TY - JOUR T1 - Enhancing Early Innovation in an Urban Living Lab: Lessons from Espoo, Finland JF - Technology Innovation Management Review Y1 - 2016 A1 - Soile Juujärvi A1 - Virpi Lund KW - Change Laboratory; innovation management KW - innovation process; preject; urban living labs AB - Urban areas are often characterized by complex problems, such as social and economic deprivation, segregation, or bureaucratic administration. Urban living laboratories provide a promising approach to redefining and tackling such problems in novel ways by enabling bottom-up innovation with various actors. The present study examined an urban living lab initiative in a suburban area of Espoo, Finland, where guided workshops based on the Change Laboratory method were arranged. The findings show that, before development projects are launched, it is important to dedicate sufficient time to the early innovation process, which includes building relationships, sharing knowledge, exploring ignorance, and innovating new concepts. The study emphasizes the importance of distinguishing early innovation processes from later ones, which means separating the "preject" from the "project". We conclude that successful management of an urban living lab combines bottom-up and top-down approaches. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa VL - 6 UR - http://timreview.ca/article/957 IS - 1 U1 - Laurea University of Applied Sciences Soile Juujärvi is a Principal Lecturer at the Laurea University of Applied Sciences and an Adjunct Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Helsinki in Finland. She holds a Doctor of Social Science degree from the University of Helsinki. Her research interests include moral and ethics education, and innovation processes in living labs. She worked as a principal researcher in the project Caring and Sharing Networks (2013–2015), which aims to enhance citizen participation and stakeholder collaboration in the city of Espoo, southern Finland. U2 - Laurea University of Applied Sciences Virpi Lund is a Senior Lecturer in Social Services at the Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland. Her research interest is residents’ agency and learning through participation in urban development. She worked as a researcher in the project Caring and Sharing Networks funded by Developmental Programme for Residential Areas and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment. She holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Helsinki in Finland. ER -