Handelsblatt ranking 2012: Scholars pursuing innovation research

Despite the protest of 339 colleagues – including myself – the German newspaper „Handelsblatt“ still published its ranking of management scholars in German speaking countries. Among the Top 250 are 16 and among the 100 youngsters under age 40 are 14 colleagues from the innovation research domain. Although, I must admit not knowing everyone, here are the lists (ranks in brackets):

Top 250

Franz Wirl (1, Uni Wien), Thomas Hellmann (35, Vancouver UBC), Martin Högl (38, LMU), Knut Blind (40, TU Berlin), Dietmar Harhoff (44, LMU), Joachim Henkel (64, TU München), Ulrich Kaiser (79, Uni Zürich), Florian von Wangenheim (135, TU München), Erik E. Lehmann (137, Uni Augsburg), Johann Füller (155, Uni Innsbruck), Kurt Heidenberger (168, Uni Wien), Tobias Kretschmer (203, LMU), Joern Block (225, TU München), Ricarda B. Bouncken (229, Uni Bayreuth), Achim Walter (232, Uni Kiel), Katrin Talke (248, Uni Hamburg)

Under 40

Florian von Wangenheim (11, München TU), Joern Block (24, München TU), Katrin Talke (30, Uni Hamburg), Carolin Häussler (33, Passau Uni), Stefan Wagner (39, Berlin ESMT), Oliver  Schilke(57, RWTH), Sven Voelpel (58, Bremen JU), Sebastian Raisch (62, Uni Genf), Tina Claudia Ambos (68, Uni Linz), Axel Winkelmann (79, Koblenz-Landau Uni), Marcus Matthias Keupp (87, St.Gallen), Karin Hoisl (88, LMU), Andreas Kuckertz (89, Duisburg-Essen), T. Taylor Aldridge (95, IRS).

 

Out to Sea?

Must see! A current exhibition in the „Museum für Gestaltung“ in Zurich discusses the damages caused by huge amounts of plastic waste dumped into our oceans. Imagine, each minute 3 tons. Not only that the plastic takes hundreds of years to be decomposed, small particles get eaten by fishes and other animals, like scrimps, and thus get channeled back into our food chains. What a desaster. How can innovations be developed – and which ones are necessary – as possible solutions?

Apple vs. Samsung

I am affraid that journalist Matthias Hohensee of the German economic magazine „Wirtschaftswoche“ needs some basic training in the essentials of the patent system. In his article he argues that the recent jury decision will prevent future innovation in the mobilecom sector. Well, one could argue about this, however I fully support the decision. The authors miss an essential point. Apple had developed a truly innovative device when launching the IPhone and entering the rather mature cellphone market. What a risky move. They had developed some unique innovative technical solutions for which they got patents. That is the deal that society makes in order to set incentives that such stories happen. Would Apple have committed all their R&D investments without a patent system? From my perspective this is an example where the patent system really needs to be defended. The innovation happened to be developed  by Apple, while Samsung very bluntly imitated. The jury decision is correct. Any other decision would have created just more uncertainty for other innovating firms: If we commit R&D investments, would we ever be able to appropriate the returns to break even?