Intermediaries, Users and Social Learning in Technological Innovation

Abstract

This paper explores the role of intermediaries in the development and appropriation of new technologies. We focus on intermediaries that facilitate user innovation, and the linking of user innovation into supply side activities. We review findings on intermediaries in some of our studies and other available literature to build a framework to explore of how intermediaries work in making innovation happen. We make sense of these processes by taking a long-term view of the dynamics of technology and market development using the social learning in technological innovation (SLTI) framework. Our primary concern is with innovation intermediaries and their core roles of configuring, facilitating and brokering technologies, uses and relationships in uncertain and emerging markets. We show the range of positions and influence they have along the supply-use axis in a number of different innovation contexts, and how they are able to bridge the user-developer innovation domains. Equipped with these insights, we explore in more depth how intermediaries affect the shape of new information and communication technologies and the importance of identifying and nurturing the user-side intermediaries that are crucial to innovation success.

Intermediation for technology diffusion and user innovation in a developing rural economy: a social learning perspective

“…The second section delineates the theoretical background, explicating the constituent elements of situated learning theory used to extend Stewart and Hyysalo's (2008) SLTI framework and discusses how this perspective can help illuminate the different technology-intermediation roles in this context. Following from this, the third section outlines the research approach.…”

“…To tackle this question and cast light on the modus operandi of such organisations, Stewart and Hyysalo's (2008) social learning in technological innovation (SLTI) framework is extended by using situated learning theory (Lave and Wenger 1989;Brown and Duguid 1991, 1998Wenger 1998Wenger , 2000Swan, Scarbrough and Robertson 2002) to create a potent analytical lens. The focus here is on the mechanism of a certain type of technology intermediation programmes, i.e.…”

Collaborative Innovation with External Actors: An Empirical Study on Open Innovation Platforms in Smart Cities

“…Harris and Albury (2009) propose four such strategies for opening up innovation in public services to a wider set of actors: i) developing new markets, ii) putting citizens at the heart of services, iii) creating and supporting local "social innovation zones", and iv) strengthening intermediary innovation organizations. Several other researchers have also emphasized the role of innovation intermediaries as a strategy for collaborative public innovation (e.g., Bakici et al, 2013;Braun, 1993;Fung & Weil, 2010;Stewart & Hyysalo, 2008). Similar to innovation intermediaries, innovation platforms (or open innovation platforms) represent a strategy for fostering collaborative innovation (Consoli & Patrucco, 2008;Ojasalo, 2015aOjasalo, , 2015bOjasalo, , 2016Patrucco, 2011).…”

Large UK retailers' initiatives to reduce consumers' emissions: a systematic assessment

“…Firstly, retailers influence their role as intermediaries (Stewart and Hyysalo, 2008), through pricing (Shankar and Bolton, 2004), promotion, shelf space allocation and shelf positioning (van Nierop et al, 2011, Kök et al, 2009. Secondly, retailers are adept at representing their views of consumer needs to government (Marsden andWrigley, 1995, DEFRA, 2010).…”

“…Finally, then, these large retailers have been increasingly the gatekeepers between manufacturers and consumers through their global supply chains (Huber, 2008). Through these supply chains, large retailers influence the specifications and standards of the goods they commission from suppliers to sell (Stewart and Hyysalo, 2008). Since, the vast majority of consumer goods in developed markets are sold through large retailers, in shops or online, these retailers act as choice editors (Charter et al, 2008) for what consumers are able to purchase for use at home.…”