Tibor Dőry

Innovation and excellence

Management methods for innovation transformation

Acknowledgements

For more than 30 years, inspired by János Ács, professor at the Vienna University of Technology, I have been following and analysing innovative enterprises, trying to understand the key factors of their success or failure. My academic research career was launched by Professor János Rechnitzer, and I am grateful to him for his insightful attention and co-authorship in helping me with my innovation analyses in the early years. János Pakucs, founding president of the Hungarian Innovation Association, entrusted me with the management of the regional innovation office in the mid-1990s, which allowed me to get to know the dynamically growing entrepreneurs in the region, as well as the innovation leaders of national organisations and large companies.

The case studies and project work prepared by students studying innovation management courses at Széchenyi István University in Győr often highlighted the hidden aspects of innovative corporate operations. Discussions with my MBA students participating in leadership training, as well as essays written by doctoral students and joint publications with them, provided numerous practical examples and insights that helped me gain a deeper understanding of the success factors of corporate innovation.

Hungarian and foreign researchers and corporate experts encouraged me to embark on writing a practical volume that goes beyond a textbook presentation of the theoretical framework of innovation and provides practitioners with tangible methods and techniques from techniques on HOW to take corporate innovation to the next level. The practical methods and research results presented at ISPIM (International Society for Professional Innovation Management) conferences and workshops, which disseminate innovation management research results and practical innovation experiences, were the defining starting points for the book. I learned a lot of small teaching techniques and tricks at workshops held by Professor John Bessant and his colleagues. At the ISPIM conferences, the FORTH methodology (https://www.forth-innovation.com) developed by Gijs van Wulfen had the greatest impact on me, alongside the research results of my university colleagues, which we have since applied at several Hungarian organisations.

The greatest impetus and financial support for the preparation of this volume came from the project entitled "Development of innovative automotive testing and inspection competencies in the western region of Hungary, based on the infrastructure of the Automotive Test Track in Zalaegerszeg" (Project ID: GINOP-2.3.4-15-2020-00009) and its sub-project "Development of innovation management methods", which enabled us to conduct quantitative and qualitative research with my colleagues at Hungarian automotive companies. I would like to express my gratitude to the management of Széchenyi István University, President Dr. Bálint Filep, and the management of the aforementioned project for enabling us to carry out the planned research. We would also like to thank the National Research and Development Agency (NKFIH) and the leaders of the Hungarian Association of Vehicle Component Manufacturers (MAJOSZ), as well as the business leaders who contributed to a deeper understanding of user innovation among Hungarian vehicle component manufacturers.

I would like to thank the interviewees for the corporate case studies related to this volume: Katalin Németh and Viktória Süle-Farkas from Audi Hungaria Zrt.; Mátyás Pótsa and Márton Hidas leaders of the Bosch Budapest Development Centre; Szilveszter Tóvizi and Szabolcs Stinner from Melecs; and Gábor Molnár, owner and managing director at MouldTech Systems Kft.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Eisingerné Dr. Balassa Boglárka, Dr. Szabolcs Rámháp, Dr. Krisztián Koppány, Dr. Norbert Kovács, Dr. Tamás Vinkóczi and Dr. László Buics, Prof. em. Csaba Makó and Dr. Miklós Illéssy, as well as my former PhD student Dr. Béla Venesz.

The feedback from the two professional reviewers was very helpful in finalising the content of the volume, for which I would like to thank Professor Dr. Zoltán Baracskai and former Dean Dr. Barna Hanula.

This book would not have been possible without the support of my family. I am grateful to my wife, Judit, and my daughters, Boglárka, Kamilla and Kincső, for making it possible for me to write this volume.

Győr, July 2025

Tartalomjegyzék

Kiadó: Akadémiai Kiadó

Online megjelenés éve: 2026

ISBN: 978 963 664 182 5

Menedzsment

The aim of the book "Innovation and Excellence" is to inspire and encourage company leaders, managers, and experts to initiate and implement innovation transformations with the help of professional literature and corporate case studies. Another important goal is to help develop the innovation capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises in particular by sharing simple, proven management methods that can be tested in practice.

The first part of the volume reviews the factors of corporate excellence and success, then highlights the possible sources of innovation, with a focus on the role of users and employees. The empirical section presents a detailed description of the supportive role of the workplace environment and creative working conditions based on corporate case studies (AUDI, BOSCH, MELECS). The volume concludes with a description of selected tested practical methods and management techniques that readers can try out in their own businesses.

Hivatkozás: https://mersz.hu/dory-innovation-and-excellence//

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