a recent international joint venture in the regional jet industry. In the following paper, we present a story of organization design based on the identification and description of the core process model of the company, with a specific focus on customer service activities. Based on interviews and direct observation at the field site, this paper shows the main steps undertaken to define the process taxonomy levels and to describe process elements, along with a discussion of the relationships with the business model components of the company. The paper provides practical value as it provides practical insights relating to the start-up of a new company driven by a process-based approach.

This paper presents an experimentation, realized within an International Master's, aimed to develop in tomorrow's engineers the entrepreneurial capabilities required to develop technology-intensive products and services in the domain of e-business. The new professional profile of the Entrepreneurial Engineer is introduced, along with the innovative features of an "i-learning" environment which supports the development of such profile. The interdisciplinarity, interactivity, immediacy, internetworking and individualization aspects of the environment are discussed with a particular focus on the curriculum design and the action learning strategy applied in the program.

Purpose - Business process management (BPM) is still mostly associated with methods and software tools for process modeling, automation and redesign/performance analysis, with limited effort toward building and applying interdisciplinary approaches which capture the real complexity of business processes. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate a system view of BPM and presents an actionable body of knowledge to enhance process-related decisions and actions within organizations. Design/methodology/approach - A design science approach is used to build a conceptual contribution based on extended process management literature and a multi-year author experience in the area of business process engineering in both research and education contexts. Findings - A business process management system includes strategy, model, execution and performance dimensions whereas the management of a process involves activities related to scope, structure, resource, systems, dependency, exception, performance and external integration. Research limitations/implications - The frameworks and related definitions need further theoretical development and refinement in terms of the components and reciprocal relations among system and activity elements. In this vein, the study would also benefit from real-life applications and empirical analysis. Practical implications - The paper can support process implementation, maturity assessment and competence development efforts within organizations as well as be a foundational work to advance the creation of a global body of knowledge on process management. Originality/value - The paper proposes a holistic perspective on BPM as a system of components and a bundle of activities, thus providing a twofold strategic and operational tool for process analysts and managers at different levels.

Wicked problems are complex and multifaceted issues that have no single solution, and are perceived by different stakeholders through contrasting views. Examples in the social context include climate change, poverty, energy production, sanitation, sustainable cities, pollution and homeland security. Extant research has been addressed to support open discussion and collaborative decision making in wicked scenarios, but complexities derive from the difficulty to leverage multiple contributions, coming from both experts and non-experts, through a structured approach. In such view, we present a conceptual framework for the study of wicked problem solving as a complex and multi-stakeholder process. Afterwards, we describe an integrated system of tools and associated operational guidelines aimed to support collective problem analysis and solution design. The main value of the article is to highlight the relevance of collective approaches in the endeavor of wicked problem resolution, and to provide an integrated framework of activities, actors and purposeful tools.

Purpose - The process of generating the strategic renewal or new ventures within established companies, also known as corporate entrepreneurship, is strongly intertwined with individual and organizational factors. Whereas many studies have been conducted in developed economies, the role of such determinants and their reciprocal relations are still partially undisclosed or contradictory in emerging countries. In such endeavor, this article builds an integrative framework of corporate entrepreneurship enablers and uses such model to identify a set of research propositions to be investigated in Chinese companies. Design/methodology/approach – The article is grounded on a multidisciplinary literature review in the fields of innovation management and organizational behavior. In particular, the study is accomplished through five main steps, i.e. search of relevant theory, isolation of corporate entrepreneurship constructs, creation of constructs taxonomy, preliminary research model and propositions formulation, and contextualization of research propositions to the Chinese context. Findings – The performance of the corporate entrepreneurship process depends on a set of individual factors, distinguished into professional and psychological characteristics, and organizational factors, which include the system of values (mindset) of the organization as well as “hard” aspects related to management practices and processes. All these factors can be considered as enabling conditions to drive the valorization of creativity and human resource potential within corporate renewal and new venturing initiatives. Research limitations/implications – Though this article represents a step forward in integrating individual-related and organizational-related determinants of entrepreneurial performance in Chinese companies, the supposed relationships are to be proven through empirical analysis, which is definitely the next necessary step towards the validation and actionability of the research model and propositions identified. Originality/value – The value added by the paper is twofold. From a theoretical point of view, it develops a systemic framework of conditions which can positively impact corporate entrepreneurship and applies the same model to launch new avenues for research in Chinese companies. From a practitioner perspective, the study provides managers with a comprehensive set of enabling factors to support corporate entrepreneurship by leveraging creative and human resource management dynamics within their organization.

