Page 114 of 124 process. However, scenario planning envisions the future as a plurality (Duus, 2016). This is especially an interesting topic, since this could not only be done by external researchers but could also be done by Inspari internally. This could for instance be done by applying Duus’ (2016) 7-point test of consistency followed by applying his 14-point scenario construction method. These tests naturally cannot stand alone. However, with the knowledge already existing within Inspari on important elements like the market, the customers and the relevant technology, fast and reliable scenario forecasting is definitely possible. A further suggestion would be to bring in knowledge from analogous markets, as diversity has been proven to have a positive effect on scenario construction. One source of inspiration on simple made scenario constructions comes from the magazine
“Pictures of the Future”, which has been published by Siemens since 2001 (Siemens, 2017). Does Inspari choose to pursue internal strategic scenario construction, this might be a good place to start.
Page 115 of 124 company’s solutions can be tailored better to the needs of customers. However, it was also found that the collaborations of Inspari currently are geared for more incremental innovation. This is supported by the use of innovation communities, which show that the consultants mainly use the ideas in their daily operations. In the future, more radical innovation could potentially be needed, which could be obtained via more distant search, looking further away than the current vertical partners.
The third sub-question investigates how Inspari should utilize aspects of internationalization to support the implementation of R&D. In relation to this, the paper found that internationalization contains several aspects, which are worth considering when dealing with R&D. One of the aspects is the new competencies and the new knowledge, which can be obtained by employing people from abroad in new divisions. Romania holds a great resource pool in relation to IT intelligent people, and this can be exploited by Inspari to add new knowledge and ideas, which can enhance the output of R&D within the company. In addition to this, the Norwegian sales office can help Inspari generate knowledge about new industries, which can be used in both Denmark and future market. However, it is important for Inspari to develop the organization that can facilitate the integration the new divisions successfully. One way of doing this is by using the overlaying structures. Especially, the the matrix structure can be a strong facilitator in the integration, as it requires people to work across skillsets and country boundaries.
The fourth and final sub-question considered in the analysis of the paper asked the question of how Inspari should utilize the organizational structure to facilitate learning and the implementation of innovative ideas throughout the organization. The paper found that the matrix teams give a good foundation for knowledge sharing, as it requires people to work across organizations, and thus helps facilitate learning. However, the organizational focus on performance and billable hours does not encourage time spent on development and learning, which potentially can harm the R&D efforts of the organization. Therefore, the effort to establish the new R&D office creates value for the company, as it gives an extra aspect in the long-term considerations of innovation. A centralized office could provide a more strategic perspective and engage in more distant search, than just having the decentralized unstructured R&D as previously seen based on the consultant's own effort and local search. The paper found that Inspari is still in the growth stage of their organizational life cycle. Therefore, the establishment of the R&D office by the company can prevent a decline when reaching maturity. The analysis showed that there is not an urgent need for more radical innovative efforts to be put into place, as the growth phase can continue with the current actions taken by the company. However, the analysis also shows that Inspari has a great foundation for dynamic capabilities. They are working closely together with key partners and this gives them a good opportunity to sense what is going in the market. This allows for a great sourcing of new knowledge into the organization. Furthermore, Inspari has always been an agile organization, as it has
Page 116 of 124 transformed itself throughout the years in different aspects such as going from a small company to a medium sized company. However, a challenge was found. Inspari seems to lack of organizational slack, which means that there is little time for developing unique solutions and innovations.
The fifth sub-question was answered in relation to the discussion of the paper, and concerned what value it creates for Inspari to implement an R&D structure into the organization. The paper found that the R&D office implemented by Inspari creates value, as it allows the company to adapt a longer-term perspective and target more radical and strategic innovations. This could for instance be done by focusing more on distant search, something, which the R&D office provides an enhanced opportunity for. Furthermore, the findings showed that the R&D office creates value in combination with the internationalization initiatives undertaken by Inspari. This is the case, since the offices placed in Norway and Romania contributes with new knowledge and ideas, which can support R&D given the right focus on knowledge transfer. Inspari can therefore use the R&D office to gain a competitive advantage and stay ahead of competitors. In the future it can allow them to differentiate themselves, as the more long-term strategic initiatives are translated into new knowledge and hopefully create a virtuous cycle that will produce more business ideas.
It is worth mentioning that the findings presented above were presented to the top management of Inspari at a workshop, which gave the opportunity for the case company to provide their feedback and for the authors of the paper to present further recommendations. The feedback received from Inspari was generally positive, and the top management was able to recognize the output of the findings. Furthermore, recommendations were given by the authors, suggesting that Inspari could in the future gain benefits from more distant search to obtain radical innovation, that country rotation could be considered to support transferring of knowledge and that the company should implement more organizational slack to support innovation. These recommendations were well received. This thus increased the validity of the paper, as it proved that the findings and general output of the paper in fact did have normative implications.
Finally, the conclusion to the research question of “How can an IT service company venturing into an international environment implement a valuable R&D structure that supports its business model?” is summed up. The authors discovered, by applying the sub-question, many relevant aspects in how the R&D structure could be implemented. The authors acknowledge the importance of human resources in a service company and further found that the matrix structure has issues but generally is great tool for an organization like Inspari.
Overall, Inspari was found to a case company that has done many things to secure development and further growth. However, they are challenged on issues such as the performance culture and could have trouble in seizing the right ideas due to the lack of organizational slack.
Page 117 of 124
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