Collaborative Innovation for Entering Emerging Markets Anna

The aim of this paper is to investigate collaborative innovation in business networks for small environmental technology companies entering an emerging market (EM). Export of environmental technology solutions to emerging economies involves high investment opportunities and high growth potential, but also high risk. For example, large-scale demonstrator equipment proving the function of the environmental technology solution might be needed, which usually requires cooperation between several companies and supporting actors. Results from empirical studies presented in this paper confirm the difficulties to export environmental technology solutions to EMs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Collaboration in business networks appears to be an efficient means to take on larger assignments, and business models built on principles of product service systems (PSS) where the technology can be integrated, and functionality is of main focus. A preliminary business development process model for small firms’ environmental technology export to EMs is developed and presented.