The concept of entrepreneurship is traditionally associated with the initiative of individuals who transform promising business ideas into successful new ventures. In the Schumpeterian view, the most innovative individuals are able to drive sustainable change and creative destruction in specific markets and industries, acting alone or within large companies (Schumpeter, 1934, 1949). However, the entrepreneurial process is also engaged in by established organizations, which are able to address the asymmetries between market demand and the potential of socio-technical innovation. At such an extended scale (from individuals to corporations), corporate entrepreneurship is activated as a means of achieving organizational innovation and increasing financial and market performance, with exemplary cases such as Apple, 3M, Procter & Gamble and Google. More specifically, corporate entrepreneurship represents the process of new business creation within established firms to improve organizational profitability and competitive position, or the strategic renewal of existing business (Zahra, 1991). It thus includes the creation and development of new business ventures, new products or services, or new strategies and competitive stances. Therefore, it becomes a key driver of organizational innovation, business performance and market leadership for organizations operating in technology-intensive industries. The focus on technology-based firms is timely and particularly relevant for corporate entrepreneurship. Indeed, the presence of innovative technologies and their market-relevant applications is a trigger for the creation of new products and services, as well as of the new business ventures that produce and commercialize them. The multidimensional nature of corporate entrepreneurship and its complexity in terms of enabling factors has generated the motivation for research to investigate and systematize such elements within an integrative perspective and model. In just such an endeavour, this chapter aims to identify the antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship at both the individual and organizational levels. In particular, the focus is on technology-based firms. For this purpose, this chapter is structured as follows: the next section reports some evolutionary patterns in the corporate entrepreneurship concept and its enablers. The concept of creativity is then analysed together with its relationship with organizational innovativeness, the role of human resource management as a driver of creativity and organizational innovativeness. The model and related assessment tool to be used in the corporate context are then introduced. Concluding remarks summarize the contributions of this work to theory and practice and reflect on planned and likely developments for further research.

Purpose – Corporate entrepreneurship is an articulated process that originates from creative ideas of managers and employees and ends up in generating innovative results such as new business units and ventures. It is thus a key driver of strategic renewal and business performance for organizations, which need to valorize the creativity of individuals and teams (the internal “crowd”). This article introduces the concept of crowd-venturing as an application of collective intelligence principles in the corporate context. A set of individual and organizational factors supporting the entrepreneurial potential of human resources is defined and used to build a tool for assessing the maturity of crowd-venturing within companies. A classification of organizational archetypes is also proposed. Design/methodology/approach – The study starts from a review of corporate entrepreneurship and organizational creativity literature, with a cross-domain investigation of related areas such as human resource management and collective intelligence. The work of theory review is a basis to define an integrated assessment tool that has been applied in preliminary studies conducted in three big ICT companies. Originality/value – The research proposes a systemic model for the exploration of drivers of corporate creativity and entrepreneurial dynamics. The concept of crowd-venturing is defined, along with an assessment tool useful to evaluate the maturity level of both individual and organizational factors respect to the internal entrepreneurial process. The study can be conceived as a new application of collective intelligence principles in organization-related issues. Practical implications – The article provides managers with a method and an operating tool for assessing the internal entrepreneurship environment and the corporate venturing process. The in-company application of the tool can open new avenues for developing methodologies addressed to activate entrepreneurial dynamics within organizations.

Sustainable mobility is today a central theme in the strategic agenda of policy-makers, public managers, and global institutions (e.g. World Bank Committee for Sustainable Development). A sustainable mobility system (SMS) is a socio-technical system which ensures the mobility right within, outside and among cities, without impacting negatively the society in terms of externalities such as atmospheric and acoustic pollution, traffic congestion and accidents. The problem is strongly interdisciplinary and domains like urban planning, engineering, architecture, computer science, economics and business management, operations research and service engineering can contribute to define effective and innovative solutions. A SMS enables persons, ideas and knowledge to move effectively, resulting in a more “intelligent” model of city which enhances the creativity, learning and innovation potential of its citizens. The adoption of a collective intelligence approach to design and realize a sustainable mobility system ensures that social value and individual interests are preserved. At this purpose, this paper provides a holistic framework to support the design of a SMS, and an operational roadmap with a set of guidelines for supporting the implementation in policy decision making settings.

