Titel: Internationella relationer i innovativa miljöer – en fallstudie av Mjärdevi Science Parks internationella arbete Författare: Sergio Quiñones Adress: Skrinnarvägen 7, 633 59 Eskilstuna | sergio.quinones@gmx.com Kurs: Kandidatuppsats i marknadsföring, EFO 225 Handledare: Angelina Sundström Problem: Hur kan svenska Science Parks genom internationella relationer utveckla sina processer och tjänster för att bättre stödja kunskapsutbyte och kommersialisering av innovationer? Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva Mjärdevi Science Parks internationella arbete ur ett marknadsföringsperspektiv. Metod: Kvalitativ fallstudie. Slutsatser: Mjärdevi Science Park arbetar internationellt för att främja regional tillväxt. Genom regional tillväxt bidrar man även till att öka Sveriges tillväxt och konkurrenskraft. Parkens motor och drivkraft är entreprenörerna och företagarna. Mjärdevi samarbetar och är engagerad i den globala organisationen IASP, Science Parks i andra länder, Exportrådet, företag och ambassader. Fallföretaget etablerar nya relationer främst genom sitt redan existerande internationella nätverk. Relationerna utvecklas genom att skapa aktiviteter som är ömsesidigt värdeskapande för parkerna, regionerna och företagen. Parkens styrelse har haft en uttalad nätverksbaserad strategi och handlingsplan som även inkluderat det globala perspektivet. Denna studie har visat att Mjärdevis strategiska och operativa arbete till stor del bygger på nätverksfilosofin. I sitt nätverk arbetar Mjärdevi både med att sprida operativ kunskap och att skapa erfarenhetsbaserad kunskap inom ramen för dessa aktiviteter. Nyckelord: science parks, innovationssystem, innovation, internationell, internationalisering, globalisering, samarbete, samverkan, relationer, relationsmarknadsföring, utbyte, företagsnätverk, affärsnätverk. / Title: International Relations in Innovative Environments - a Case Study of Mjärdevi Science Park's international work Author: Sergio Quiñones Address: Skrinnarvägen 7, 633 59 Eskilstuna, Sweden | sergio.quinones@gmx.com Course: Bachelor Thesis in Marketing (EFO 225) Tutor: Angelina Sundström Problem: How can the Swedish Science Parks through international relations develop their processes and services to better support knowledge sharing and commercialization of innovations? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe Mjärdevi Science Park's international work from a marketing perspective. Method: Qualitative Case Study. Conclusions: Mjärdevi Science Park works internationally to promote regional growth. The regional growth also contributes to Sweden's growth and competitiveness. The Parks engine and driving force are its entrepreneurs and businesses. Mjärdevi cooperates with the global organization IASP, Science Parks in other countries, the Swedish Trade Council, businesses and embassies. The case company establishes new relationships primarily through its existing international network. Relationships are developed by creating activities that are of mutual value creation for parks, regions and companies. The board of Mjärdevi Science Park has had an explicit network-based strategy and action plan that also included the global perspective. This study has shown that Mjärdevis strategic and operational work is based mainly on the network philosophy. Mjärdevi uses its network both to disseminate operational knowledge and to create experience-based knowledge within the framework of these activities. Keywords: science parks, innovation systems, innovation, international, globalization, cooperation, collaboration, relations, relationship marketing, exchange, business networks.

The high economic growth of formerly closed markets such as China, Russia, Poland, and the Baltic states has created vast business and growth opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Although this international business expansion of SMEs occurs in highly dissimilar business contexts and fierce international competition, it remains overlooked by research. Therefore, the main aim of this thesis is to contribute to an enhanced understanding of internationalization processes of SMEs by studying the overarching research question: What are the main features of internationalization processes of SMEs in an emerging market context? Three sub-problems are researched with regard to SMEs entering and taking off from emerging markets, as well as differences and similarities between these processes, in order to identify what features characterize them. Empirically, two surveys of 116 and 203 Swedish SMEs, respectively, with experiences of entry into emerging markets were conducted through standardized questionnaires via mail and on-site visits. In addition, case studies were conducted through interviews and observations of five internationalizing Chinese SMEs and four Chinese wholesale and retail market platforms. Five essays are compiled within the thesis and major findings and conclusions provide theoretical and empirical contributions to research on the internationalization processes of SMEs. With regard to the overlooked internationally experienced manufacturing SMEs from mature markets such as Sweden, theoretical advancements are made identifying the main concepts of their entry into emerging markets: entry node (the establishment point into the foreign business network); market-specific experiential knowledge; and perceived institutional distance. With regard to the internationally novel Chinese SMEs, these were seen to diverge from traditional internationalization paths. Indications were found of a parallel expansion abroad and at home, even using foreign markets as a springboard for further growth at home. The take-off node concerns the departure from an emerging home market, where a paradox of knowledge was found: the use of indirect export via a domestic intermediary facilitates the take off, but hinders further international expansion since no international experience or relationships are built up. Moreover, institutional distance was reduced due to collective internationalization through co-locating abroad. Generally, degree of maturity of the home market; as well as degree of internationalization and type of firm; are the main features behind differences between internationalization processes of SMEs in an emerging market context.

