ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF FORMAL INNOVATION
Monique Vervaeke (CNRS, Paris), Presentation for the meeting
Dedalo's faces. Second day on formal innovation |
Recent researches about local development have shown that it's possible to identify some forms of innovation, which are different from technological, product and process innovation. In fact, it's necessary to distinguish organisational innovation (Veltz, 1994; Veltz, Zarifian, 1993); financial innovation, which is about the relations between capitals and the market; market innovation (Bagnasco, 1985), detectable in distribution forms; and, at last, formal innovation (Bianchi, 1994; 1997.)
Introducing the concept of "formal innovation" in the debate about different forms of innovation, Giuliano Bianchi (1997) means to overcome the approach that examines innovation merely on the basis of its technological aspects. Bianchi focuses on the prevailing role of cultural, aesthetic and symbolic dimensions that make new products become more visible on the market. Formal innovation provides an aesthetic and symbolic added value to products, which do not have any new technological aspects. This operation is carried out by introducing some changes to the project itself that might involve the use of new materials or of new manufacturing and organisational systems. Moreover, as Giovanni Klaus Koenig recognised, design is beyond simple formal innovation. And in fact, the creative approach applied to the forms of objects is connected with the analysis about the use of objects themselves. Consequently, the submission to technology, which enhances the manufacturing process, loses its tremendous value and is seen in its right perspective. The manufacturing process becomes dependent from symbolic characteristics and is considered in a semantic series (Koenig, 1991.) That's how the object becomes a cultural sign.
The concept of formal innovation is included in a theoretical framework that tries to connect the process of designing with innovation. In Bianchi's analysis the concept of formal innovation is considered in a general framework based on a specific form of development connected with the local SMEs system. The classic approach to regional development, which was the viable framework before the work done by Italian researchers in the 70s (Bagnasco, 1977; Becattini, 1979), didn't acknowledge the central role of SMEs and of their co-ordination system within the total structure of the local industrial system. Moreover, one of the most important characteristics of local productive systems is their production of commodities that demand a formal added value.
On the other hand, the concept of formal innovation opens up new perspectives for the analysis of innovative environments. The European Research Group on Innovative Environments (Gremi) has encouraged the development of studies on the role of territorial and collective processes in the spreading of innovation. In this theoretical framework, innovation cannot be considered only on the basis of technical criteria, which can be uniformly enforced, in any particular social space of local industrial systems. The local environment approach worked out by Ph. Aydalot, asserts that the innovative enterprise cannot be established before the creation of its local context. This framework claims "it's environments that innovate and start something new" (Aydalot, 1986.)
New technologies are always implemented by enterprises established in and by the environment where they are set. Many collective studies stem from this theory. Some of the most important among them were the studies that built local environment typologies starting from the notions of technological innovation, of minor innovation and of product innovation (branching or imitation product innovation; Planke, 1986.)
The concept of formal innovation questions the differences of these typologies that don't analyse designing as a process that provides a high added value to industrial design. This is peculiar of a large number of new products that don't belong to high technology but, however, are manufactured with new materials, new manufacturing, assembling or decoration processes that demand important investments in research and development programmes.
Formal innovation process has consequently a special relation with technological innovation and also with those minor innovation typologies, which limit their action to technical improvements and to adapting pre-existing products (Decoster, Tabariès, 1986.) Finally, branching innovation (that is the introduction of a new product on the market) or imitation innovation (that is the imitation of a product that is already on the market) are two concepts that restrictively classify product innovation on the basis of its originality (Planque, 1986.) For example, innovation cannot be valued with the same standards in different fields such as electronics, information technologies, bio-technology or furniture industry or glasses manufacturers, whose work has a very long tradition.
Besides, it's necessary to underline that since design moulds material objects, its invention field keeps on being connected with the formation process of objects, considering them as the basic structure of the tangible and intangible human environment (Maldonado, 1976.) Design is a process that builds a global environment that includes signs that are always around us. That's why Ezio Manzini distinguishes the logic of ephemeral and gadget-like commodities from the project culture provided by designers to industrial culture. The project culture introduces those differences in the meaning of the object that make it obtain a place in the collective and social imaginary.
The user must be able to decipher those signs that are connected with the cultural context he needs to decipher. This creative path aims to add meaning and cultural identity to products (Manzini, 1990.)
Creating interpretation signs for users, designers aim to suggest a different and new identity with their work on formal innovation. Consequently, this path, which demands the enterprises to invest on products design, aims at slowing down the quick ageing of products. In this type of path, the range of new products is not only a transformation of the offer that comes out of model variations, but it is mainly a mix of new products, services and signs which are considered the direct or indirect result of the innovation process.
In the new contemporary capitalism one of the most common experience is moving from one place to the other and changing job; consequently, human relations begin and come to an end on the basis of removals and labour mobility. Uncertainties of professional life affect private life and personality as well. "Our character shows signs of wearing", as R. Sennett puts it (Sennett, 1998.) Consequently, the symbolic dimension of cultural identities construction presents new problems, related with men and their relation with the world.
Aydalot Ph. (edited by), Milieux innovateurs en Europe, Gremi, Paris 1986.
Bagnasco A., Tre Italie. La problematica territoriale dello sviluppo economico italiano, Il Mulino, Bologna 1977.
Bagnasco A., La costruzione sociale del mercato: strategia d'impresa ed esperimenti di scala in Italia, "Stato e mercato" n.13, 1985.
Becattini G., Dal settore industriale al distretto industriale. Alcune considerazioni sull'unità d'indagine dell'economia industriale, "Rivista di economia e politica industriale" n.1, 1979.
Bianchi G., "innovation formale e sviluppo economico in Toscana", in Mucci E. (edited by), Design 2000, Franco Angeli, Milano 1994.
Bianchi G., "Requiem per la terza Italia? Sistemi territoriali di piccola impresa e transizione postindustriale", in Garofoli G., Mazzoni R. (edited by), Sistemi produttivi locali: struttura e trasformazione, Franco Angeli, Milano 1994.
Bianchi G., On the concept of formal innovation, "Working paper series" n.015, 1997 - Florence, Tuscany high technology network.
Decoster E., Tabariès M., "L'innovation dans un pole scientifique et tecnologique, le cas de la Cité scientifique Ile de France Sud", in Ph. Aydalot, cit.
Koenig G. K., Il design è un pipistrello 1/2 topo e 1/2 uccello, Ponte alle Grazie, Firenze 1991.
Maldonado T., Disegno industriale: un riesame, Feltrinelli, Milano 1976.
Manzini E., Artefatti. Verso una nuova ecologia dell'ambiente artificiale, Domus Academy, Milano 1990.
Planque B., "La zone d'Aix-Marseille", in Ph. Aydalot, cit.
Sennet R., The corrosion of character, WW Norton & Company, New York 1998.
Veltz P., Zarifian P., Vers de nouveaux modèles d'organisation, "Sociologie du travail" n.1, 1993.
Veltz P., Mondialisation, villes et territoires, PUF, Paris 1996.
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Florence
27th / 04 / 2000
Meeting organized by:
Centro Studi
G.K.Koenig
and Artex
for Regione Toscana
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Edited and translated by:
Gloria Refini |
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In cooperation with:
Maria Angeles
Fernandez Alvarez
Elena Granchi
Sonia Morini
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