The evolution of the technological innovation process from a perspective based on scientific and technological networks to another based in social networks has been consequence of the challenge to transform information into knowledge, that is to say, information that can be incorporated to develop or improve new products and processes. As a result of it, it is necessary to manage the technological innovation process incorporating in the organization specific objectives oriented to increase the productivity of the knowledge, for which it is precise to narrow the relations of cooperation with the university that must be seen like the main agent in facilitating knowledge to the company, although not the only one. Public-private consorcia must be the base to accelerate the socioeconomic development and to foster the technological innovation process.

The innovation constitutes a permanent challenge for the companies that are based on the existence of applicable procedures to the whole organization and on the capacity of their employees to accept and to improve them with their participation. To evaluate the companies in their proximity with the world of the innovation it is precise to put in evidence their connection with the guidelines of the world of the scientific knowledge, and for it different elements are reviewed in this article.

Prahalad and Hamel (1994) maintain that if a company is not the first introducing an innovation it is as a result of not having the necessary capacities and competences, not to recognize the innovation potential, not to have the complementary assets to exploit them, or not to use the adecuate mechanism of value appropriation. In this appointment they summarize the main characteristics to evaluate the consistency of an innovation strategy. Following the line of argument of these authors, the objective of the article is to expose, relate and synthesize some expositions that can be useful as starting point for the design of an innovation strategy.

The changes that are occurring in the environment as a result of the development are producing a revolution that forces companies to design new models of business and to the public administrations to develop new legislative frameworks that stimulate the use of these technologies. In this context, the collaborative development in R&D between companies, technological centres and universities appears like an effective alternative to convert the scientific knowledge into economic value, for that it will be necessary to implement new mechanisms and instruments. The technological platforms could be an alternative that is necessary to evaluate.

This report focuses on the relationship between innovation and Spanish economy’s competitiveness and dynamics, following an economic analysis view. Although this paper studies some aspects of technological innovation, it is clear that an analysis isolated from economic factors could drive to wrong results. And, worst, to failed, or even counter-productive, policy recommendations.

The ICT sector and more particularly the ICT service sector is characterised by the intensive use of R&D as competitive strategy. Taking this into account, small and medium sized enterprises are facing a major inconvenience due to the fact they are involved in high technological evolution sectors, highly innovative and with continuous changing in their value chains and business models, globalized, dynamic and very concentrated in certain areas at a national level.

Through this research we try to determine a theoretical innovation model aimed to small and medium sized enterprises in the ICT services sector, exploring the means and ways of innovation for this target. The research deeply analyzes the relevant factors in the innovation process as well as the significance of those factors, sources of innovation and the correlation between innovation and business performance.