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Front End Research for a National Support Programme
At the beginning there was the idea – the idea to create a national support programme for a particular innovative, fast-growing high-technology sector. In the course of the first contact with the initiator of the programme open questions emerged. It was questionable, whether the programme would meet sufficient resonance of industry and university research. Which topic areas were of particular relevance? – HiTec Marketing, with its ambition to accompany technological innovations in their infant years, was very pleased about this interesting task. After internal discussion the team decided to further attend the idea. The initiator accepted the proposed approach.Further briefings followed, since we attach much importance to increased interaction in the starting phase. An intensive exchange of ideas – „Ping-Pong" – enabled the identification and validation of problems, goals, and tasks. Thus, the perceptions of the client and the study team could be aligned to a large extend. This exchange of ideas was cultivated during the whole duration of the project. As a result new findings obtained within the course of the project could be quickly exchanged and delivered as basis for decision.
After a representative selection of interview partners personal interviews were performed in teams of two – „4 ears hear more than 2". The interviews were analysed by means of state-of-the-art qualitative methods. They served not only the identification of priority themes for the support programme but also the integration of important actors. By this means the understandability of the idea, the employed terms and communication tools could be ensured. An accompanying, comprehensive literature research was integral part of the project. International benchmarks delivered additional ideas and constituted an important external leveling board. First research successes were summarised in an interim report, which also served as communication tool for the client.
Furthermore, we organised two open-space workshops to generate an additional impulse to community building and networking of actors from industry and research and to validate the study results. Finally, the results were summed up in an end report. In this context main emphasis was put on understandability and communicability.
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Short Study: Re-orientation in the Context of Technological Policy
At the beginning there was the idea – the idea of a decision maker to indicate new directions concerning technological policy in her area of responsibility. To put her ideas through their paces with the help of external expertise she looked for a partner, who besides the necessary background knowledge also displayed the required distance. This partner should critically question her idea in intensive, personal exchange also bringing in a socio-scientific dimension. Thus she came to HiTec Marketing.Subsequent to a first interactive briefing the HiTec team decided to accompany the idea. To be responsive to the dynamically changing technological conditions and socio-economic constraints as well as to the personal needs of the client, all participants attached great importance to an intensive exchange of ideas and experiences. – "Ping-Pong". By introducing a sound external view and international best practices the HiTec team could fertilise the feedback process. Simultaneously the study team consulted relevant actors to generate additional inputs and to promote awareness building and acceptance of the community.
In the end HiTec Marketing presented a recommendation for the graspable representation of selected strategic options and implementation steps.
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