Title: Innovation supports for small-scale development in rural regions: a create, build, test and learn approach

Authors: Johan Lugnet; Åsa Ericson; Johan Wenngren

Addresses: Information Systems, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden ' Information Systems, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden ' Information Systems, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden

Abstract: Small and medium sized firms' businesses in rural regions typically address a home market and the delivery of niched products. This makes them exposed to business downturns, innovation is thus one way to survive and prosper. Small-scale product development is typically very hands-on, a sort of trial and error process. This experimental way is in favour for the implementation of innovation processes, but one challenge is the limited resources that firms can, or are willing to, spend on innovative work. A challenge is that procedures for organisational learning are lacking in the straightforward approach. The article describes the background and rationale for supporting small-scale manufacturing by introducing a support toolbox for early product development work. The support toolbox's rationale is built upon learning cycles and communicative prototyping which may enhance innovation process capabilities.

Keywords: engineering design; creative concept development; design thinking; SME; small-scale manufacturing; small-scale development; innovation; early product development; learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2020.106446

International Journal of Product Development, 2020 Vol.24 No.1, pp.30 - 42

Received: 17 Jan 2018
Accepted: 14 May 2019
Published online: 07 Apr 2020 *

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