Cooperation in a minimum-waste innovation ecosystem: a case study of the Czech Hemp Cluster

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jindrich Spicka
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Ecological Guilds ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems

PurposeInnovation ecosystems face many environmental challenges. The literature review shows that innovation ecosystems accelerate innovation activity, but empirical studies have not provided enough case studies focusing on the minimum-waste business strategy as one aspect of the circular economy. Various forms of interaction between members occur in the innovation ecosystems, which determines the level of cooperation. This paper aims to show the structure and forms of cooperation in an innovation ecosystem using the Czech Hemp Cluster (CHC) and its surroundings and suggest research directions in the field of interaction between members in an innovation ecosystem. Although hemp is associated with the production and distribution of narcotics, it is a versatile plant supporting the minimum-waste business strategy.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on a theoretical part of a literature review of major scientific articles on innovation ecosystems from 2016 to 2021. The case study of the CHC and the hemp ecosystem is based on qualitative research in the form of a content analysis of the mission of the cluster members. In addition to content analysis, the classic multidimensional scaling method and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to reveal ecological guilds.FindingsThe case study highlighted the specific relationship between the cluster and the ecosystem. The cluster does not determine the ecosystem boundaries, but the ecosystem is a much broader system of cooperation and interaction between organisations. Clusters emerge after an ecosystem has existed for a particular time to coordinate collaboration and information between organisations and stakeholders. The analysis of the CHC revealed the specific role of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in the innovation ecosystem. NPOs are not engaged in primary functions in the value chain, but they provide supporting activities through coordinated networking, disseminating information on innovation, awareness-raising and stakeholder education. Compared to natural ecosystems, innovation ecosystems are typically characterised by higher forms of collaboration between members.Research limitations/implicationsAn exciting opportunity for research on innovation ecosystems is the ecological guilds taken from natural ecosystems and whose identification can help define the boundaries of innovation ecosystems. An opportunity for further research is the comparison of NPO-based and government-based clusters playing a central role in developing innovation ecosystems. Regarding the problematic generalisability of the case study to the entire agricultural production, a challenge is a search for minimum-waste business models in agriculture characterised by the biological nature of production.Originality/valueTheoretical and empirical studies have not yet considered innovation ecosystems in the minimum-waste context to a sufficient extent. The paper builds on previous scholarly studies focusing on innovation ecosystems and, for the first time, discusses the role of NPOs in the innovation ecosystem. The CHC case study adds a suitable minimum-waste business model to the still very scarce literature on sustainable innovation ecosystems. The article discusses the purpose and forms of cooperation in an innovation ecosystem, identifies a complementarity of roles in the innovation cluster and describes the interrelationship between the cluster and the ecosystem. Discussion of the ecosystem leader in the cluster-based innovation ecosystem shows the differences between Czech, Polish and German life science ecosystems.

The government’s role in creating an innovation ecosystem: the Springfield Armory as hub in the Connecticut River Valley

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-579
Author(s):  
Robert C. Ford ◽  
Keenan D. Yoho
Keyword(s):  
River Valley ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Connecticut River ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Connecticut River Valley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate, through the example of the Springfield Armory and its role in the development of interchangeable parts, the critical role of government in establishing a cluster of organizations that evolved into an innovation ecosystem primarily located in the Connecticut River Valley in the 1800s. Using the Springfield Armory example, we use the related but largely unjoined concepts of ecosystem and networks to show that these organizational forms are effective in driving innovation. Design/methodology/approach The design uses an in-depth analysis of the role of the Springfield Armory to explicate the joining of network and ecosystem theory as an early example of the importance of governmental funding and support for innovation. Findings The development of interchangeable parts in the American arms industry in the 19th century transformed manufacturing worldwide. At the heart of this transformation was the network of arms makers that developed in the Connecticut River Valley as a direct result of US Government investment and support. This network of arms makers evolved into an ecosystem of mutually reinforcing relationships as machine tool manufacturers benefited from an environment of free-flowing intellectual property, information and growing governmental demand for arms. The Armory illustrates the government’s role in initiating and sustaining clusters of innovation that otherwise might not have developed as quickly. Originality/value Much of the research on the role of government in creating innovation ecosystems and organizational networks is based on modern organizations. This use of the Springfield Armory in the early 1800s broadens the knowledge on how innovation ecosystems in conjunction with networked organizations can be created by governments serving the public good.

