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Research

Research focus

Innovation and the capability of firms to absorb and further develop knowledge from their environment are increasingly recognized as fundamental for sustainable success and survival. The progressing digitization — manifest for example in form of Web 2.0, internet of things, and Big Data — increasingly accelerates the dynamics at the basis of innovation. The resulting change through technology poses firms always new challanges. These are more and more met successfully jointly with a multitude of different actors, like suppliers, clients, users, consumers, and even direct competitors in form of open innovation. Digitization as well as open and collaborative innovation therefore are at the focus of the research at this chair.

Projects

The Hamburg Innovation Symposium (THIS)

In 2014, third-party funds successfully raised from the Körber Foundation, Hamburg, allowed for the organization of The Hamburg Innovation Symposium (THIS) on Open and Collaborative Innovation bringing together junior researchers with outstanding, international scholars. Further informationen is available on the project page.

3D-Printing Developers and the Motivations behind Open Source Hardware

Open Source Hardware (OSH) development is a fascinating phenomenon that recently gained increasingly momentum, with projects like RepRap and FabLab. Given the potential of 3D-printing and OSH to disrupt entire industries and revolutionize the way we design, produce, recycle, manufacture, distribute and commercialize physical products in the future, this is worth in-depth inquiry. To begin with, this survey, conducted at the Universities of Hamburg and Osnabrück, Germany, shall provide insight about 3D printing communities and their motivations and drivers. It shall also give developers the possibility to provide feedback on community services and to name key features that would help to improve their favorite platforms. The project is carried out at the Chair of Digital Markets held by Professor Späth at the University Hamburg and supervised by Professor Hausberg, University Osnabrück. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Melanie Kern, B.A..