To support creation and exploitation of expert systems and knowledge bases by non-programmers for the industrial safety expertise. We propose an approach and a tool for designing rule-based expert systems (ES) and knowledge bases (KB) using the modified (adopted) model-driven development (MDD) approach; in particular, we employ a model-driven architecture (MDA). The purpose of this paper is to describe the adaptation (modification) and application of the MDA/MDD approach for designing rule-based KBs and ESs. The proposed modification uses the main principles of MDA/MDD (e.g., model types and creation stages), and it also considers the features of developing intelligent systems, in particular, rule-based ESs and KBs through specialization and redefinition of certain models and stages. In particular, we suggest the following: – using ontologies and conceptual models to represent a computation-independent model; – using the original author’s notation – a rule visual modelling language (RVML) to improve the visibility of representations of cause-effect relations for designing platform-independent models; – using a CLIPS (C language integration production system) as the platform model; – defining the rules of model transformation in accordance with the principles of the MDA/MDD in the context of designing KBs and ESs. The proposed approach is designed for non-programmers: experts and system analytics who are able to develop only two information models: a CIM (ontology) and PIMs (models of a rule-based KB and ES). In this case, it is possible to automate the PIMs’ creation with automated analyses of conceptual models. According to the MDA/MDD approach, other models are either integrated into the software that implements the approach or they are created automatically. The benefits of the proposed approach in comparison with the standard method of ES development are as follows: – a significant reduction of time for the implementation stage and the elimination of programming errors through automatic code generation; – a reduction in time for the identification, conceptualization, and formalization stages due to the use of an ontology and cognitive graphics. The proposed approach is implemented in the form of a research prototype of software (Personal Knowledge Base Designer) that is intended for the rapid development of prototypes of rule-based KBs and ESs. The main advantages of the personal knowledge base designer are listed below: the built-in editor of models; integration with IBM Rational Rose (in terms of imports of UML-models); generation of CLIPS code and specifications for the interpreter; using models at runtime. The proposed approach and the tool are used in Irkutsk Research and Design Institute of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering (IrkutskNIIhimmash). The main effect of its using is achieved both in research to identify laws of change for the technical conditions of the petrochemical objects (pipes, apparatus and etc.) and in the industrial safety expertise. The reported study was partially supported by RFBR (research projects No. 16-37-00041, 15-07-05641).

This paper aims to review the main contributions in the literature on service employees’ role in initiating innovation. By adopting a synthetic approach, we also aim to highlight the variant metaphors denoting service employees’ innovative conduct within the service innovation literature. The review of literature implicated diversified inclusion criteria when researching multiple databases for scholarly manuscripts; by adopting the synthesis approach to service innovation, it was possible to identify themes of interest that are relevant to service employees’ innovative behaviour in service and management literature. Considering the dominance of the synthesis approach to service innovation (Drejer, 2004; Nijssen et al., 2006), the emerging themes within the service innovation literature indicate further evidence of the application of the synthesis perspective. The highlighted main themes of creativity, innovative behaviour and service encounter-based innovation shared a synthesis orientation. The review of the existing body of literature also reflected considerable paucity in empirical studies underpinning service employees’ role in initiating innovation where there is little understanding of the nature and impact of this role. Multiple terminologies exist inconsistently in the service literature denoting service employees’ innovative conduct as the research on the topic continues to evolve. The review outcome also revealed that the present literature doesn’t adequately distinguish between the service industry’s cross-sector differences when determining service employees’ innovative conduct rather it adopts a collective approach that may not be applicable across all service industry subsectors. This paper provides a useful conceptual classification of the body of literature dealing with service employees’ role in initiating innovation that may help guide future research. The review of the literature included in this paper may help connecting the inconsistent metaphors of service employees’ innovative behaviour in the existing literature and highlight the gaps to be addressed by future studies.

The paper analyses the use of projective techniques (PTs) as tool for stimulating company’s innovative thinking during its life cycle and, through a case study, shows how these techniques can be successfully applied to support ‘idea generation’ during the start-up phase. The case study has been developed at Intertwine, an italian start-up and has provided practical insights helpful to better understand how PTs can be employed to stimulate innovative thinking among founders, manager and employees and to hear potential consumers’ voices.