A case study of facilities management for heritage building revitalisation

Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 201-217
Author(s):  
Huiying Hou ◽  
Hao Wu
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Heritage Conservation ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Facilities Design ◽  
Heritage Building

Purpose Heritage building revitalisation (HBR) is gaining its popularity to intervene historic buildings/sites for their conservation and reuse. Given that multiple stake-holding situations are often involved in HBR process, coordination or managerial problem may hinder versatile facilities design for operational efficiency while preserving the heritage values. To address the coordination challenge, this paper aims to examine the relevance and relative advantages of a FM-led revitalisation strategy for HBR, which the existing literature has not yet addressed. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a case study approach to a major HBR project in Hong Kong. This study conducted field observations and interviews, which were combined with publicly accessible policy and project information to identify stakeholders’ opinions and specifications for the role of facilities management (FM) in HBR project process. Findings The paper reveals the role of FM in coordinating the HBR process for the benefits of stakeholders and general community. FM allows a balanced approach to heritage building adaptation, sound user experience and broader community effects. This enables efficient decision-making, creative facilities design and effective public engagement. FM’s strength of fitting in the urban renewal context illustrates its comparative advantage for heritage conservation and revitalisation management. Research limitations/implications This study develops a conceptual map to identify FM’s role in heritage building conservation and revitalisation. This will enhance process evaluation and project decision-making that are central to heritage conservation policy and HBR intervention practices. Originality/value This study examines relevance and advantage of FM-led business strategy for HBR, which the existing literature has not yet addressed. It discovers FM’s strategic roles and initiates a conceptual framework for evaluation of heritage conservation management.

The structure of an innovation ecosystem: foundations for future research

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2725-2742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomás Dias Sant´Ana ◽  
Paulo Henrique de Souza Bermejo ◽  
Marina Fiqueiredo Moreira ◽  
Wagner Vilas Boas de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Triple Layer ◽  
The Web

PurposeThe concept of an innovation ecosystem, based on the idea of business ecosystem, has increasingly grown in the literature on strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. However, not all innovation ecosystems have the same architectural models or internal collaboration, and existing research rarely deconstructs an ecosystem of innovation and examines its structure. The objective of this article is to systematize the discussion about the structure of an innovation ecosystem and offer a foundation for future research.Design/methodology/approachUsing the Web of Science database as the source for the articles, this paper presents a systematic review of the literature on the structure of the innovation ecosystems. The period of analysis spanned from January 1993 to August 2019. Two methods, bibliometric analysis and content analysis, were used to structure the systematic review.FindingsThe results of the content analysis showed that the main classifications related to the structure of an innovation ecosystem are the ecosystem life cycle (birth, expansion, leadership, and self-renewal), the classification according to the ecosystem level (macroscopic, medium, and microscopic), and the layered structure (core–periphery structure, triple-layer structure, triple-layer core–periphery structure, and framework 6C). The results also showed that studies in the field are concentrated around a small group of authors, and few studies have discussed the structure of an ecosystem.Research limitations/implicationsThis study includes only peer-reviewed articles from the Web of Science database.Originality/valueThis article contributes to innovation ecosystem theory by exploring the characteristics that influence ecosystem structure. In addition to the theoretical contribution, the triple-layer core–periphery framework and the 6C framework set a benchmark for future research on innovation ecosystems.

