CBI’s research deals with the innovation processes and activities in companies. Our point of departure is the real problems encountered by firms: the practical relevance of our research is as central as academic motivation. We take a management perspective and mainly address questions of strategic significance. Our interactive, often action-oriented research means that practitioners are involved in the choice of focus and issues investigated, and knowledge is developed jointly. The development of actionable knowledge, i.e. knowledge that can be used directly in companies but at the same time contributes to advances in academic knowledge, is key to our approach. Typical themes are the ability to innovate, ways of organizing to promote innovation, how innovation can be measured, and contributing to development in companies. CBI’s research focus thus could be described as ‘innovation management’, i.e. research on innovation processes and activity and how they are led and organized.

Innovation capability is decisive in being competitive in today’s increasingly complex and turbulent business climate. Companies’ innovation capabilities, in addition to the ability to develop new technology and hence new products, must also include the ability to think innovatively about the entire business offering: business-model innovation.

Our approach is to work with and concentrate on the entire offer and be open to reconsideration of the underlying logic (business or organization model) as new opportunities emerge. Our research examines the processes firms engage in to create their business offer and, thus, encompasses the development of new business models, i.e. fresh solutions for the creation and appropriation of competitive value for the customer.

Business-model innovation is essential for both large and small firms, however, research on business innovation and the elements required to build and change innovation capability is still relatively limited. Also, previous business-model research tends to be based on retrospective studies of rather grandiose business-model innovations. Process studies, and studies of less spectacular cases, are conspicuously lacking.  

The research is interactive and action-oriented, i.e.  aims at producing knowledge that is both interesting for the academic community (relevant) and directly useful to the companies and organizations that participate in CBI research projects (actionable). CBI research is conducted within projects, which create specific arenas for the generation and exchange of knowledge with and among participant practitioners and researchers.

Our objective is to create an environment in which research is conducted in collaboration with companies in the field of innovation. Action-oriented, interactive research is the distinguishing feature, and is carried out and financed primarily through specific research projects. Our public consists of companies. Our research partners are thus found in our project collaboration. 

Innovation research in Sweden and a limited number of other European countries, is unique in building on case studies and collaboration with firms. Our aim is to contribute to knowledge development in the field of innovation by putting into practice the results our research, which, therefore go beyond the individual projects. Our research results are also diffused in the traditional way of scientific publication and educational activities.

CBI has been active for three years and is pursuing an extensive body of research and project operations in the field of innovation management. Our research is carried out in the form of research projects aimed at finding solutions to one or more questions. CBI currently is conducting several projects or research studies some of which are externally funded, see Research Project Portfolio