Assembly activities represent a crucial phase of new product development processes. The identification of potential assembly issues early in the design stage can thus allow companies to save time and cost of successive manufacturing phases. In such context, this article analyses the potential of digital mock-up (DMU) to enhance assembly feasibility and efficiency through specific design analysis. In particular, it is here showed the development of a DMU process and its integration with design for assembly (DFA) procedures at a large Italian company. The article illustrates the application to a ship fuel system and discusses the main benefits achieved by the company in terms of reduced assembly time, re-works, number of special tools used and incorrect assemblies.

Crowdfunding represents a crowdsourcing strategy for collecting from a large audience the financial resources required to launch an entrepreneurial project. It leverages on the power and wisdom of the crowd to identify, select and fund promising entrepreneurial projects. Regardless of its typology (equity, donation, lending or reward), crowdfunding provides a valuable support to sustain innovative ideas and projects, mainly at early-stage, thus contributing to diffuse the entrepreneurial culture worldwide. In particular, equity crowdfunding offers to investors the opportunity to participate actively to the development of an entrepreneurial project. For what concerns the Italian situation, a recent study highlighted three main issues hindering the development of the equity crowdfunding: the relationships with investors, the information asymmetries, and the project reliability. To face these issues, a wide set of norms and laws has been introduced to mitigate the risk and guarantee security and trust. Framed in these premises, this paper aims at reaching a twofold goal: 1) develop a deeper understanding of the equity crowdfunding scenario in Italy, also by analysing all the entrepreneurial projects submitted to the Italian equity crowdfunding platforms within February 2015; 2) collect and analyse the entrepreneurs’ insights and other existing issues, thus making some suggestions for improving the Italian equity crowdfunding system. The results of this study might be useful for policy makers in charge to manage the Italian regulation on crowdfunding, as well as to sensitize potential entrepreneurs in using crowdfunding to finance their startups or to support the arising of innovation and entrepreneurship within their companies. Finally, also private investors and financial operators can be interested in this study to evaluate if entering in this emerging business.

Il volume, attraverso una concezione sistemica dell’impresa come progetto complesso e un orientamento allo sviluppo di competenze e capacità dinamiche, si pone come efficace strumento di supporto all’apprendimento in curricula universitari focalizzati sul business management, ma anche come manuale di potenziale interesse per manager, professionisti e lettori interessati ad acquisire una prospettiva di frontiera dell’impresa moderna.

Purpose: The generation of new ventures within established companies, also known as corporate entrepreneurship (CE), is a process influenced by a set of individual and organizational factors. This paper aims to focus on creativity and human resource management enablers of CE, with the purpose to define an integrative framework and draw a set of related research propositions. Design/methodology/approach: The paper relies on a multidisciplinary literature review in the fields of CE, creativity and organizational innovation. Findings: The effectiveness of CE depends on a set of individual factors, distinguished into professional and psychological characteristics, and organizational factors, which include the system of values of the organization and the management practices applied in the same. Research limitations/implications: From a theoretical point of view, the paper develops an integrative framework of conditions that impact on CE and outlines a set of propositions and alternative research methods to test. Practical/implications: From a practitioner perspective, the study provides managers with a comprehensive set of factors enabling CE by leveraging the creativity of individuals and make it flourish through consistent human resource management practices. Originality/value: The value of the paper stays in the integration of individual-related and organizational-related determinants of entrepreneurial performance.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the main factors affecting information and communication technology (ICT) adoption and process redesign within organizations, with the objective of defining a systematization framework and a set of methods and tools useful for students and practitioners. Design/methodology/approach – The review of literature focused on organizational change and ICT-enabled process innovation allows to extract the key issues for building the model and approaches presented. Findings – The effective introduction of change requires addressing aspects placed at strategy, people, process and enablers level. A system view of these components and their relationships is a key to streamline ICT adoption and process redesign. Research limitations/implications – The roadmap is addressed to support only the design or pre-implementation phase of change, with a major intra-organizational perspective. Originality/value – The main asset of this paper is to combine several frameworks into a unique roadmap to support the investigation of human, process, and technology dimensions of organizational change. Besides, a set of methods and tools are proposed to streamline the design of ICT-enabled and process-based change within an organization.

