Fighting the big bad wolf of global trends: technology transfer between HPC centres and SMEs
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/DPRG-11-2020-0162 |
| Published date | 30 June 2021 |
| Date | 30 June 2021 |
| Pages | 498-512 |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information policy |
| Author | Tamara Besednjak Valič,Janez Kolar,Urša Lamut |
Fighting the big bad wolf of global trends:
technology transfer between HPC centres
and SMEs
Tamara Besednjak Vali
c, Janez Kolar and Urša Lamut
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to explore the dynamic relationships between high-performancecomputing
centres(HPC centres) and small-to-medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs) workingin the automotive sector.
Design/methodology/approach –An empirical study was conductedin 14 European countries with a
total of 92 participants, representatives of HPC centres and SMEs. Data were collected through focus
groups.
Findings –Findings show there is a distinct mannerof shaping collaboration and cooperation networks
between both spheres.In shaping the relationships, cognitiveframes play a role through specific values
involvedshare. Institutions also play an importantrole.
Research limitations/implications –Research into relationships between HPC centres and SMEs
conducted was qualitative; therefore, limitations arise on data not being able to be generalized. The
culturalaspect is to be taken into account when conducting furtherstudies.
Practical implications –Findingsof this study can be used by policymakers,especially those interested
in regional innovation. The results can be of use when tailoring innovation policies, especially when it
comesto enhancing the regionaland extra-regional cooperationbetween HPC centresand SMEs.
Originality/value –To the best of authors’knowledge, this paper is one of the first researchcontributions
to analyse the relationships between HPC centres and SMEs from the automotive sector in selected
Europeancountries.
Keywords Scenarios, Technology transfer, SMEs, HPC, Social fields
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The world has never been as interdependent as it is nowadays. A substantial part of this
interdependence comes as a consequence of contemporary global trends. In this context
open innovation (Chesbrough,2003, 2006) has gained traction in the current line of thought
when it comes to innovation (Besednjak Vali
cet al.,2020).
The discourse of open innovation could be understood as an economic imaginary, the way
Jessop and Oosterlynck (2008) developed the idea in 2008. Within their idea, society
selects economic imaginary. If the selected economic imaginary is adopted, it gets
institutionalized. As such it may co-create economic subjectivity, interests, activities,
organizations and economic success (p.2). For the purpose of the present discussion there
will be an outline of three possible scenarios of cooperation between high-performance
computing (HPC) centres and the businesssphere in terms of the predominant imaginary of
open innovation. Following the cultural political economy approach (Jessop and
Oosterlynck, 2008;Ron
cevi
c, 2019) this is a phase of variation of discourses. The selection
and adoption of a discourse to prevail as economic imaginary and how it reproduces in
different manners and sizes throughout time-geographic horizons later on (Ron
cevi
c, 2019)
Tamara Besednjak Vali
c
is based at the Faculty of
information studies, Novo
mesto, Slovenia, and
School of Advanced Social
Studies, Nova Gorica,
Slovenia. Janez Kolar and
Urs
ˇa Lamut are both based
at the School of Advanced
Social Studies, Nova
Gorica, Slovenia.
Received 15 November 2020
Revised 12 March 2021
Accepted 13 April 2021
This paper forms part of a
special section “The power of
High-performance computing
infrastructure for small and
medium sized enterprises”,
guest edited by Nadja Damij,
Markus Abel, Bill O’Gorman
and Sergio Botelho Junior.
“High-performance computing
for effective innovation in the
Danube region –InnoHPC”
project. Project was co-funded
by European union, ERDF and
IPA funds under Danube
Transnational Programme,
Interreg Danube. The project
was led by Faculty of
Information Studies, Novo
mesto, Slovenia, under the
reference no.: DTP1-260-1.1”,
available at: www.interreg-
danube.eu/approved-projects/
innohpc
PAGE 498 jDIGITAL POLICY, REGULATION AND GOVERNANCE jVOL. 24 NO. 6 2022, pp. 498-512, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2398-5038 DOI 10.1108/DPRG-11-2020-0162
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