Research on leadership, organisation and systemic results in complex innovation environments

Important results from the project

The overall goal of the research project was to contribute to further developing the Vinnväxt program´s model for capturing system-level effects, and to contribute to knowledge about how Vinnväxt initiatives affect the transformation of regional innovation systems. Project goals have been met through the interactive development of a framework, a definition and categorization, as well as a method for tracking Vinnväxt initiatives’ system effects over time. The method can be used as a basis for further development and application in other transformative innovation programs.

Expected long term effects

The project has resulted in a theoretically and empirically based definition and categories for system effects within Vinnväxt, a (more) harmonized and structured method of capturing and reporting system transformation over time, and new ways to make Vinnväxt’s system effects more visible. This contributes to new insights into how Vinnväxt environments affect system transformation. The results have been communicated through presentations at conferences and seminars. Based on this research project, two academic articles have been written (editing and submission in progress).

Approach and implementation

The project was implemented with an interactive research strategy (focusing on joint learning) which included 18 meetings with Vinnväxt program management, 7 meetings with Vinnväxt initiatives (pilot group and at ERFA meetings), 4 meetings with the Vinnväxt network of actions researchers, and 18 meetings and workshops with other researchers and consultants (in Sweden and internationally). The interactive way of working i.e. the CO-CREATION of new knowledge and methods has been the most important success factor for this project.