Part X: Innovation Management: Towards a Constructivist Approach of Technological Innovation Management.

This chapter describes a constructivist approach to the understanding of technological innovation management within French SME's. Firstly, it presents findings from technological innovation surveys in French SME's and analyzes the emerging trends (e.g. the non-existence of a single ideal new product development process, a high degree of variability of technological evolution, and the importance of cognitive aspects). Secondly it describes a constructivist approach and its key aspects (e.g. development of a value-oriented strategy; a systemic vision of innovation management through its three levels: strategy, piloting, and sparking), as well as limitations of current practices in different kind of French SME's. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]