Uno strumento di studio fondamentale in percorsi universitari e post-universitari e un manuale operativo per il manager che intende adottare un metodo da ingegnere d'impresa, ossia sistemico e "per processi", nella gestione della propria organizzazione. Il volume propone una nuova sistematizzazione del management aziendale attraverso la definizione del concetto di ingegneria d'impresa e dei suoi 30 processi fondamentali. I processi sono suddivisi in cinque aree e dieci sotto-aree relative a ingegneria: 1) delle risorse, finanziarie e fisico-tecniche; 2) delle attività, di processo e di progetto; 3) dei sistemi, umani e tecnologici; 4) degli output, prodotti/servizi e innovazioni tecno-organizzative; 5) del valore d'impresa, di business e intangibile. Per ogni sotto-area, viene fornito uno schema integrato di sintesi e raccordo e sono illustrati tre processi di riferimento (uno di "pianificazione", uno di "esecuzione" ed uno di "controllo") per il governo dell'impresa. Il lavoro sintetizza e struttura un "corpo di conoscenze" (body of knowledge) relativo alla moderna gestione aziendale e ingegneria gestionale, adottando un approccio di project management per l'analisi e la gestione dell'impresa come progetto complesso.

The paper aims to discuss the role of intangible assets in higher education and research institutions and presents a measurement framework, along with an illustrative application. A review of existing theories and practical experiences is undertaken to build the core conceptual model and a dashboard of indicators. The model is then applied to investigate the mission and performance angles of intellectual capital with reference to an Italian higher education and research institution. Creating intangible assets is at the core of the mission of education and research organizations. The identification and measurement of intellectual capital is thus an operational priority to evaluate the alignment between strategic orientation and performance within such institutions. The research has to be considered as exploratory and presents a single case, resulting in the need for further applications. However, the dashboard of metrics proposed is comprehensive and can thus represent a useful ground for refinements, mostly related to the links between indicators and management/strategy issues. The dashboard can be used as a stakeholder communication tool and a “tableau de bord” to support the strategic decisions related to the human, social and structural capital of education and research organizations. The article presents a first discussion on the systematic identification, classification and reporting of intellectual capital indicators in higher education and research.

Purpose Crowdfunding (CF) is a fast-developing and multifaceted phenomenon which is changing the entrepreneurial landscape, with implications in areas such as finance, sociology, and management. Although it is basically an alternative way to fund innovative projects using the potentiality of Internet, many scholars agree that CF can provide great value other than money. Nevertheless, only few studies have been realized to shed light on how a CF campaign can help in practice the evolution of an entrepreneurial initiative. In such scenario, this article aims to build an integrative model and a taxonomy to classify the additional benefits of CF for the successful undertaking and sustainability of the entrepreneurial process. Design/methodology/approach Based on a systematic review of CF and entrepreneurship literature, the potential benefits of CF are defined and grouped in different areas and categories, according to their nature and level of specificity. After several iterations, where duplications, mismatched and nonsense have been deleted or adapted, a framework with a standard taxonomy has been draft. Findings The model proposed testifies that CF is much more than a funding instrument. Several areas of benefits have been identified for the project, the start-up and the creator itself, such as viability, cost reduction, market research, product design, demand and customer relationship. Research limitations/implications Interesting implications can be derived for CF platforms managers, when designing tools for improving the platform performance and attractiveness and for project creators and consultants, when deciding the characteristics of a campaign according to their needs. Future researches can focus on the determinants of these benefits and try to operationalize the latter, in order to measure the effectiveness of the campaign according to prearranged objectives. The empirical validation of some benefits and the study of the relationship between benefits and project characteristics or platform type can be further follow-up investigations. Originality/value The theoretical framework obtained wants to be an exhaustive snapshot of the benefits that have been related to a CF campaign so far, categorized in different areas according to their characteristics. The outcome of this analysis represents a starting point for future researches on the benefits of CF for project creators and start-ups.