The new H.R. conversation

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 193-197
Author(s):  
Louis Efron
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governance Model ◽  
Leadership Pipeline ◽  
Hr Function ◽  
Health Care Company ◽  
Care Company

Purpose DaVita, Inc., a Fortune 200 health-care company has recently undertaken a Human Resource (HR) transformation. Today, good HR departments can help people and businesses grow. However, many HR departments are stuck in the past and see their role as “personnel” responsible mainly for hiring, firing, attendance and payroll. This is an antiquated perspective of what an HR function does. Design/methodology/approach This case study based on DaVita’s HR team illustrates how people services drive business objectives in part through aligning with operators across the business, ensuring a robust talent and leadership pipeline and differentiated workforce experience. This was done through developing a people strategy and governance model grounded in the business strategy. Findings This case study concludes that any HR transformation must include the language of the business, including strategic financial and operational topics and proposals that effectively operationalize and measure people practices to engage workforces and grow businesses. This transformation was grounded in changing the conversation about HR, allowing people services to better serve and address the complex organizational and workforce dynamics that exists today, thus helping organizations win and grow. Originality/value DaVita is evolving the role of HR to be a critical part of the business that drives results through alignment with operators across the organization.

Innovative and networked business functions: customer-driven procurement

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 302-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalisa Tunisini ◽  
Roberta Sebastiani
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Business Function ◽  
Business Functions

Purpose – This paper aims to highlight the evolving and articulated role of purchasing as a “mediator” between the company’s customers and suppliers, thus showing the opportunities connected to the evolution of purchasing from a business function to a strategic business for companies. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports on an in-depth analysis to investigate the case of IBM, which turned to the offering of services to transform itself from a pure product manufacturer into an outstanding service provider. Findings – The paper shows that as the company’s business strategy becomes focused on client value, its success is strongly dependent on the development of a customer-driven procurement. The evolution of the role of procurement is accompanied by the growing integration between the company’s procurement and sales functions, as well as by the growing interconnection and interaction between the procurement function and the company’s clients. Originality/value – The paper applies the conceptual approach and theoretical tools connected to servitization and procurement development processes to an innovative case study. The results make possible original suggestions both for literatures and management practices.

Rethinking institutional entrepreneurship

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Hamadache ◽  
Julienne Brabet
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Political Opportunity ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Window ◽  
Agent Structure

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enrich empirical studies on institutional entrepreneurship (IE), more specifically those focusing on the role of the IE in building a new field (here the orphan drug [OD] field). This research addresses the main paradoxes of IE theories: a deterministic vs free agent point of view; an individual hero vs a collective action approach; and a change vs reproduction perspective. Design/methodology/approach – A case study of the role of an IE in the building of the OD field in Europe conducted through interviews with the main actors and in-depth documentary research. Findings – The case highlights the IE resources as products of a dynamic historical process driven by values; the process of building the field as an interaction between framing issues, mobilizing agents and resources, transforming a policy window into a political opportunity. It relativizes the IE role: an indispensable catalyst of collective action that can also reinforce the hegemonic bloc while changing the rules. Originality/value – The paper highlights the necessity of longitudinal analysis to address the agent/structure paradox.

Identifying and describing constituents of innovation ecosystems

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pegah Yaghmaie ◽  
Wim Vanhaverbeke
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Focus ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Purpose Innovation ecosystems have not been defined univocally. The authors compare the different approaches to innovation ecosystems in the literature, the link with open innovation, the value creating and value capturing processes in innovation ecosystems, and the need to orchestrate them properly. In this way, the purpose of this paper is to provide a highly needed, concise overview of the state of the art in innovation ecosystem thinking. Design/methodology/approach A systematic screening of the literature searching for publications focusing on innovation ecosystems is carried out in the paper. The authors found 30 publications and compared the different approaches to innovation ecosystems: the authors classify them according to industries, the level of analysis, their central focus on innovation ecosystems, whether frameworks are developed in the publications, the main actors, focus on SMEs or large companies, the success of innovation ecosystems and the role of the orchestrator. Findings The authors found different approaches to innovation ecosystems in the literature. Some papers look at the link with open innovation, and others at the value creating and value capturing processes in innovation ecosystems, the role of orchestrators, etc. The authors also provide an overview about the industries, the level of analysis, the central focus of the research, the main actors in the networks and the success factors. The authors observe that most publications have been written in Europe and apply to European ecosystems. The approach in Europe is, to some extent, also different from the main focus of leading American scholars. Research limitations/implications The authors compare different approaches to innovation ecosystems. This provides a highly needed understanding of the state of the art in innovation ecosystem thinking. There are some limitations as well: the paper only does a literature review, and the authors are not developing a new framework to study innovation ecosystems. Practical implications The literature overview is not primarily focused on practitioners, but the tables in the paper provide a quick overview of good management practices for setting up and managing innovation ecosystems. Social implications Innovations ecosystems are, in some cases, established to solve major societal problems such as changes in healthcare, energy systems, etc. Therefore, they require the interaction between different types of partners including universities, research institutes and governmental agencies. Studying innovation ecosystems is crucial to facilitate social or societal changes. Originality/value The paper presents a highly needed overview of the literature about innovation ecosystems and a concise examination of the different aspects that are studied so far.