Univ., Diss.--München, 2004.

Abstract Nowadays, the locus of innovations is in research and development (R&D) networks formed by companies, research agencies, universities, and governmental agencies. Innovation is seen as a source of success of corporations, nations and communities, and therefore there is a long tradition for R&D research and innovation research. Networking is the answer for the changed environment caused by globalisation, fragmentation of the knowledge base and specification of the research into several fields that cause increased financial resource and capability demand for the actors developing new offerings. Collaboration in R&D networks is necessary because resources, expertise, and capabilities are not possessed and capable of being managed by single actors. R&D networks may emerge from among willing actors or intentionally by active actors or based on existing social or strategic relationships of actors. This study focuses on intentional R&D nets and managing in these R&D nets. This study describes and understands, firstly how managing in net is conducted during R&D net formation and collaboration, secondly what benefits are achieved, and thirdly what challenges are noted in relation to managing in R&D nets. Managing in R&D nets is seen to consist of managerial processes and roles for managing. Managing in R&D nets is studied in two phases, firstly empirically in four (4) peer-reviewed papers. The papers stem from a single longitudinal case study of managing in an R&D net. The case study includes both a historical and a follow-up time perspective. Secondly, as the studies have been published between 2005 and 2008, their results needed to be compared to more novel and contemporary findings to show the contribution. Hence, in the second phase, a systematic literature review covering studies on R&D and innovation network management published between 2004–14 is conducted. Thereafter and based on the comparison to contemporary research, the findings of this study that are supported, contradicted and/or still novel are discussed. The novel findings of this study are the following. Firstly, this study extends the time frame of managing in R&D nets. Secondly, it proposes a process model for understanding R&D net formation and collaboration, based on overlapping, simultaneous and iterative activities in R&D net. Thirdly, as a novel finding, this study creates a conceptual framework for depicting and typologising roles for managing in R&D nets. Finally, this study extends the understanding of benefits and challenges of managing in R&D nets. This study provides recommendations both for managers as well as for research of managing in R&D nets. / Tiivistelmä Innovaatiot syntyvät yritysten, yliopistojen, tutkimuslaitosten ja julkisten toimijoiden verkostoissa. Innovaatiot ovat yritysten, yhteisöjen ja kansojen menestyksen lähde, joten niiden tutkimuksella on pitkät perinteet. Verkostomaisella tuotekehitystoiminnalla uusien innovaatioiden: tuotteiden ja palveluiden kehittäjät vastaavat markkinoiden globalisaation, tutkimuksen erikoistumisen ja tiedon fragmentoitumisen aiheuttamaan tiedollisten ja taloudellisten resurssien vaatimusten kasvuun. Yhteistyö tutkimus- ja kehitysverkostoissa (T&K) on välttämätöntä, koska tarvittavat resurssit, osaaminen ja kyvykkyydet eivät ole yksittäisten toimijoiden hallussa tai hallittavissa. T&K-verkot voivat olla toimijoiden tarkoituksellisesti kokoamia, muodistua vapaasti toimijoiden havaitessa yhteiset intressit tai muodostua aikaisemmista verkostossa toimineiden toimijoiden sulautuessa tutkimaan ja kehittämään yhdessä. Tämä tutkimus keskittyy tarkoituksellisesti koottujen T&K-verkkojen tutkimus- ja kehitysverkkojen johtamiseen. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on kuvata, ymmärtää ja käsitteellistää: ensiksi, miten tutkimus- ja kehitysverkoissa johdetaan verkon muodostumisen ja varsinaisen tutkimus- ja kehitystoiminnan aikana, toiseksi mitä etuja tutkimus- ja kehitysverkon johtamisella on verkon toimijoille ja kolmanneksi, mitä haasteita tutkimus- ja kehitysverkon johtamisessa on ja kolmanneksi, T&K-verkkojen johtaminen kattaa tässä tutkimuksessa johtamisen prosessit ja johtamisen rooli. T&K-verkkojen johtamista tutkitaan kahdessa vaiheessa, ensiksi empiirisesti neljän (4) vertaisarvioidun tutkimuspaperin avulla. Tutkimuspaperit perustuvat yhden tapauksen pitkittäistutkimukseen T&K-verkoissa johtamisesta. Tapaustutkimuksessa tarkastellaan tapausta seuranta- ja historiatutkimuksen aikaperspektiivistä. Toiseksi, koska tutkimuspaperien julkaiseminen on ajoittunut vuosille 2005-2008, tulee niiden tuloksista johdettava kontribuutio verrata uudemman aikalaiskirjallisuuden kanssa. Tästä johtuen tutkimuksen toisessa vaiheessa on toteutettu järjestelmällinen kirjallisuuskatsaus vuosien 2004–2014 verkostojen johtamisen kirjallisuudesta. Sen jälkeen ja systemaattisen kirjallisuuskatsauksen vertailuun perustuen, keskustellaan tämän tutkimuksen tuloksista, jotka tukevat, kiistävät ja/tai esittävät yhä uusia tutkimustuloksia. Uusina tuloksia tämä tutkimus esittää T&K-verkkojen muodostumisen ja tuotekehitysyhteistyön johtamisen prosessin tarkastelujakson muutoksia. Toiseksi tutkimus esittää mallin T&K-verkkojen muodostumisen ja tuotekehitysyhteistyön aikaisen johtamisen mallin. Kolmanneksi tutkimus esittää T&K-verkkojen johtamisen roolien tyypittely ja analysointimallin. Lopuksi tutkimus esittää tutkimuksessa havaittuja T&K-verkkojen johtamisen etuja ja haittoja. Tämä tutkimus antaa suosituksia liikkeenjohtajille sekä tulevalle T&K-verkoissa tapahtuvan johtamisen tutkimukselle.

