It is commonly accepted nowadays that external knowledge sources are important for firms' innovative performance. However, it is still not clear, what dimensions of firms' external knowledge search strategy are crucial in determining their innovation success and whether these search strategies are contingent on different innovation modes. In this study, we analyze how the innovative performance is affected by the scope, depth, and orientation of firms' external search strategies. We apply this analysis to firms using STI (science, technology and innovation) and DUI (doing, using and interacting) innovation modes. Based on a survey among firms in China, we find that greater scope and depth of openness for both innovation modes improves innovative performance indicating that open innovation is also relevant beyond science and technology based innovation. Furthermore, we find that decreasing returns in external search strategies, suggested by Laursen and Salter (2006), are not always present and are contingent on the innovation modes. Next, we find that the type of external partners (we label it "orientation of openness") is crucial in explaining innovative performance and that firms using DUI or STI innovation modes have different sets of relevant innovation partners. This shows that the orientation of openness is an important dimension -in addition to the scope and depth of openness. As respondents are located in China, this study provides evidence that open innovation is also relevant in developing countries.

Active interactions and relationships among members are crucial to the success of consumer-to-consumer (c2c) e-commerce. Prior studies have rarely articulated the relationship between the social interactions among members and their loyalty to the c2c platform provider. this paper differentiates two types of trust in c2c e-commerce-mutual trust among members and members' trust in the platform provider-and then proposes that trust in the platform provider mediates the relation between mutual trust and loyalty to the platform provider. A study using a sample from chinese c2c Web sites shows that information interaction and emotional interaction both boost mutual trust among members, which in turn boosts their trust in and loyalty to the platform provider. For platform providers, the findings suggest a strategic route to building members' loyalty in a competitive market.

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Based on an ecosystem view of innovation management and in-depth case studies of firms in China and abroad, a novel paradigm of innovation management—Total Innovation Management (TIM)—is put forward in this paper. This new paradigm draws on three distinct areas of recent research, namely the innovation theory of the firm, the resource-based view (RBV), and the complexity theory. It introduces the theoretical framework of TIM, and presents a tri-dimensional innovation strategy model, which includes all elements of innovation, all innovators, and innovation in all times and spaces, and aims at value added and created. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007Total Innovation Management, Strategy innovation, Paradigm change, O31, O32,

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Purpose -This paper aims to present an assessment framework which captures the essential characteristics and holistic success factors for disruptive innovation based on the original theory of Christensen, a number of clarifications as reported in the literature and a study of known, successful cases in the literature.Design/methodology/approach -The framework was designed based on the improved understanding of disruptive innovation challenges and on the holistic consideration of innovation as a dynamic process. It consists of structured questions which could be used to guide detailed data collection and analysis needed to answer the key questions which constitute the assessment framework. They are grouped under market positioning, technology and other favourable drivers.Findings -A simple yet comprehensive assessment framework for disruptive innovation has been developed. Two of the known successful cases, namely the steel minimill of Nucor and the 3.5 inch disk drive of Conner/Seagate, were presented in more detail to illustrate the use of this systematic framework in assessing the success potential of these cases of disruptive innovations in either the low-end or new markets. A third and fairly new example, that of the limited mobile phone system/product of UTStarcom, was then presented to illustrate a case where the framework revealed reasons for potential failure. A fourth example of Google's web-based office applications then illustrated how the framework might be used to study the disruptive potential of a new product.Originality/value -This paper enables a more accurate and systematic assessment of disruptive innovation. The framework also has the potential to be further developed into a systematic tool for answering the question of whether the disruptive innovation theory could indeed be used to provide ex ante prediction of the success of a new disruptive innovation.

In this study, a new method for swirling flow generation in submerged entry nozzle (SEN) in continuous casting of steel process has been proposed. A rotating electromagnetic field is set up around the SEN to induce swirling flow in it by the Lorentz force. And this kind of electromagnetic swirling flow in the SEN is proposed to use in square billet continuous casting of steel process. The effects of coil current intensity and nozzle structure on the flow and temperature fields in the SEN and mold are numerically simulated and verified by an electromagnetic swirling model experiment of low melting point alloy. The overall results of the study show that the magnetic flux density and the swirling flow velocity in the SEN increase with the increase of coil current intensity. The largest swirling flow velocity in the SEN can reach about 3 m/s when coil current intensity 500 A, frequency 50 Hz. The electromagnetic swirling flow in the SEN can reduce the impinging depth of the flow and increase the upward flow. An impinging flow near the mold corner can be observed. The flow field changes mentioned above result in a uniform temperature field in the mold, increase the meniscus temperature, effectively increase the temperature at the mold corner. The divergent nozzle used in this new process also reduces the impinging depth, increases the upward flow and makes the meniscus temperature increase significantly.

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