The main aspect of this paper is to analyse how family firms create the capabilities that foster the absorptive capacity, organizational memory and innovation in these companies. In this work, two important knowledge management capabilities are analysed. First, absorptive capacity, or the firm’s ability to identify, assimilate and exploit knowledge from the environment. Second, organizational memory or the accumulated body of data, information and knowledge created during the organization’s course of action. There is an increasing interest in studying family firms because they are the prevailing form of enterprise worldwide and because they are an important engine of economic growth and job creation in European economies, and product innovations generated by family firms are a key source of growth. In order to understand the family’s role in supporting knowledge management, this paper focuses on the influence of family in ownership and management, and experience of the generation in control. Furthermore, in family firms, innovation is important, since it allows the transmission of its wealth to later generations. However, this process requires the participation of internal stakeholders (employees, owners-managers) and external stakeholders (clients, suppliers or other organizations). This study tries to show how family businesses, within their particular idiosyncrasy, can confront these processes of learning and development of innovations. This aspect of crucial relevance to stay alive in the market has not been treated with the attention needed in previous literature. The present study investigates 249 Spanish manufacturing firms with more than 40 employees. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire via a webpage designed specifically for this purpose. Finally, a structural equation modelling (SEM) methodology was employed to test the hypotheses. Our results show, a positive relationship among organizational memory, absorptive capacity and product innovations. This relationship is further enhanced as organizational memory increases, since it mediates the relationship between potential and realizable absorptive capacity, but also there is a positive effect of absorptive capacity and innovation, what demonstrates that these capabilities are determinants of the development of successful innovations. Also, we have found evidence that family involvement in management fosters knowledge management capabilities (absorptive capacity and organizational memory), and also there is a positive direct relationship between family involvement in management and generation and innovation. These results have important implications about the role of family firms in knowledge management and innovation processes.

This paper describes how, at the university level, sustainable business model creation in the clean-tech environment is taught using social learning within the context of interdisciplinary teams We propose an in-depth comparative case study approach, monitoring the development of creativity and learning in an entrepreneurial course context. The formation and careful curation of high-performing teams was initiated by targeting three dimensions of knowledge: declarative aspects such as lateral thinking about clean-tech (cognitive dimension); motivational and emotional aspects (affective dimension); application of affective and cognitive dimensions, creating the start-ups (skill-based dimension). In such a curated environment, the combination of business students and arts & design students specifically, produces more creative and from its outset more disruptive business models in the clean-tech industry. Previously, without arts & design students or design thinking methodology this failed to do so.

The university system can be considered as a key actor of innovation within national economic systems, since its main objectives are the production, dissemination and exploitation of the knowledge. The paper contributes to our understanding of transforming industry-university-government multistakeholder approach to the intellectual value co-creation models in socially responsible and innovative universities of Italy and Russia. A literature review is compared with empirical case study research of key Italian and Russian Universities intellectual value co-creation models based on secondary data interpreted via statistically tested results. Little has been suggested on the topic of intellectual value co-creation at the University–Business and Governmental levels in cross-cultural setting. The suggested methodology outlines the differences in close by culture countries. In Russia Government is still a driver for value cocreation, while in Italy it is more about business initiative. Italian Universities are better integrated into value-chains comparing to the Russian ones. The underlying research of this Italy-Russia stakeholder management model involves the development of complex analytical tools for quintuple helix value co-creation models in cross-cultural comparison. The above steps are followed with the development of recommendations on the regulation of the University –Business–Government cooperation quality in studied countries, as well as improve the efficiency of horizontal and learning relations between the subjects of multilateral cooperation.

As many developing countries are embarking on establishing technology transfer practices within their universities, the study of successful technology transfer office (TTO) typologies in developed countries may serve as a frame of reference. The Maturity Model (MM) created by Secundo et al., (2016a) has proven that intangible indicators may be used to assess and improve the efficiency of academic entrepreneurship. Intellectual capital (IC) in a university is a set of intangible and knowledge assets, thus, it can be postulated that increased access to IC would lead to improved efficiency at academic entrepreneurship. TTO typologies exist in literature and this study aims to determine which type of TTO enables better access to IC. The self-assessment tool and MM created by Secundo et al., (2016a) measures the efficiency of academic entrepreneurship through intangible indicators grouped into six areas: human resources, intellectual property policy and strategy, networking, university-industry links, technology, and organization design and structure. Data was collected from 18 universities in Europe and 6 universities in the United Kingdom. It is assumed that efficient TTOs, as measured by the MM, would have maximum access to IC. Therefore, these TTOs may inform which TTO type would be best suited for developing countries. This methodology provides a new approach and perspective on utilizing IC to improve academic entrepreneurship. An indication of the level of access that the TTO has to IC, through its efficiency at academic entrepreneurship, is given. Furthermore, information on the type of TTO informs decisions around the organizational structure which new TTOs in developing countries may take. The results from this study can be used by university management in developing countries to determine the organizational structure of the TTO which would be best suited to their needs. It is proposed that a TTO type which maximizes access to and utilization of IC would lead to improved efficiency in academic entrepreneurship.

The purpose with this paper is to present insights on using the KBS out of a longitudinal perspective. We are interested in continuity and change of the Austrian KBS-framework and its perception within the last decade. Regarding design, methodology and the approach made and taken in this paper, Piber & Pietsch (2006) and Habersam et al. (2013) represent the groundwork for this longitudinal ‘retrospective’. In the present study, we continue the qualitative case study approach and extend the interview series from 2011 and 2012. This allows for a personal retrospective with two points of reference in time, as well as for a look forward in terms of how to develop the KBS further. In the present study, we continue the qualitative case study approach and extend the interview series from 2011 and 2012. The originality and value of this paper is related to the longitudinal approach as well as the connectivity between the IC-development in general and the more context specific development of the KBS. This connectivity also illuminates the more specific practical implications regarding aligning perceptions and competencies in relation to implementation, cost/benefit analysis and the continuous challenges related to managerial control and external governance aspects.