Search

This study develops a strategic framework and process using the Transition Design approach to enable small and medium-sized enterprises in North Savo, Finland, to transition towards sustainable operations. It utilizes an experimental methodology and integrates different disciplines within Transition Design approach such as future foresight, systems design, change theories, and critical business analysis into a model tailored for organizational strategic development. The framework aims to provide SMEs with tools to critically assess current operations and explore future opportunities, thereby enhancing their ability to strategically plan for a sustainable and resilient future. As an preliminary outcome a transition framework and model for transition process have been created. This research contributes to innovation management through complex transitions by fostering a holistic understanding of sustainability challenges and opportunities, and demonstrating how Transition Design can facilitate a strategic, sustainable transformation, especially in the SME sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the METRIC (MEasuremenT of Regional Innovation Capacity) framework, designed to assess and enhance regional innovation ecosystems comprehensively. METRIC addresses the complexities of measuring innovation by integrating a refined process model and a robust measurement method, underpinned by empirical research and best practices across various international models. This dual approach not only quantifies the innovation capacity of regions but also guides systematic improvements through actionable metrics. The framework has been demonstrated through pilot studies in Sweden, highlighting an initial adaptability to different regional conditions. By providing a structured methodology for continuous evaluation and development, METRIC aims to elevate regional competitiveness and quality of life through sustained innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, are struggling with the overwhelming requests to proceed with digitalisation and data sharing, contribute to sustainable development goals and remain resilient and competitive with their limited resources. The twin transition is driving both digital and green transitions in the manufacturing industry at the same time. Further, the European Union (EU) is pushing towards a data economy, data spaces, green transition, ecodesign and digital product passport (DPP). Agile and interoperable DPP concepts and implementations are eagerly sought by the manufacturing industry. Asset Administration Shell (AAS) is a standardised Industry 4.0 technology used to gather data on assets and will help companies deploy the DPP in their business and facilitate circular innovation and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the emergence of various systemic perspectives on innovation, studies been emphasizing the larger socio-technical systems surrounding innovations and the role of policy interventions in stimulating their functioning. Far less attention has, however, been given to how the development of such research and innovation ecosystems can actively and practically be stimulated by (other) individual ecosystem actors. Focusing on the role of capabilities of ecosystems could therefore provide an interesting perspective for understanding and stimulating an ecosystem's development. In this research-in-progress we follow a qualitative approach based on a single case study methodology, focusing on the R&I ecosystem that the Dutch NXTGEN high-tech programme is shaping. Our research aims to contribute to understanding how the development of ecosystems is influenced by and can be stimulated through dynamic ecosystem capabilities. Besides contributing to a better theoretical understanding, our research especially aims to provide actionable insights to ecosystem practitioners to help them steer the development of their ecosystems towards their societal goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely recognized as a powerful tool for various areas, such as innovation activities and management. In innovation, AI can make new connections between previously produced knowledge. However, innovation also emphasizes social aspects, such as trust, often related to human interaction. We approach innovation processes as social interactions traditionally involving only humans. We found that the integration of AI varies in different phases of innovation. Currently, its impact seems to be incremental; for example, new networks and social interactions are formed around understanding and implementing the use of generative AI. AI has the potential for radical changes in organizations, but does it operate as one of the actors in interconnected innovation networks? If yes, how does it affect social interaction? In this ongoing research, we address these questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to create a framework that encourages the adoption of digital and AI-enabled technologies to transform Human Resource Management (HRM) processes in organizations. A systematic literature review utilizing the PRISMA framework was conducted, analyzing 57 selected papers from 238 articles sourced from the Scopus database. The findings reveal that Artificial Intelligence in HRM is utilized across various domains including recruitment, talent management, learning and development, HR operations, reporting, analytics, and self-service assistance. The practical implication of this research is that HRM practitioners and leaders should consider integrating digital technologies throughout the HR value chain to improve organizational performance through digitalization. This research contributes uniquely by developing a framework that facilitates the adoption of transformative digital and AI technologies in HRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product portfolio advancement deals with investigating new innovative products based on the company's existing products. The advancement represents a challenge due to increased complexity, interconnectivity and speed in development. Current methods and processes are often no longer sufficient to meet the challenge. Therefore, a systematic approach for the future-robust