Citer - Center for Innovation and Technology Research

Our research covers the interrelationships, dynamics and evolutionary trends among technology, innovations and different societal actors and structures. We thrive to accumulate scientific information to support the decision-making of various individuals and public and private organisations. Our objective is to increase understanding of co-evolution of innovations and of technologies in a society at large.

Our research activities cover basic as well as applied research. Basic research enables us to increase understanding of phenomena examined and facilitate possible future applications of knowledge. Applied research aims at pragmatic problem-solving, for example by supporting decision-making of organisations with cooperative research projects. In addition, our activities cover the graduate and post-graduate studies of technology management at Tampere University of Technology (TUT).

CITER research activities focus on three broad areas: 1) modelling technological evolution, 2) the co-evolution of technology, enterprises and industry structures, and 3) technology strategy and innovation management.

1. Modelling and Foresight of Technological Evolution

Modelling and foresight of technological evolution forms the basis for our research. It involves the research of the effects of social and cultural factors, performance parameters and user quantity transitions and evolutionary processes as well as mathematical modelling of technology evolution. At the same time it enables forecasting of future trends, for example, as a basis for the strategic choices of enterprises.

2. Co-evolution among Technology, Enterprises, and Industry structures

Co-evolution connects the analysis of the operational environment with actor analysis and industry-specific research of societal structures. Technology evolution, different actors' operations and structural changes are mutually intertwined, and alterations influence all actors (e.g. enterprise activities and sources of competitive advantage) as well as the evolution of the institutional environment (e.g. national finance mechanisms and organizations).

3. Technology Strategy and Innovation Management

In addition, CITER studies the transitions in the processes, mechanisms and strategies of organizational actors - enterprises, public organizations or support organizations. The research aim is to improve the functioning of organizations and to generate alternative patterns of action as well as support organisational decision-making to create competitive advantage where technological capabilities are just one possible resource. This research stream of CITER combines the abovementioned two more theoretical streams into more actionable and applied setting placing innovation and technology into its context.