In this chapter we carry out a critical analysis of “knowledge democracy” as a new mantra or buzz-word in product innovation leadership. A new paradigm has revolutionized the traditional process of invention, which was previously associated with a hierarchical dissemination of new ideas and competitive hoarding of knowledge assets. This chapter contends that at this environment has been replaced by a collaboration economy (based on so-called “wikinomics”) in which democracy governs the process of knowledge creation and its strategic application. Leadership in product innovation does not rely on the innate internal qualities of organizations, but on the collaborative contribution of stakeholders in many of the activities that make up the NPD lifecycle. The authors suggest a new approach to mitigate factors that can otherwise reduce the value of the NPD process. The chapter then examines how to promote such open collaboration through the development of a new managerial mindset, the acquisition of new distinctive competences, the development of new organizational models, and the management of new collaborative technologies. The authors’ proposed framework of processes and competencies offers the potential for organizations to meet these needs.

The analysis of traditional CVs to evaluate professional competencies can be a challenging endeavour, particularly when a large amount of candidates has to be examined. The main reason is due to people that use different terms and criteria to describe and measure their experiences. This makes the selection for a given job or project role a time-consuming process, with no assurance that the best person is selected. This article presents an integrated methodology to standardise the assessment and visualise the professional expertise of individuals. A set of classifications, an algorithm and the core elements of an info-graphics tool are presented with the purpose to provide comparable competence measures and charts that can speed up the pre-screening and selection processes in large-scale recruitment campaigns or project management scenarios.

This paper shows the application of a Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) system to optimise the design of gearshafts used in aircraft engines. A new design process and a tool have been introduced to automate the preparation of CAD models by engineers. Time required was reduced by more than 60%, resulting in a sensible decrease in costs and indirect quality benefits. The study is based on a company case and findings are consistent with other studies in the aerospace. The paper helps understand the potential value of KBE in New Product Development (NPD) and can be a proof-of-concept for further implementations in complex engineering sectors.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the case of a leading Italian aerospace company which developed an integrated system aimed to optimize the management of engineering competencies within the Chief Technical Office function. Design/methodology/approach – The paper was based on a set of interviews to company referents and a one-year period of researcher’s observation at the company site to analyze competence management processes and the application on the field of the methodology and the tool. The approach adopted is to present a real practice following a pragmatic and illustrative approach. Findings – The integrated system provides an objective method to support critical evaluations related to the management of competencies and actors. The benefits achieved derive from a more effective and efficient monitoring of competencies available to perform given activities, and from the analysis of gaps, actor allocation, and job-rotation issues. Research limitations/implications – The application of the method and the tool is still quite “dependent” from the skills of their developers. Besides, the activities and competencies of those units which support new product development processes should be also integrated in the system. Practical implications – The case described can be a useful benchmark for organizations working in complex industries in the effort of improving the performance of engineering activities through an enhanced management of knowledge about people potential and expertise. Originality/value – The value of the paper may stay in a twofold process/project and people management perspective in the monitoring, development, and scouting of technical competencies.

As a field at the intersection between computer science and people behavior, social computing can contribute significantly in the endeavor of innovating how individuals and groups interact for learning and working purposes. In particular, the generation of Internet applications tagged as web 2.0 provides an opportunity to create new “environments” where people can exchange knowledge and expe-rience, create new knowledge and learn together. This article illustrates the design and application of a prototypal platform which embeds tools such as blog, wiki, folksonomy and RSS in a unique web-based system. The platform has been developed to support a case-based and project-driven learning strategy for the development of business and technology management competencies in undergraduate and graduate education programs. A set of illustrative scenarios are described to show how a learning community can be created and developed through the technology platform.

This paper analyses the potential of knowledge based engineering (KBE) methods and tools to streamline new product development (NPD) processes. In particular, design activities are investigated as a crucial context for technology implementation and process optimization in the aerospace industry. Based on a four-year collaboration with a leading company, the article shows the development of new processes and software tools which reduced sensibly the time and cost for designing key parts of aircraft engines, with indirect benefits on product quality. The paper can be a proof-of-concept for similar implementations in complex engineering sectors as the study combines discussion of technical aspects of modelling with strategic issues related to design and NPD performance. The process-based analysis and estimate of benefits achieved can help operation managers to better understand the uses and business value of KBE methods in process innovation and product development initiatives which address cross-functional and cross-organizational issues.