advancement of product portfolios is developed in this work. In the first stage of this work objectives and requirements were derived and clustered based on two preliminary interview studies with 17 companies and a literature review. Elements of a process and descriptive model are combined into a systematic approach for the future-robust advancement of product portfolios. The systematic approach is applied and evaluated in a workshop in a live lab and an interview with a company expert. The evaluation shows a tendential suitability to support the advancement of product portfolios, while at the same time revealing further potential for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For several decades extant guidelines have been formulated to prescribe the best approaches to innovation portfolio management (IPM) in organizations that rely on research and innovation to compete in the market. More recent review studies on the field of IPM show that practice is evolving rapidly to accommodate for digitalization. Empirical data is collected from six Nordic organizations that are knowledge-intensive and all rely on digitalization in value creation. In an attempt to buffer uncertainty under varying circumstances, the organizations apply different approaches to structural elements such as interdependence and coordination. For example, in organizations facing reciprocal interdependence, and generally complex circumstances, action is coordinated through mutual adjustment. In light of the findings, we propose three configurations of product, platform and problem portfolios, relating these to the technology typology proposed by Thompson (1967). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's dynamic global landscape, addressing modern challenges necessitates redefining and linking value chains across diverse industries. Horizontal knowledge and technology transfer (hKTT) between traditionally unrelated sectors is increasingly vital. To foster hKTT across distant industries, companies should actively collaborate with diverse partners. Establishing cross-sector alliances is key to enabling successful hKTT, yet many projects fail to materialize. Therefore, we conducted a multiple-case study involving qualitative expert interviews from the new space sector. Our goal is to identify barriers hindering effective hKTT through cross-industry alliances. Our findings are informing strategies for alliance formation to drive innovation and tackle global challenges, with implications for academia and policy. Companies and researchers can use our insights to understand and overcome specific hurdles in hKTT engagement, improving alliance-building and innovation collaboration strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper summarizes the insights of a detailed literature review that links design thinking and digital transformation in the context of strategy development. It addresses the research question: What are the common grounds between design thinking and digital transformation that make them suitable allies in the context of firms engaged in a digital transformation journey? The summary of insights provides a broad answer to the initial research question and a basis for future studies. One of the key outcomes of our literature review was the identification of the key building blocks of a future design thinking approach to the articulation and implementation of an actionable digital transformation framework. The insights will be valuable to both scholars and practitioners who are interested in exploring the adoption of design thinking practices in a digital transformation context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) has been recognized as an important pathway toward mitigating climate change, but research on this topic has been heavily technology-oriented. Hence, this study aims to build understanding of CCU from a business perspective by a) exploring and conceptualizing the types of business model innovations (BMIs) employed by companies to harness CCU and b) analyzing what factors drive and determine economic value capture of these BMIs. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis from a multiple-case study with nine industrial companies supported by a document analysis. Our results display 12 distinct CCU BMIs across carbon dioxide processing, engineering, and system optimization business domains and 17 value capture determinants grouped under four drivers, namely, policy and regulation, technology, markets and demand, and business compatibility. This study integrates carbon circulation into the circular business model and innovation management literature and strengthens the business angle of CCU research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly in Generative Pre-trained Transformers, have the potential to reshape educational methodologies by offering students quick assistance and new learning tools. However, concerns persist regarding the impact of AI on student creativity and critical thinking. This study evaluates the influence of ChatGPT on creative ideation processes through a pilot test involving undergraduate students specializing in Industrial Design and Product Development. The test employs a controlled experiment that allows students to compare the creative ideation process with and without access to AI to analyze how AI-assisted ideation influences creativity and innovation. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of AI's role in education, providing insights to guide future initiatives to integrate these technologies into classroom settings. This study underscores the importance of balancing AI integration in education to ensure that it complements rather than replaces human creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge management (KM) is more important than ever for organisations of all sizes. The systematic identification, acquisition, development, distribution, utilisation and preservation of knowledge can lead to competitive advantage. In times of parallel transformations, it is crucial for companies to bundle and link different types of knowledge and make it available to employees in a targeted way. This conference paper proposes a fourfold approach in which the organisational culture and the mind-set of the employees play an equally important role in KM as the organisational framework of KM, and the tool-set and skill-set of a company. Based on the data collected in a 1.5 year project, this conference paper links six KM building blocks with cultural dimensions to show that the mind-set of the employees also plays a crucial role in ensuring that an organisation effectively identifies, develops, shares, uses and retains knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper examines the phenomenon of "Sciencefluencing", meaning the use of Social Media for science communication in Germany. It investigates the role of Social Media, with a focus on Instagram, in communicating science and research to a broader public, which is not well investigated yet. Previous studies focused mainly on Twitter or other forms of online media, e.g. blogs. This study aims at filling the gap. In order to achieve that, a study is conducted including qualitative interviews with scientists and, based on the results of those, a quantitative survey that aims at understanding the use of Social Media for science communication from scientists in Germany. The theoretical framework is made up of theories of influencer marketing, opinion leadership and parasocial relations. The focus on Instagram stems from its broad relevance in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our EU-funded project, conducted in Jönköping County, Sweden from 2021-2023, aimed to advance AI in the local business sector through collaboration between academia, industry, and business promotion systems. Using a stepwise approach, we transitioned 88 companies from basic AI knowledge to implementing AI functions. This included assessing AI maturity and developing tailored educational materials. Collaborating with Jönköping University, we engaged 19 SMEs, integrating real-world AI challenges with academic courses. Emphasizing sustainable and ethical AI practices, we educated companies on possible alternatives to AI usage. In this paper we report on the results of an evaluative study of the participating partners, revealing key parameters for advancing AI implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social services are complex ecosystems, requiring close collaboration of multiple stakeholders across public agencies, levels of governance and from among the wider 'community of care'. There is also some evidence from the service design practice suggesting that often service flaws are not flaws in the services but rather failures of cooperation between stakeholders interacting directly or indirectly to provide the care needed by the person. Design and management of cross-agency and cross-sector horizontal networks are therefore as important in leading social service innovation as designing individual journeys, experiences, or specific service blueprints. This paper presents an aspect of an ongoing practice-oriented research project aimed at the development and testing of applied framework and toolkit to facilitate the collaboration in service networks and communities of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data can be the source of innovation. Data can help to analyse the constitution of the people involved in the innovation process and to give them recommendations along the innovation process to increase their innovation performance, productivity in individual and group work and to optimise the quality of the results. The article proposes a long-term study in which the innovation potential of young adults in secondary schools, universities and companies is continuously recorded. The aim is to develop a chatbot that supports individuals in transforming their innovation potential into innovation performance, so that innovations develop that transform society. The aim is to improve the quality of innovation outcomes and the productivity of individuals involved in solving complex problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has not been recognized as a named inventor on a patent application in any country other than South Africa. Most jurisdictions have cited the legal definition of the term "inventor" for their refusal to grant AI this status, arguing that an inventor must be a "natural person," that is, a human being. However, in the meantime, AI's inventive capabilities continue to increase, and questions have been raised regarding the rights of patent applicants to claim inventorship for inventions created by M. It is possible that soon, the inventive contributions made by AI to a patentable invention may be so great as to overcome objections to the naming of AI as an inventor. Such a result will generate the need for changes in public policies and revisions to the current legal framework regarding inventorship and ownership of intellectual property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, better product performance, smaller size and lower cost has been main drivers for technology research and product development in the semiconductor industry. However, global warming and the public opinion has in the past couple of years put an increasing focus on sustainability also in this field. There is a clear need to accelerate sustainability-oriented innovations in semiconductor technology research and development (R&D) projects - both in such with sustainability as the key focus area, as well as in those with other focuses. To meet the industries' sustainability requirements, methods for how to put sustainability on all researchers' tables must be worked out. This needs to happen in companies, but also in research organizations collaborating with the industry. All will have to rapidly adopt new ways of working and thinking to advance sustainability. In this research-in-progress study we are investigating how this transition is introduced into a research organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating organisational performance in relation to the Circular Economy (CE) has become increasingly important, yet the literature highlights certain limitations of micro-level CE indicators, such as the lack of a widely accepted method for measuring CE in both academia and industry. Among various Performance Management Systems (PMSs), the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) stands out as one of the most widely used by organisations, offering a more comprehensive perspective beyond purely financial metrics. Therefore, this paper aims to explore how CE measurement can be combined with organisational strategy assessment using the BSC. To achieve this, a theoretical framework that defines Circular Balanced Scorecard (CBSC) archetypes and integrates them with CE indicators is proposed. This framework serves as a tool for seamlessly integrating CE measurement into the PMS of organisations with different levels of CE maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public organisations are increasingly digitizing and investing in automated communication and services such as chatbots to provide citizens with personalised information. Their communication style is crucial for citizen experience, as citizens are diverse and vary in their digital skills and perceptions of these applications' level of personalization. The implementation of these applications can influence trust in the organisation. This study investigates if digital literacy influences a chatbot's Tone of Voice (TOV) by conducting an experimental survey. Findings show that Dutch participants perceive differences between informal and formal TOV, with certain aspects of both styles being preferred, depending on their digital literacy. Despite their acceptance and familiarity with chatbots, participants value and require one-on-one interactions, neglecting this could erode trust in organisations. If chatbots are to be integrated into services, they must be personalised to accommodate the differing preferences of various digital literacy groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities hold a strategic role in the emergence of sustainable, decentralized, and fossil-free energy systems, including positive energy districts (PEDs). Within this urban transformation, a ecosystems and value-based views are being adopted since no actor alone can promote a systemic change. This presents a challenge, as it necessitates profound shifts in the socio-technical systems, and detachment from hierarchical and sector-specific siloes to foster the emergence of social innovations. The main contribution of this study is the introduction of three distinct roles (strategic, operative, tactical) cities can adopt to enable synergistic and dynamic forms of value co-creation between the public and private actors. A multi-level perspective using illustrative case examples at three (micro, meso, macro) levels of aggregation is adopted, to better understand to processes and practices behind social innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transfer of research results is an important concern of publicly funded research organisations. This transfer happens through people. Different approaches have been introduced to increase the transfer of knowledge. Our hypothesis is that innovation managers have implemented many incentives to support innovation culture, yet they often don't match the real working environment in research. We address this issue through tiny compliments (small remarks on a certain aspect for transfer activities) as a form of nudging to supplement existing incentive schemes. Five innovation managers gave different forms of tiny compliments with and without relation to transfer activities to their employees over the course of six months. We find that compliments can have a positive effect on the working atmosphere and therefore innovation management. Addressing transfer activities through tiny compliments was difficult but possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Including environmental aspects in the digital Supply Chain (SC) transformation of large, medium, and small size enterprises is a complex procedure involving interactions between internal and external organizations, requiring future proof and cost-efficient decision making based on the available knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to review the occurrence and importance of the environmental aspects in available research literature, critically review their significance in assessing the enterprise maturity, and find gaps preventing implementation of the environmental aspects. As reference the occurrence of environmental themes as part of the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and as one of the three pillars of sustainability are used. It can be proven environmental themes cover ~20% of the TOE area publications. The result also shows declining interest in publications for Supply Chain 4.0 maturity but increasing interest in sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of qualitative water is increasingly regarded as a timely issue of major importance, especially considering emerging environmental challenges affecting complex water systems in a local context. Thus, proactive sustainable solutions for water quality monitoring such as Internet of Things (IoT) technology are gaining prominence for innovation through data-driven decision making. In the region of Flanders, responsibilities of water policy and management are scattered across authorities and organizations with often conflicting priorities, not considering the natural borders of the waterways. For the first time, the key stakeholders combined efforts during the four-year research project "Internet of Water Flanders". The aim of the innovation project was to facilitate a more dynamic and efficient water management and pave the way towards a more robust water system. Living Labs (LL) have been used as an approach to facilitate durable solutions for a range of water management challenges such as drought, water pollution and flooding. This paper presents an in-depth case study of the project examining the value of the LL approach, where we have put forward a post-hoc impact assessment of the intended results of the project compared to the actual outcomes. Main findings are that a LL approach is suitable for an innovation project in a complex environment, with some barriers to be overcome in terms of feasibility and viability. The most added value was found on a policy level in operational recommendations for a supported governance structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation intermediaries are the ones in charge of promoting social and economic innovation, where some components or structures are missing, or have a weak performance. However, scientific evidence about intermediaries' role, strategies and capabilities is limited in the literature, especially for the local context in developing economies. In addressing this gap, this study explores two research questions: First, how intermediaries enable an innovativeorganizational-culture in peripheral regions? Second, how they make it sustainable? This contribution, through a case study, presents a complementary approach to the dynamic capabilities theory DCT and the interactive innovation model suggesting two key organizational capabilities to innovate OCI: empathy and proactivity within local innovation systems, which are key elements to develop innovative strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruptive innovations, as opposed to sustaining innovations, bring change to customers, markets, industries. This change is often quite sudden and drastic. Thus, the early identification of disruptive technologies can be crucial for managers and policy makers alike. In this work we propose a method to support the early identification of disruptive innovations. To do so we conceptualize a 5-phase pathway framework for disruptive innovation, then propose how to operationalize its phases using patent data. We combined the underlying theory by Christensen with different patent indicators from literature to develop an early warning system for disruptive innovations based on the underlying disruptive technologies. Additionally, we introduce the concept of patent zero and provide a first analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the underexamined concept of servitisation in the service sector, a strategy traditionally rooted in manufacturing. Despite initial recognition of its applicability to the service sector, subsequent research has focused predominantly on manufacturing and product-centric businesses. Addressing this gap, this research employs an action research methodology within a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership involving Oxford Brookes Business School, a UK-based built environment consultancy firm, and UK Research and Innovation. The project aims to assist the participating firm in transitioning from a traditional consultancy business model to a servitised business model to gain a competitive advantage by generating recurring revenue through long-term service contracts. Researchers will co-create knowledge and understanding, working closely with the team at the firm, and will document and publish the transition journey of the firm as an exploratory case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite vast and growing investments in Artificial Intelligence, only a tiny fraction of companies report achieving tangible results. To fill this gap and establish a baseline for companies, we conducted Systematic Literature Research on the status of AI deployment in companies. We analyzed and synthesized 99 peer-reviewed articles for objectives, approaches, results, and learnings. This research confirms that AI is still at the pre-deployment stage in companies. Developing the capability to deploy AI is more challenging and takes more time, concerted effort, innovation, and learning than generally thought. Through the results and the conceptual framework, this research increases understanding of AI deployment and emphasizes the importance of the predeployment stages from theoretical and practical viewpoints. The Sensing stage of the dynamic capabilities theory aligns well with the developed pre-deployment stages. More real-life case research is needed, and existing theories verified to deploy AI knowledgeably for business and stakeholder benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, 2.2 billion people experience vision loss, including 43 million who are blind. Alarmingly, 90% of vision loss is preventable or treatable, yet it remains disproportionately high in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Vision loss imposes substantial socioeconomic burdens and undermines the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Recognizing the urgent need for innovative strategies to address this issue, a project was initiated in Zambia's Kapiri Mposhi district, focusing on eliminating avoidable blindness through Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and Community Eye Health (CEH) initiatives. We present insights from this comprehensive KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices) research related to eye health-seeking behaviors among 3,000 community members. Leveraging frugal innovations, engaging community influencers, and promoting sustainable WASH practices emerge as critical strategies to improve eye health outcomes in Kapiri Mposhi and beyond. This research contributes to innovative management in eye health, informing evidence-based interventions and policy decisions to address vision loss and promote community well-being in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore how organisational ambidexterity development is linked to a systematic approach to managing innovation. Specifically, it focuses on the adoption of Innovation Management Systems, such as the recently developed ISO 56002. Therefore, this paper presents preliminary results of a planned exploratory research focusing on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), which will be carried out as a longitudinal international project. The research will be conducted in several European and Canadian Small SMEs with a series of semi-structured interviews. The preliminary results of our pilot cases based on 6 organizations reveal that SMEs are open to the systematic approach to innovation capability development and display systematic tendency for some capabilities, such as collaboration and leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successfully adopting AI and realizing its full innovation potential requires different competences within a company. We identified five clusters, namely AI decision-making, AI utilization, AI basic, AI development, and leadership & moderation competences, as the basis for our AI competence framework, combining 35 individual competences. Based on a quantitative survey of 215 companies, we determined the importance of these competences for the successful adoption of AI innovations and their current availability within companies. According to our findings, AI basic competences play a particularly critical role compared to the other competence clusters, which are considered important but comparatively rarely available. Furthermore, our analyses show that, in contrast to companies with lower AI innovation capabilities, pioneering companies have higher levels of basic, development, and utilization competences. Our findings thus enrich the theoretical discourse on competences for organizational adoption of AI innovations and guide practitioners in taking action to develop the necessary competences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foresight and anticipation of technology convergence has been of interest to innovation management scholars and practitioners for almost three decades. Since then, the prevailing data source for analysing convergence movements and for delimiting them from fusion dynamics are patents. However, increasing criticism arose about the limited forecasting power of established analysis methods, insinuating they rather monitor technology convergence than anticipating it. Our ongoing research argues that the discipline is in need of a new data source for analysing technology convergence and thus proposes online job postings as more forward-looking and future-oriented data. This research-inprogress paper provides a brief literature review on the theoretical background of technology convergence and outlines the preliminary design of our ongoing research on anticipating fusion and/or convergence movements in the AI technology field. Next to describing our keyword-based job postings analysis we also introduce a novel interpretation approach for differentiating between technology fusion and convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative innovation requires effective knowledge integration across boundaries. This research-in-progress explores how boundary objects facilitate knowledge integration during incremental process innovation workshops. Through ethnographic study of seven cross-functional workshops in a UK-based food manufacturing factory, we observed barriers to knowledge integration such as group membership and articulation challenges. Facilitators employed boundary objects such as analogies, demonstrations, and visual artefacts to foster a conducive knowledge integration environment, initiate knowledge exchanges, and support knowledge transfer, translation, and transformation. Understanding the interplay between barriers and boundary objects enhances our understanding of collaborative innovation processes and provides insights for future research and managerial practice in cross-functional settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the dynamics of smart cities, emphasizing collaborative ecosystems and open data governance in driving urban innovation. Through a mixed-methods approach, we explore the impact of innovative interventions on infrastructure, citizen engagement, innovation and sustainability, revealing a symbiotic relationship between collaborative ecosystems and successful smart city solutions. Additionally, we examine the significance of open data in fostering transparency and citizen participation, posing critical questions for further exploration. By conducting an in-depth exploration of Amsterdam, Heidelberg, and Palo Alto, we uncover insights into technological interventions and provide actionable insights for inclusive and sustainable smart city development. Our study contributes to local and regional development discourse by highlighting interactions between technology, collaboration, and societal well-being. The intersection of smart cities and doughnut economics presents a transformative vision for the urban future that aligns innovation with sustainability and prosperity, and also utilizes crossregional perspectives and factors. Through this integration, cities could take on a global pioneering role in overcoming ecological and social challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agile ways of thinking and acting have spread beyond the software industry to the development of mechatronic products. Goals such as better customer integration, greater responsiveness and shorter development times are often pursued. However, companies are often faced with the challenge of not being able to measure the success of the introduction of agile methods. The perceived effects often deviate from the expected effects and are also perceived very differently between the development team and management. For this reason, success factors were developed as part of this research to measure the success of agile methods rather than the degree of "agilization". To support a possible measurement of success, these success factors were combined with quantitative metrics. In addition, a case study is used to investigate which of these metrics can be identified by conducting retrospectives within the team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how Design Thinking affects team trust and performance. Empirical data is gathered through a survey involving 129 international students engaged in Design Thinking projects, the analysis of team grades and peer assessments from 13 Design Thinking teams compared to a control group of 51 teams using other methods, and 12 expert interviews. Results indicate that Design Thinking positively influences trust antecedents such as openness, concern, reliability and (interpersonal) competence. Trust is primarily cultivated during the prototyping and ideation phases, attributed to specific Design Thinking elements and mindsets applied during these phases. Design Thinking teams exhibited superior project outcomes and peer assessment results, suggesting more effective and harmonious teamwork. Thus, Design Thinking fosters trust through its unique elements, mindsets, and process structure, enabling risk-taking and a sense of safety, ultimately enhancing team performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between entrepreneurial education and action, emphasizing the complexity of transitioning from education to entrepreneurial journey. Highlighting the significance of universities in fostering entrepreneurship, it underscores the necessity of educational programs extending beyond traditional business education. Drawing from various theoretical frameworks, including Shapero and Sokol's Entrepreneurial Event Model and Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, the paper proposes an Intention Model to elucidate the transition from opportunity identification to intention formation and subsequent entrepreneurial action. Through a combination of literature review and empirical research, the study explores the impact of entrepreneurship education on graduates' entrepreneurial actions, shedding light on factors such as personal desirability, social norms, and perceived efficacy. Findings suggest that entrepreneurship education significantly influences students' social norms and behavioural tendencies, thus affecting their entrepreneurial actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can workplace innovation be measured in a self-producing innovation system with autonomous and limited employee behavior? Seeking answer to this question this study begins with an inquiry on workplace innovation as high involvement in innovation of all employees (HII). HII's framework, is further refined through the intersection of autopoiesis, emphasizes self-creation among employees while acknowledge the necessity of controlling employee behavior. The intersection lays the foundation for the developed conceptual model. Utilizing a mixed method with multiple case study of 32 regional firms, the paper demonstrates the concepts in practice. The primary contribution is measurement of a firm's workplace innovation capacity, grounded in its capabilities and daily routines for employee behavior. The findings suggest a construct that aids to identifying management style intentions, balancing top-down and bottom-up approaches to explain employees' involvement in innovation as autonomous or limited, with the added dimension of self-creating or autopoietic employee behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular Economy aims to extend products lifecycle and value resources by closing-the-loop. Circular Economy can be implemented at different levels and Industrial Symbiosis is one of the main implementations of Circular Economy at meso-level. Digital technologies have been identified as one of the main enablers of Circular Economy also at meso-level and thus of Industrial Symbiosis. We identify digital platform as one of the main digital technologies enabling Industrial Symbiosis. We investigate the usage of digital platform, also enhanced by artificial intelligence or blockchain, in Industrial Symbiosis. A novel research framework was conceptualized to unfold the benefits, drivers and barriers related to their usage. The framework was integrated with an exploratory empirical analysis based on six case studies across Europe. Matchmaking is fostered by digital platforms which could also be enhanced with scenario analysis thanks to artificial intelligence or with secure flow tracking, that promotes trust building, thanks to blockchain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to explore future innovation in fostering value creation within innovation ecosystems, particularly focusing on the potential to make sense to enforce future innovations. The study was conducted through empirical research in two distinct cases, spanning from September 2017 to June 2018, and then from September 2019 to January 2022. The findings highlight the ability of ecosystem participants to discern and leverage opportunities for sustainable value creation that extend beyond the narrow interests of individual enterprises. This shift from a self-centric to an ecosystem-centric perspective is pivotal for integrating diverse perspectives and expertise. Such integration facilitates a future-oriented collaborative approach to sensemaking, vital for catalyzing future innovations that benefit both businesses and society at large. This collaborative diversity transcends traditional retrospective sensemaking, paving the way for the development of a proactive model for future innovation leadership to create value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between increased trust in artificial intelligence (AI) and the adoption of AI, specifically the emergence of human-AI collaborations. Despite AI's growing importance in various industries, for many people, there remains a reluctance to embrace AI. This reluctance stems from a range of individual and contextual factors. The aim of this paper is to explore how trust in AI develops; what are the barriers to trusting AI; and how leveraging both our trust in ourselves as humans, and trust in AI, can help unlock greater human potential. This paper compares the attitudes and experiences of people in the health and creative industries and suggests how understanding sensemaking with AI can help overcome AI trust hurdles, enable human-machine collaboration, encourage greater reliance on AI in decision-making, and catalyse human potential. To do this we draw on a quantitative survey with 262 professionals in total (169 artists and 93 doctors from over 39 countries), and over 20 qualitative interviews. We use persona methodology to explore in more detail the narratives of two artists and two doctors. This research contributes a comparative understanding of how people in different fields adopt and use AI technologies, and how trust influences these interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating and maintaining competitive advantage in today's hypercompetitive and globalized market environment becomes increasingly challenging. Innovative approaches are essential to differentiate from competitors and to preserve company performance. Context-oriented innovation approaches provide companies with a choice of suitable process models and methodology to conduct innovation projects while taking the context into account. The current paper aims to operationalize the contextoriented innovation approach in form of a decision-making framework called 'Smart-Innovation-Cube'. The framework allows to select and adapt processes and methods according to the three influential context factors 'External Change', 'Internal Change' and 'Path Dependency'. By applying the framework companies can chose appropriate processes and methods to increase the innovation efficiency. Moreover, the innovation process becomes customizable to fit individual innovation projects and thus becomes more agile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the ever-increasing problems related to the food waste have both environmental and socio-economic problems, the decreasing the food waste has widely acknowledged as a grand societal challenge globally. As the major producer of the food waste, private households play a central role in this. The national innovation systems and policy makers are developing systemic tools to answer to this challenge by driving innovation across multiple sectors and actors and enable bottom-up learning and experimentation with the households. Reducing food waste programs in different parts of the world can be seen as missions where governments and policy makers aim at improving the consumers' behaviour related to food waste. The purpose of this paper is to we compare the missions that aim at reducing food waste in Europe and USA and understand how different groups of citizens have been taken into account in these missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-organizations are often an overlooked part of the SME landscape, having severely different resource constraints than their non-micro counterparts. This study provides a qualitative look at micro-organizations' value creation process through the use of digitalization in customer service based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the Resource-Based-View. The results indicate that the level of the entrepreneur's technological expertise affects the perceived challenges in technology usage, while the limited resources also manifest dichotomously. Organizational resources seem to provide benefits but also challenges independent of the entrepreneur's technical prowess. The findings of this research can be utilized to identify the "sweet spot" of digitalization in the customer experience where both the entrepreneur and the customer use digitalization to engage in the value-creation process without it feeling disconnected or impersonal from the customer's side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the challenge industrial companies face in transforming pilot AI projects into successful, scalable new businesses models. An evaluation of international industrial firms has revealed common difficulties in maintaining the objectives of AI business models and achieving alignment between AI initiatives and overarching strategic goals. These misalignments result in significant challenges, including scalability issues, unclear return on investment (ROI), and a general misalignment with business objectives. To address these challenges, a comprehensive methodical framework is introduced that guides companies through the complexity of scalable AI implementation in industrial domain. This framework not only provides use-case-specific guidelines, but also defines AI-specific strategies and addresses critical cultural and organizational considerations necessary for successful AI integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the potential of transitioning towards sustainable sociotechnical systems by renovating existing houses, through services contracts for homeowners. It proposes a shift from ownership to a "right of use" model for house heating applied to heat pumps. heat pumps in economics of functionality are a total novelty for the demand side such that suppliers face uncertain user demand for a service with composite content. This approach aims to extend equipment lifespan, reduce energy consumption, and align with sustainable development goals. The study surveyed 4000 French homeowners to gauge their receptivity to service contract applied to heat pumps. Four groups were identified: those interested in circular aspects, those seeking full services contracts, those focused on professional advice, and those uninterested in any propositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the evolvement of Finnish wooden multistorey construction (WMC) niche by taking an evolutionary perspective of Strategic Niche Management. The study investigates the development of WMC business network and its key properties from socio-technical transition point of view to assess niche's development as a part of sustainability transitions in the construction sector. The study adds a regional perspective to the analysis by identifying local governments as important actors in developing land-use planning. By studying number of finished apartments during 1996-2023, the study identifies two distinct periods of WMC activity. Results show an increase in the size, depth, and connectedness of the WMC network generally, however the development seem uneven between actor groups indicating about lack of diversity in the network. Additionally, geographical dispersion of the business network has increased whereas the number of active municipalities has remained steady, and the construction distribution has slightly levelled between municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current wave of AI innovation, the European Commission has defined Testing and Experimentation Facilities to be established to facilitate AI innovation in the context of new legislation such as the AI act. Within this paper, we investigate the CitCom.ai TEF in an attempt to link these TEFs to longer existing concepts such as testbeds, Living Labs and Regulatory Sandboxes. Our analysis reveals 7 service categories that can be linked to these three innovation concepts. In the 26 analysed experiments, there was a clear dominance of services linked to the concept of AI testbeds. In second place came three service categories that can be attributed to Living Labs. Remarkably, the service category linked to AI regulatory sandboxes appeared to be the least popular. This reflects the 'in development' status of this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]