Applied Research

Collaborating in the search for new solutions!


Our Offering

Not every challenge can be met with an existing solution. To address such kinds of challenges, we design research projects together with our clients to achieve tailor-made solutions. Applied research projects are typically based on our experience in combination with our main research areas (see rubric Research).
Additionally, our international and interdisciplinary innovation network with partners from academia and practice allows us to initiate and build research collaborations.
Following please find two reference projects of our applied research:

Title

„Frugal Innovation collaboration integrating all aspects of the innovation process“

Partner

Collaboration with a multinational corporation with origins and headquarters in Germany, which develops and manufactures a wide variety of electrical components and solutions for high-tech industries, such as Smart Cities, E-Mobility or Renewable Energy.

Description

A full-time PhD student at the TIM coordinates this action-based research project with several interconnected goals. First of all, it is about action. In a pre-study the partners investigated the strategic situation of one business unit with regards to key emerging markets. The analysis of specific market segments, new as well as existing competitors and the company’s product portfolio revealed a need for this action, especially for the fast growing Asian market. Thus, the first goal is the development of a frugal product family, which is integrated in a specifically designed business model for the Asian market. Furthermore, the company’s long-term strategy strives to integrate a frugal innovation approach for all affected business units. This requires the outcome of goal two, the documentation of a frugal innovation process and respective best practices. Finally, TIM as a research institution is committed to advance the field of technology and innovation management, which represents goal number three. The project provides a rich steam of insights to investigate emerging and unresolved issues in the field of frugal innovation, such as the right mindset for successful frugal innovation endeavors.

Time span

4 Years

Title

„Improved flight experience for Silver Agers““

Partner

Airbus, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and TIM

Description

  • Development of a holistic workshop concept to generate target-group adequate product and service ideas to improve the air travel experience of Silver Agers for two global aviation companies
  • Identification of "pain points" of the silver ager air travel customer experience - from purchasing the tickets to arriving at the final destination (in cooperation with Deutsche Seniorenliga e.V., ANBO and Unie KBO (German and Dutch senior citizen representations)
  • Direct interaction of corporate developers with advanced customers of the target group
  • Generating ideas in various user involvement settings (among others in co-creation with Silver Agers)
  • Evaluation of ideas by experts of the target group (Senior Research Group Berlin)

Time span

1 year

Title

„New product development of frugal innovation"

Partner

Rexnord und TIM

Description

  • Overarching objective: Conception of frugal product in the field of power transmission and conveying components
  • Identification of barriers and challenges to develop frugal innovation
  • Identification of customer needs and requirements related to frugal innovation by customer interaction
  • Adaption of the innovation process to set the basis for the development of frugal innovation
  • Development and use of methods and tools to develop frugal innovation concept and embedding them in innovation process

Time span

1 year

Should you require any further information regarding our section “Applied Research”, please contact:

Prof. Dr. Cornelius Herstatt, Mail: c.herstatt@tuhh.de, Tel.: 040-42878-3777 or
Dr. Stephan Buse, Mail: stephan.buse@tuhh.de, Tel.: 040-42878-3829