This article investigates the impact of cultural and professional diversity of students on engineering education. A study of international post-graduate programs is used to obtain insights with reference to student’s relationships with colleagues, school staff and faculty, student’s cognition about the program and learning process. The article shows how cultural and professional diversity can be addressed by leveraging a strategy based on interdisciplinarity, action learning and open learning environment. Findings are used to envision a model favoring the adoption of a ‘glocal’ approach in the design of engineering programs. The model can be of value for practitioners and educators involved in the creation of multicultural learning initiatives to address the culture-specific needs of students while adhering, at the same time, to the global trends in engineering education.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the driving factors that constrain latecomer firms’ technological innovation, eventually leading to an incomplete or unsuccessful catching-up process. In this aim, we rely on the resource-based theory to advance an absorptive capacity argument and introduce a complementary explanation about the role of opportunity capture borrowed from the entrepreneurship perspective. We develop multiple mediation models and test our hypotheses on data collected from 166 manufacturing firms in Guangdong Province (China). Our findings show a complementary role played by weak knowledge transformation and opportunity capture attitudes. Overall, our work contributes to existing literature by providing theoretical arguments and empirical evidence about the role of function and relevance of each single dimension of absorptive capacity in studying innovation and the catching-up processes of latecomer firms. In addition, the work disentangles and substantiates a linkage between these dimensions and opportunity capture attitudes in determining sub-optimal outcomes of the catching-up process. Our findings offer also practical insights about the limitations of predominant innovation and catch-up strategies of latecomer firms and suggest the necessary shifts in policymaking.

Purpose – To be successful, the innovation and entrepreneurship processes require a systemic and dynamic search, evaluation and matching of purposeful knowledge, expertise and tangible assets. In this vein, the concept of ecosystem has been largely adopted at macro and organizational level to indicate the network of complementary actors needed by one company to succeed in this endeavor. This paper aims to define an individual perspective of innovation ecosystem and propose a model to drive the creation of entrepreneur-centric ecosystems aimed to support a more effective “idea-to-venture” process. Design/methodology/approach – The review of relevant literature and the analysis of international initiatives has been used to identify the main theoretical constituents of the study. A design science approach has been thus adopted to conceptualize and define the components of the model through the phases of problem identification, objectives definition, artifact development, demonstration, evaluation and research communication. The model has been submitted to a preliminary face-validity test with experts in the areas of entrepreneurship and collective intelligence. Originality/value – The paper presents an innovative application of the collective intelligence paradigm to design technology entrepreneurship ecosystems which are: a) context-independent, i.e. virtually global; b) specific, i.e. tailored to given technology domains and individual needs; and c) dynamic, i.e. able to gather relevant knowledge needed for the specific phase of the entrepreneurial process. The collective intelligence perspective allows to capitalize distributed ideas, knowledge, and competencies to take better decisions and actions respect to the case in which decisions and actions are taken by individuals alone. Practical implications – The model can contribute to maximize the incubation, growth and sustainability of entrepreneurial initiatives thanks to a better gathering of critical resources and knowledge which is dispersed in a large network of actors. In particular, the model can support the design and implementation of technology entrepreneurship ecosystems tailored to the real needs of a specific entrepreneur as well as support more effective entrepreneurial processes within corporations and organizations in general.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the need for a new corporate learning archetype in the extended enterprise scenario and to present the stakeholder university as a suitable model oriented to create value for a large number of business and non-business actors. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual development is integrated with field studies to describe the distinguishing features of the stakeholder university and provide a cross-discussion with the extended enterprise concept. Findings: The stakeholder university is characterized by large focus, extended scope, and rich interconnection, which address in a comprehensive manner the needs and expectations of the resource base, industry/market and socio-political stakeholders of the extended enterprise. Research limitations/implications: The topics investigated are mostly relevant for large international companies. Besides, further discussions are needed to validate the links between business models, organizational configurations and human capital development processes. Practical implications: The discussion proposed can be useful for managers involved in the design and development of high-impact and large-scope human resource management initiatives. Originality/value: The value of the article stays in the creation of a conceptual link between the business role of enterprise stakeholders and the requirements existing in terms of co-developing intangible assets.

