Technology centers people and thus coevolves with the changing demands of society. In contemporary societies, innovation has become a crucial part of the economy and its development. Innovation systems can best be understood as interactions between heterogeneous actors that belong to several sub-systems. The research area Organization and Innovation Systems delves into this diversity of systems using an organizational perspective. It aims for a deeper understanding of the various forms of innovation systems as well as improved innovation management that implements new ideas and technology in products and services for the benefit of the innovative firm and its customers.

Innovation in the broad sense not only covers the commercialization of new ideas but also the management of invention, diffusion and imitation processes that are embedded in innovation regimes. They are distinguished by different organizational characteristics and therefore have different implications for innovation management. Our research focuses on the analysis and design of these sub systems and processes as well as their interaction.  It is based on an interdisciplinary approach covering economics and management research, sociology as well as psychology. The economic and management research perspective emphasizes causal relationships and strives for recommendations for innovation management practice. Sociological approaches focus on the multiple forms of embeddedness of economic actions in organizations and on markets. The psychological perspective illustrates how individuals and groups cognitively organize innovation. To address the relevant research questions of innovation systems, we use multiple qualitative and quantitative research methods as well as method triangulation.

Detailed information about our projects and collaboration partners can be found here:

• Machine Invention Systems (2016-): Development of next-generation autonomous invention systems.
• BIM sustain (2012-2014): Development of efficient BIM-assisted planning processes funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG.
• Emergent Innovation (2013-2015): A Socio-Epistemological Process, in cooperation with Markus Peschl, University of Vienna.
• Co-Be (2011-2012): Participation in the conception, accomplishment and analysis of experimental comparisons between traditionally sequential and integral building planning processes, funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG.