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This paper presents a new perspective on the problem of bias in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven decision-making by examining the fundamental difference between AI and human rationality in making sense of data. Current research has focused primarily on software engineers’ bounded rationality and bias in the data fed to algorithms but has neglected the crucial role of algorithmic rationality in producing bias. Using a Weberian distinction between formal and substantive rationality, we inquire why AI-based algorithms lack the ability to display common sense in data interpretation, leading to flawed decisions. We first conduct a rigorous text analysis to uncover and exemplify contextual nuances within the sampled data. We then combine unsupervised and supervised learning, revealing that algorithmic decision-making characterizes and judges data categories mechanically as it operates through the formal rationality of mathematical optimization procedures. Next, using an AI tool, we demonstrate how formal rationality embedded in AI-based algorithms limits its capacity to perform adequately in complex contexts, thus leading to bias and poor decisions. Finally, we delineate the boundary conditions and limitations of leveraging formal rationality to automatize algorithmic decision-making. Our study provides a deeper understanding of the rationality-based causes of AI’s role in bias and poor decisions, even when data is generated in a largely bias-free context.

International audience; This paper seeks to expand our understanding of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems by investigating the interrelation between contextual factors and sustainable entrepreneurial activities of sharing ventures. While the sharing economy is considered as a potential pathway to a more sustainable society,; ambiguous activities of some sharing ventures call the credibility of sharing as a sustainable concept into question. In order to shed light on the underlying cause of the ambiguity, we conducted 37 in-depth interviews with founders and senior managers of sharing ventures. Our comparative analysis identifies two distinct sets of contextual factors, which influence their sustainable activities. The first set of contextual factors enhances sustainable activities by enforcing the adaptation of behavioral rules and by enabling the development of organizational capabilities. The second set of contextual factors restricts sustainable activities by impeding market penetration and by suppressing growth. We contribute to theorizing about sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems by delineating the conjoint effect of contextual factors on sustainable activities. Furthermore, our results add insights into the controversial academic debate about the sustainability dimension in the sharing economy.

Entrepreneurs designing novel business model configurations face cognitive biases that derive from limited mental capacity to deal with complex and uncertain decision contexts. Building on the notion of the business model as an idiosyncratic mental representation that organizes managerial understanding of value creating and value capture, we investigate how entrepreneurs cope with cognitive biases inherent in business model design. We conducted a total of 35 in‐depth interviews with entrepreneurs situated in 15 corporate entrepreneurship initiatives in Germany. Our study results suggest that entrepreneurs counter cognitive biases by combining intuitive and deliberate reasoning approaches. Specifically, we identify five cognitive mechanisms and two higher level cognitive processes undergirding entrepreneurial reasoning in the design of new business models. Our findings provide empirically grounded insights into the cognitive perspective in business model research and help to theorize managerial reasoning during the process of business model design.

International audience; Despite the importance of managerial reasoning in designing business models to handle exogenous change, little is known about its cognitive foundations. We address this gap with a comparative analysis of how managers rethink business model configurations to provide value in the emerging collaborative consumption economy. As customer behaviors shift from owning to sharing possessions, they challenge firms’ established business model logics. Using data from in‐depth interviews with managers from 22 sharing ventures, we find six cognitive processes to influence reasoning in new business model design. Furthermore, we find that these processes fall into distinctive dimensions of dominant and emerging logics. Ultimately, they combine into a design logic that explains how managerial reasoning results in conceptually different value creation and value capture configurations. Overall, our findings provide insights for theorizing business model design, and they enhance understanding of the foundations of managerial cognition in innovation contexts.

Managing goals is a key network management function and is critical in the implementation of industrial R&D projects. In this paper, we explore the implementation of an industrial R&D project, focusing in particular upon the role of means-ends decoupling work to understand how the goals are managed. We combine several data sources in our case research to explore project implementation through an understanding of means-ends decoupling work. We collected in-depth interviews, archival records and field observations within the R&D research setting of an industrial R&D project in the period of 2015 to 2017. Our findings identify three types of means-ends decoupling work in R&D project implementation: ‘work on’ causal complexity, ‘work at’ behavioural invisibility, and ‘work with’ practice multiplicity. In addition, we uncover six dynamic micro-mechanisms that collectively influence the making and nature of means-ends decoupling work and therefore serve to allow for the fluid switching of work as the institutional conditions permit. Overall, our findings have significant implications for understanding means-ends decoupling as a highly skilled network competence for managing R&D project implementation goals.

While extant research on entrepreneurial ecosystems has focused on macro-level factors influencing the ecosystem's development, the role and impact of entrepreneurial practices have been neglected. The objective of this study is to address this research gap and to shed light on the micro-level practices of entrepreneurs who support sustainability transitions in entrepreneurial ecosystems. Our inductive study looks at these micro-level practices from the perspective of sustainable ventures situated in the sharing economy. We conducted 31 in-depth interviews with the founders and senior managers of sustainable ventures to investigate how they advocate the sustainability cause in their ecosystem. Our findings show that sustainable entrepreneurs rely on three distinct sets of micro-level practices: building a supportive environment, disrupting normative standards, and reframing the sustainability paradigm. Also, sustainable entrepreneurs engage in political work to strengthen their position and credibility in the sharing economy, which is being increasingly dominated by profit-oriented players and business practices. By substantiating the central role and micro-level practices that sustainable entrepreneurs enact to advocate sustainability, our study contributes to theorizing the sharing economy. Furthermore, our resultant framework provides a detailed overview of the distinct micro-level practices that help ventures to support the sustainability transition in entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Purpose Firms increasingly integrate a wide range of actors in the early ideation and concept creation phases of innovation processes leading to the collection of a large number of ideas. This creates the challenge of filtering the most promising ideas from a large number of submissions. The use of external stakeholders into the evaluation and selection of submissions (i.e. open evaluation (OE)) might be a viable alternative. The purpose of this paper is to provide a state-of-the-art analysis on how such OE systems are designed and structured. Design/methodology/approach Since OE is a new phenomenon, an exploratory qualitative research approach is adopted. In all, 122 instances of OE in 90 innovation contest cases are examined for their design elements. Findings This research reveals that OE systems are configured in many different ways. In total, 32 design elements and their respective parameters are identified and described along the six socio-technical system components of an OE system. This study allows for a comprehensive understanding of what OE is and what factors need to be taken into consideration when designing an OE system. Practical implications Scholars and professionals may draw insights on what design choices to make when implementing OE. Originality/value The comprehensive analysis performed in this study contributes to research on open and user innovation by examining the concept of OE. In particular, it extends knowledge on design elements of OE systems.

Research on the phenomenon of business model (&) innovation is taking place in related perspectives. Next to innovation and entrepreneurship literature, theories of firm strategy closely relate to the ongoing conceptualization of the business model concept. We first review in this article the linkage between the business model, innovating the business model and firm strategy in extant literature. We focus specifically on the explanatory power of the business model concept to develop insights for strategic firm behaviour, and we explore the role of business model innovation as analytic perspective for identifying sources of firm performance. Building on this conceptual overview, we subsequently present how the articles in this special issue contribute in the light of strategy theory to the understanding of the phenomenon of business model innovation. Finally, we develop some themes for future research on the topic.

How to build a coherent narrative of organizational identity in a socially contested field? Through an inductive study of the sharing economy, we analyzed how managers deal with conflicting collect...

As a research subject, business model innovation spans the strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship fields. Yet, despite the importance of the concept, prior work has paid little attention to how decision-makers cope with uncertainty and gain understanding about interdependencies in new business model configurations. To address this gap, we combine top-down theorising and evidence-based exploration and seek to unpack some of the coping mechanisms that operate in the evolutionary view of business model innovation. Using in-depth interviewing to collect data, our study reveals five strategies – customer centricity, value co-creation, capability evolution, ecosystem growth, and adaptive pricing – that decision-makers apply to cope with uncertainty in business model innovation. We find that coping mechanisms support decision making during the development of new business models. Furthermore, we find that the five coping strategies delineate decision making for value proposition, value creation, and value capture configurations in more detail than existing literature has described. Our findings have important implications for decision making in business model innovation.

Microfoundations of dynamic capabilities have become a central concept for strategy and innovation research. Yet, despite recent developments in information technologies which facilitate data flow and information management in firms, little is known about how organizational learning and knowledge management nurture microfoundations of innovative capabilities. Our case research addresses this gap by examining how the use of collaborative technologies in a globally leading industrial corporation leverages intra-firm processes of learning and knowledge sharing, fostering innovative capabilities. We combine top-down theorizing and evidence-based exploration to systematically trace microfoundations that undergird a firm's innovative capabilities. Drawing on multiple data sources, we categorize these microfoundations as organizational and managerial structures, systems, processes, and procedures. Our findings show that innovative capabilities result from specific interactions and interdependencies between microfoundations residing in the four categories. The complex and dynamic interplay of corporate knowledge sharing and organizational learning processes nurtures microfoundational sources of innovative capabilities and enables the firm to sustain a competitive advantage in rapidly changing environments. Our findings have important implications for the role of organizational learning and knowledge management in the dynamic capabilities framework.

The proliferation of innovation contests has fostered community-based idea evaluation as an alternative to expert juries to filter and select new product concepts at the fuzzy front end of corporate R&D innovation. We refer to this phenomenon as open evaluation, as all registered participants can engage in jury activities like voting, rating, and commenting. While previous research on innovation contests and user engagement includes participant-based evaluation, the investigative focus so far has not been on this phenomenon. Access to jury activities in open evaluation practice contradicts innovation theory, which recommends careful selection procedures to establish expert juries for assessing new product concepts. Additionally, little is known about contingency factors that influence the performance and acceptance of open evaluation's results. To address these two questions on the objectives and contingency factors for open evaluation of new product concepts, this study applies exploratory multiple-case research of open evaluation in nine innovation contests. Data collection encompassed expert interviews and complementary sources of evidence. Results indicate that firms pursue six distinct objectives to support participant-based generation and selection of new concepts. In addition, eight contingency factors influence the performance of open evaluation and the acceptance of its results. Finally, results showed open evaluation output to efficiently complement jury decisions in filtering and selecting ideas for new product development.

Gamification has recently been receiving increased attention in corporate innovation and business research alike. In this article, we first outline the main streams of research on gamification in the creativity and innovation literature. We then introduce the selection of contributions to this special section by theoretically embedding them in their application contexts. Thus referring to research fields as different as business model innovation, design thinking and crowdsourcing, we indicate theoretical challenges for future research on gamification, among the most important of which we count theoretical approaches to the question of whether and how organizations actually can play with persons.

Background: Cloud computing has recently received interest in information systems research and practice as a new way to organise information with the help of an increasingly ubiquitous computer infrastructure. However, the use of cloud computing in higher education institutions and business schools, as well as its potential to create novel learning environments remains an underresearched topic.Purpose: To address the research gap, this paper investigates how the capabilities of cloud computing have fostered collaborative learning processes of students in the design of management classrooms. The research project has taken place in a three-year period and has covered five post-graduate knowledge management classes, which have been situated in the context of business education.Research design and sources of evidence: I have used an illustrative case study of five knowledge management classes as research design to explore and describe interconnections between methods of social constructionism and cloud comput...

Research on business model development has focused on the relationships between elements of value conceptualization and organization having a linear sequence in which business models are first designed and then implemented. Another stream of research points to business model development with these elements interacting in a cyclical manner. There is a need to improve our understanding of the connective mechanisms and dynamics involved in business model development, particularly from the challenging perspective of commercializing innovations. The aim of this paper was to explore business model development during the commercialization of innovations through a case-based qualitative study. This study found from four case studies that specific elements of business model development, representative of the conceptualization of value and organizing for value creation, integrate in a dynamic and cyclical process in the commercialization of technology innovations. The study provides empirical evidence that adds new insights to literature on sequential and more interactive processes of business model development. It also contributes to literature on business model development and particularly how it relates to the commercialization of innovations.

Business model innovation is receiving increased attention in corporate practice and research alike. We propose in this article a role-based approach to categorize the literature and argue that the respective roles of explaining the business, running the business, and developing the business can serve as three interrelated perspectives to present an overview of the current business model innovation field and to accommodate the selected contributions of this special issue. We refer to contributions from entrepreneurship, innovation and technology management, and corporate strategy to explicate the three elaborated perspectives and to summarize the main contents of the special issue articles. We conclude by reflecting on main theoretical challenges for studies on business model innovation which stem from the uncertain boundaries of the phenomenon, and we propose some theoretical stances and analytic levels to develop future avenues for research.

Background: Academic staff have a key role to play in the innovation efforts of universities aiming to exploit the potential of web-based learning technologies. Although learning technologies are an important building block of educational innovation, the eLearning adoption rate of European academic staff appears disappointing. The majority of curricula in European universities are stalled in the traditional pedagogical model of knowledge transmission, which continues to dominate teaching and learning. Purpose: This conceptual paper explores underlying structural and cultural barriers to technology-enhanced innovation in higher education. Sources of evidence: Starting from the underdeveloped state of eLearning in European universities, the paper challenges arguments that visible barriers such as technical issues, budget constraints or lack of interest in technology amongst academic staff represent the actual reasons for the slow advancement of learning technologies in university curricula. Main argument: The paper argues that the lack of faculty interest and engagement for eLearning are visible symptoms for deeply rooted causes, which hinder current innovation efforts of universities. It explores theoretical viewpoints for structural peculiarities of universities, motivational and habitual traits of academic staff, and long-standing cultural values in the academic community in an attempt to understand their impact on technology-enhanced innovation in higher education. Conclusions: The real dilemma for eLearning innovation is caused by macro-level influence factors that even committed universities can hardly overcome at institutional level. University leaders have to take the underlying innovation barriers into account when they try to engage academic staff for the use of learning technologies. With a realistic view on existing limitations, institutional eLearning adoption efforts have to be tailored to serve real learning needs and motivations of academic staff; and they have to consider specific goals and contexts within different universities.

This paper discusses the adoption of web 2.0 technologies to enhance knowledge flows within and across companies. Its original contribution is to explore how corporate governance models influence the use of web 2.0 tools for knowledge sharing. The knowledge management literature is revisited to understand how social mechanisms determine the use of technologies in corporate environments. This review is followed by a synthetic view on web 2.0 technologies and their use in business. The paper concludes that the potential of web 2.0 technologies to foster collaboration depends on corporate governance structures that companies establish for decision making. The empowerment of employees is a necessary precondition for successfully implementing web 2.0-based information systems. Recommendations are given to change governance structures and to create liberal work cultures that foster the use of web 2.0 for knowledge sharing.

Twelve years have passed since Peter Drucker made his threatening prediction for the future of universities. But, while we have left the twentieth century behind us, the university as an institution has been quite stable in its capacity to adapt and serve society – and continues to do so today. One proof for the evolution of higher education institutions can be found in the great diversity of institutional forms higher education displays, which range from small colleges and universities of applied science to complex university systems and from private colleges to global online universities. This way, universities are responding to the challenges and opportunities inherent in a modern world as they are evolving to serve new purposes in rapid changing times. However, scholars and academic practitioners believe that revolution, but not evolution, is the paradigm, which coherently characterizes the required changes in the higher education landscape (see e.g. Chaps 4 and 5).

This chapter develops a theoretical framework for the concept of e-Competence, and it investigates the principles of the methodical design of competence development measures for faculty. e-Competence is grounded in the motivation and capability of faculty members to use information and communication technologies (ICT). A literature review extracts the key components of action competence and integrates them into a holistic model, which serves as a foundation for discussing e-Competence. The concept of e-Competence is introduced and specified by contextual factors that teachers face in e-Learning scenarios. The chapter finally discusses portfolio models for faculty development and presents findings of an international survey on e-Competence measures for faculty. It can be concluded that universities need to create portfolios for faculty development, which extend both the scope and the breadth of traditional training. Wider measures and incentives more efficiently suit the institutional goal of universities to increase the motivation of faculty to sustainably use learning technologies for their courses.

No abstract received.

This paper explores the corporate adoption of Web 2.0 technologies to enhance knowledge flows within and across firms. It first investigates the nature of the Web 2.0 phenomenon. As social mechanisms determine the use of technologies in corporate environments, a literature review is carried out to understand how governance models influence the use of Web 2.0 tools for knowledge sharing. The paper concludes that employees have to be empowered along the implementation of Web 2.0-based information systems. The potential of Web 2.0 technologies to foster collaboration depends on the creation of liberal work cultures and corporate governance structures which firms establish. Managers have to take these governance-related conditions into account when they aim to foster the use of collaborative Web 2.0 technologies for knowledge sharing in corporate networks.

eCompetence combines the motivation and capability of faculty members to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This paper develops a theoretical framework for the concept of eCompetence of academic staff, and it explores principles for the design of respective faculty development measures. A literature review identifies key components and assembles them into a model of action competence which serves as the basis for developing an approach to eCompetence. The concept of eCompetence is specified by contextual factors that teachers face in eLearning scenarios. The paper finally discusses portfolio models to increase the motivation of faculty to use learning technologies for their courses. The main managerial implication of this paper for involved higher education stakeholders is that universities have to create holistic portfolios for faculty development which considerably extend both the scope and the breadth of traditional training measures.

Our paper presents a cross-sectional study of incentive systems for open innovation practices. Organisations face the challenge to design and implement strategic incentive systems which reward active contributions of individuals to open innovation practices. We refer to contributions from psychology and economics to develop a framework for organisational incentive systems. We have conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 experts in Germany and the Netherlands. The experts work in firms which are both international top players and open innovation pioneers in their respective industries. The results show that all organisations in the sample develop incentives for open innovation. The key strategic function of incentive systems is to open mind-sets of the workforce and to overcome mental barriers of the 'not invented here' syndrome. Immaterial and in particular task content incentives have been judged to have a more efficient long-term impact than material incentives. While experts have emphasised the importance of aligning incentives systems to open innovation strategies, in practice many incentive approaches still remain patchwork and lack a clear strategic focus.

Recent developments in the innovation literature suggest that even when an organization truthfully implements the adopted R&D policy, it may still fail to achieve its intended goals, a phenomenon called means-ends decoupling. We employ a systematic literature review to answer the question of “what is the current state of knowledge in the phenomenon of means-ends decoupling in the literature” and “where it can move in the future.” Our paper provides a framework that delineates means-ends decoupling from policy-practice decoupling and identifies the underlying mechanisms that explain when and how means-ends decoupling may occur within an organization’s activities., Les développements récents dans la littérature en innovation suggèrent que même si une organisation implémente sincèrement une politique de R&D, elle peut ne pas atteindre les objectifs fixés, un phénomène appelé découplage moyens-buts. Nous réalisons une revue systématique de la littérature pour répondre à la question : « quel est l’état de la connaissance dans la littérature de découplage moyens-buts » et « où peut-elle évoluer dans le futur ». Nous proposons un cadre qui délimite le découplage moyens-buts du découplage politiques-pratiques, et identifions les mécanismes qui expliquent quand et comment le découplage moyens-buts apparait dans les activités d’une organisation., La literatura sobre innovación sugiere que incluso cuando una organización aplica una política de I+D, puede no alcanzar los objetivos propuestos, un fenómeno denominado disociación medios-fines. Realizamos una revisión sistemática de la literatura para responder a la pregunta: “cuál es el estado actual de los conocimientos sobre la disociación medios-fines en la literatura” y “hacia dónde puede dirigirse en el futuro”. Proporcionamos un marco que delimita la disociación medios-fines de la disociación políticas-prácticas, e identifica los mecanismos subyacentes que explican cuándo y cómo puede producirse la disociación medios-fines en las actividades de una organización.

no abstract