Nobre F.S., Walker D., Robert J. Harris R.J. (eds.)Technological, Managerial and Organizational Core Competencies: Dynamic Innovation and Sustainable Development

IGI Global, 2011. — 732 p. — ISBN: 161350165X.Innovation involves a set of processes which support the production and transformation of knowledge into new processes, technologies and products, goods and services, and provide an organization with particular strengths and value relative to other firms. In such a view, innovation is a key source of customer benefits and sustainable competitive advantage.
Technological, Managerial and Organizational Core Competencies: Dynamic Innovation and Sustainable Development investigates the impact of knowledge management, information systems, finance, organizational networks, internationalization, strategic management, marketing, entrepreneurship, and sustainability on an organization that pursues dynamic innovation and sustainable advantage. This book provides research and practice for graduate and undergraduate programs, as well as business firms with different technological, managerial, and organizational perspectives.
In addition to intermingling technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and organizing, Professors Nobre, Walker and Harris have introduced another more contemporary theme - sustainability. In the book's Preface, Nobre makes an important distinction between competitive advantage" and "sustainable development". "Competitive advantage" is a concept based in economic theories about competitive markets; it stresses the value to individual business firms of distinguishing themselves from their competitors by offering valuable and unusual products or services. However, economists and business scholars have defined competitive advantages solely in terms of the benefits to individual business firms and without concern for effects on consumers, communities, nations, societies, or humanity in general. Nobre introduces the term "sustainable development" to describe a kind of business development that maintains a balance between economic and societal goals and between short-run and long-run goals. This is a timely distinction, since the modern global corporation, a brilliant social innovation that extended benefits of commerce around the globe, has become the world's dominant social institution - and is helping to drive every living system on the earth into decline. We live in a time when humans are at the very peak of our technological power. We are making changes in the earth that will echo through the centuries. Sustainable development would seek to benefit not only individual firms but also their societies and the future of humanity." -Alan D. Meyer, University of Oregon, USA; and William H. Starbuck, University of Oregon, USA
Тe Editors’ goal is to foster cross-pollination among researchers. To this aim, the Editors have selected and assembled chapters that illustrate multidisciplinary theoretical perspectives and empiric results on innovation and the roles of Sustainability, Organizational Networks, Entrepreneurship, Knowledge Management, R&D&T (Research, Development and Technology) Management, Marketing, Finance, Internationalization, and Information Systems in the organization that pursues dynamic innovation and sustainable development.
Farley S. Nobre (PhD, MSc, BSc) is Professor at the School of Management of Federal University of Parana, Brazil. His research interests include organizations, knowledge management systems, innovation and sustainability. He received his PhD at The University of Birmingham (UK) with thesis On Cognitive Machines in Organizations and he participated in the ARMMS project. He was Guest Researcher with the Institute of Organization Theory and the Artificial Intelligence Research Group of the Humboldt University of Berlin and he participated in the Socionics project. With the multinational NEC he worked in the areas of software process improvement. He received the 1998 NEC Industrial Honor Prize for his contributions in the areas of innovation and quality. Dr. Nobre has authored international books, chapters and papers in journals and conferences worldwide. He is first author of "(Nobre, Tobias & Walker, 2009) Organizational and Technological Implications of Cognitive Machines: Designing Future Information Management Systems, IGI Global, USA." He is member of SERVAS (a voluntary worldwide institution in support of peace and multi-cultural integration).
David S. Walker is Senior Teaching Fellow at the Business School of The University of Birmingham UK, where he has taught since 1995. Previous to this he was Professor of Marketing, Head of the Marketing Department and Director of Business Research at Wolverhampton Business School. He commenced his academic career at Aston Business School where he completed his doctorate in marketing as a Foundation for Management Education Research Fellow. He has throughout his professional life founded and managed several extensive companies in the industrial cleaning and chemical industries, besides current appointments as an external examiner at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Southampton Business School, Westminster Business School, Northampton Business School and Brighton Business School. He has published extensively in numerous business and management journals both individually and in co-authorship with Dr. Andrew Tobias and Dr. Farley Nobre.
Robert J. Harris is Associate Director of the Institute for Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton (UK). He has provided consultancy support to over 500 organisations since 1993, working with Banks, Business Link and Regional Development Associations. He currently manages all of the University of Wolverhampton Business School's Knowledge Transfer Programmes. In 2007 he was presented the Lord Stafford Knowledge Transfer Champion Award in recognition of his work with small and large businesses both in the UK and overseas. He has managed a number of businesses over the last 20 years. Dr. Harris's research has focused on knowledge transfer and in particular the development of capabilities and innovation within the SME sector. His specialist academic areas are International Business Development and Small Business Marketing and he regularly lectures in these areas in the UK, Europe and S.E.Asia. He is currently external examiner at University of Northampton.Sustainability and Innovation
Organizational Networks and Innovation
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Knowledge Management and Innovation
R&D&T Management and Innovation
Marketing and Innovation
Finance and Innovation
Internationalization and Innovation
Information Systems and Innovation