Purpose – Universities and research centres play a crucial role in the development and diffusion of scientific knowledge and innovation, which are at the core of their strategic mission. However, the measurement of performance of such institutions in terms of valuable assets created is not easy since their output/results are especially complex to define and evaluate. In such context, this article aims to discuss the importance of identifying proper measures of Intellectual Capital (IC) generation in universities, and particularly in modern universities showing entrepreneurial features. A model for analysis and measurement is presented along with an illustrative application. Design/methodology/approach - Major theoretical approaches and real experiences of measurement of IC in higher education and research settings are analysed to build the integrated framework. Six strategic areas are derived and used to define a dashboard of 62 indicators. A case study approach is used to pilot-apply the dashboard to an education and research institution. Originality/value – Although several methods for IC measurement and management exist, most fail to capture the peculiar links existing among strategic objectives, intangible assets and organizational performance. This article tries to contribute by presenting a discussion and a model which point to establishing a direct relation between the strategic mission of entrepreneurial universities and their performance in terms of IC created. Practical implications – The model proposed can be used as a stakeholder communication tool to report key performance related to human, social and structural capital. Internal functions can be served such as resource identification and capital budgeting whereas an external value stays in the possibility of making public a set of organization-specific information, facilitating evaluation and benchmarking.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are changing the way in which people can access digital knowledge, thus creating new opportunities for learning and competence development. MOOCs leverage the free and open use of digitized material through supportive on-line systems. MOOCs have gained worldwide popularity and many education providers have started to offer courses in different domains such as innovation management and entrepreneurship tackling recent demands for better employability and social inclusion. This paper presents a beneficial application of MOOCs to support the design and delivery of personalized learning paths aimed to develop competencies in the technology entrepreneurship domain. Using a design science approach, a platform for the delivery of open courses has been developed along with a set of experimental courses and learner/instructors guidelines. The platform is based on a roadmap purposefully designed to drive course classification, competence mapping and interactive learning gap/priority analysis. The paper reports a trial set of the system with undergraduate students conducted to draw feedback for iterative system design.

Purpose – Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are contributing to widespread the access to digital knowledge and the development of competencies and skills based on free and open sharing, use and re-use of digitized material available in purposeful on-line systems. Worldwide, the development of MOOCs has gained popularity also in the management and entrepreneurship domain, where a number of providers have started to offer MOOCs addressed to diffuse entrepreneurial competencies and skills. This paper presents an application of MOOCs to support the development of entrepreneurial competencies. A purposeful roadmap has been set up to identify the set of actors and activities involved in the design, implementation and monitoring of an entrepreneurial project. Each activity of the roadmap is defined in terms of inputs, outputs, tasks and enabling competences to be acquired. Based on the roadmap, a customized open platform for MOOC delivery has been thus developed along with a set of experimental courses and some guidelines to better engage learners and instructors. Design/methodology/approach – The article is grounded on behaviourism, constructivism and connectivism learning theories, and their relationship with ICT, in the aim to frame MOOC as an emergent pedagogical approach capable to experiment networked learning. A preliminary analysis of literature on MOOC methodology and approach, as well as on the study of international cases of MOOC adoption in entrepreneurship education has been made. Then, based on a design science approach, a MOOC platform dedicated to stimulate entrepreneurial culture and competencies has been realized, and preliminary feedbacks have been collected from instructors and learners. The six phases of design science approach have been set up, problem identification, definition of research goal, artefact development, demonstration, evaluation and research communication. Originality/value – The value of the article can be identified in three main elements: i) the personalized approach to access MOOCs based on a structured roadmap of the entrepreneurial process; ii) the role that companies can play in the MOOC platform (e.g. course design, content production, course delivery, feedback analysis); iii) the possibility to experiment a blended approach in the use of MOOCs as a tool for competence development in the entrepreneurship domain. Practical implications – The article provides useful insights for the design of effective MOOC-based learning experiences in the technology entrepreneurship domain. In particular, a set of guidelines concerning the role of each actor of the learning process (including companies) and the implementation of effective blended (physical and on-line) experience are provided. Finally, the study presents a practical discussion about how to capitalize the value generated by MOOCs.