The role of actors in interactions between “innovation ecosystems”: drivers and implications

IMP Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommaso Pucci ◽  
Andrea Runfola ◽  
Simone Guercini ◽  
Lorenzo Zanni
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Group Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Marketing ◽  
Innovation Ecosystems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the role of the actors (especially firms) in interactions between contexts defined as “innovation ecosystems.” Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a conceptual framework. A review of the literature to frame the concepts of innovation ecosystems and the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) approach is presented. A possible integration of the two concepts is then discussed. Findings The paper adds new discursive inputs to the concept of innovation ecosystem that validate its use in the context of the knowledge economy and extends the theories of knowledge, by analyzing the role that various actors who populate an innovative ecosystem play in the creation, learning, use, and dissemination of knowledge. Originality/value The paper furnishes an approach to the research on knowledge management and innovation, in the attempt to relate the IMP Group approach with the perspective of the “innovation ecosystems” concept.

scholarly journals Moving drug discoveries beyond the valley of death: the role of innovation ecosystems

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Calza ◽  
Marco Ferretti ◽  
Eva Panetti ◽  
Adele Parmentola
Keyword(s):  
Drug Development ◽  
Innovation Ecosystem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
The Us ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Strategic Relationships ◽  
Valley Of Death

PurposeThe paper aims to explore the nature of initiatives and strategies of inter-organizational cooperation to cross the valley of death in the biopharma industry.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an exploratory case study analysis in the Biopharma Innovation Ecosystem in Greater Boston Area (USA), which is one of the oldest, and most successful IE in the US, specialized in the Biopharma domain, by conducting a round of expert interviews with key informants in the area, chosen as representatives of the different types of actors engaged in the drug development processes at different stages.FindingsMain findings suggest that cooperation can contribute to surviving the valley of death by reducing the barriers within the drug development pipeline through the promotion of strategic relationships among actors of different nature, including the establishment of government-led thematic associations or consortia, agreements between university and business support structures, proximity to venture capitalist and the promotion of a general culture of academic entrepreneurship within universities.Originality/valueThe authors believe that this paper contributes to the literature by shedding light on the nature of the specific cooperative initiative the barriers in drug development and help to survive the valley of the death.

Digital forensics and evolving cyber law: case of BIMSTEC countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 744-752
Author(s):  
Sisira Dharmasri Jayasekara ◽  
Iroshini Abeysekara
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Digital Forensics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Legal Frameworks ◽  
Work Done

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of digital forensics in an evolving environment of cyber laws giving attention to Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries, comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan, in a dynamic global context. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a case study approach to discuss the digital forensics and cyber laws of BIMSTEC countries. The objective of the study was expected to be achieved by referring to decided cases in different jurisdictions. Cyber laws of BIMSTEC countries were studied for the purpose of this study. Findings The analysis revealed that BIMSTEC countries are required to amend legislation to support the growth of information technology. Most of the legislation are 10-15 years old and have not been amended to resolve issues on cyber jurisdictions. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to the members of the BIMSTEC. Originality/value This paper is an original work done by the authors who have discussed the issues of conducting investigations with respect to digital crimes in a rapidly changing environment of information technology and deficient legal frameworks.

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