Ideas in transition : building absorptive capacity to enhance the innovation process

![CDATA[The transition of an idea from invention to commercialization has been widely targeted as an area of relative weakness for Australian enterprises to confront. The more skilful and streamlined innovation process developed by repeat innovators, and the skilled balancing act between innovation and managing operational effectiveness that growth innovators take through to large innovative organisations, point to ways that waste could be reduced and innovation productivity improved. In an attempt to improve the success of the process from new idea generation to commercialisation, to reduce market failures, firms are continually seeking new sources of ideas and advice rather than focus on improving how they transition from exploring for new ideas to exploiting ideas in the marketplace. It is suggested that this shortcoming can be addressed by clearly identifying the capabilities SME need at transition points in the innovation process and providing an indication of how firms can access and apply these capabilities to specific contexts. This paper examines the capabilities needed at transitions points to build requisite absorptive capacity, identifies some matters of context and puts forward an innovation transition framework. What has to be learned and how it might be learned is discussed in an absorptive capacity context.]]