Argument and innovation: Theoretical and empirical explorations in knowledge claim evaluation
PhD ceremony: Rr. K. Peters, 12.45 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen
Dissertation: Argument and innovation: Theoretical and empirical explorations in knowledge claim evaluation
Promotor(s): prof. R.J.J.M. Jorna, prof. R.J.F. van Haren
Faculty: Economics and Business
Innovation is of vital importance for many organizations. Organizations innovate to benefit from the introduction or application of new ideas, processes, products or procedures. Examples of benefits are gaining (more) profit, providing better services and producing new sustainable products. In order to innovate, organizations have to create, evaluate, transfer and apply knowledge. Knowledge Management offers insights into how organizations innovate through knowledge creation, transfer and application. Little is known about the way organizations evaluate what constitutes valid knowledge. Peters refers to this underexposed activity as knowledge claim evaluation.
The literature review reveals three theoretical approaches: the Open approach, the Managerial approach and the Entrepreneurial approach. Each approach offers an alternative explanation of how organizations should evaluate knowledge claims. Nevertheless, they have difficulties to explain knowledge claim evaluation in real-life innovation settings. In an attempt to fill this gap, this thesis explores a new theoretical approach based on informal argumentation theory, and presents three case studies of innovation projects. The companies and innovation programs involved in the research are Siemens Building Technology (Switzerland), GEON (Netherlands) and KodA (Netherlands).
Last modified: | 13 March 2020 01.03 a.m. |
More news
-
17 July 2024
Veni-grants for ten researchers
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded a Veni grant of up to €320,000 each to ten researchers of the University of Groningen and the UMCG. The Veni grants are designed for outstanding researchers who have recently gained a PhD.
-
08 July 2024
New collaboration between UGBS and Faculty of Spatial Sciences: education for professionals
Bringing together knowledge and experience will provide new educational opportunities for professionals working in a variety of organisations.
-
02 July 2024
Vocation or necessary evil?
It is important to know how employees perceive their jobs, as Milena Nikolova discovered. The Professor of Economics of Wellbeing distinguishes three different types of work motivations.