A globalização da economia e dos negócios consolida um novo contexto de competição acirrada, de mercados mutantes, onde não é mais possível auscultar o passado para orientar as decisões do agora e muito menos do futuro. Com isso surgem as crises, os concorrentes mudam rapidamente sua forma de competir, surgem novos conceitos que são aplicados na gestão e organização dos negócios, novas tecnologias aparecem com ciclos de vida cada vez mais curtos, tornando obsoletas as que estão em uso. Nos setores empresariais mais afetados pelo novo ambiente, onde o acirramento da competição está mais presente e visível, parece estar sendo cada vez mais difícil para uma empresa sozinha enfrentar a concorrência. Surgem, então, alguns indícios de que as empresas estão buscando outras formas de gestão e de atuação para competir, que incluem inclusive a competição conjunta. Ou seja, uma forma de competição diferente entre as empresas, nas quais algumas se unem a outras empresas para disputar o mercado com outros agrupamentos e ou aglomerados de empresas. Esta união já foi evidenciada através de diferentes formatos supra-empresas. Dentre esses formatos destacam-se os clusters de negócios e as redes de negócios, nos quais a governança transcende as fronteiras de uma empresa isolada, atingindo a todo o aglomerado. A preocupação da presente pesquisa foi verificar se, dentro de agrupamentos de empresas denominados pela literatura como clusters, existem ou não, dentre as empresas nele instaladas, algumas que, também, se orientam por estratégias supraempresas de redes de negócios, e não só por estratégias de clusters. Isso foi verificado pela pesquisa, que, em dois clusters de negócios importantes para seus países, o do vinho do Porto, no Vale do Douro, em Portugal, e o de vinhos de mesa do Vale dos Vinhedos, na Serra Gaúcha, no Brasil, encontrou empresas orientadas por uma estratégia dual, isto é, por estratégia de cluster e por estratégia de rede de negócios. E esse achado é novo na literatura de entidades supra-empresas, até porque essas próprias entidades só recentemente tornaram-se conhecidas e objetos raras pesquisas. Foi, também, preocupação da pesquisa que embasou esta tese, verificar se o fato constatado de existirem empresas orientadas por estratégia dual contribuía ou não para um aumento em suas respectivas capacidades de competição, o que, também, acabou sendo comprovado. / The globalization of the economy and business consolidates a new context of fierce competition, changing markets, where you can no longer hear the past to guide the decisions of the now much less of the future. With that come the crisis, the competitors rapidly change its manner to compete, new concepts are applied in management and business organization, new technologies appears with lifecycles each time shorter, making obsolete the ones in use. In the business sectors most affected by the new environment, where increased competition is more present and visible, seems to be increasingly difficult for one company alone to face the competition. Then we see some evidence that companies are seeking other forms of management and performance to compete, including even the competition in conjunct. In other words, a form of competition of companies in which they join other companies to compete in the market with others agglomerates of companies. This union has been evidenced by different formats of supra-companies. Among these formats we can highlight the business clusters and business networks, in which governance transcends the boundaries of a single company, reaching the entire agglomerate. The concern of this study was to determine if, within groups of companies named in the literature as clusters, exist or not among the companies in it, some of them that are also guided by supra-companies strategies of networks business, not just by cluster strategies. This was verified by this research, two clusters of important business in their countries, the Port wine, in the Douro Valley, Portugal, and the wines of Vinhedos Valley, in Serra Gaúcha, Brazil, we found companies oriented with a dual strategy, in other words, by cluster strategy and business network strategy. And this discover is new in the literature of supra-companies entities, because those entities themselves are not of very recent scholarship. Another concern of this research was to verify if the fact of companies driven by a dual strategy had contributed to an increase in their competitiveness, what the study also confirmed

This study investigates the impact of networking on access to finance and performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Buffalo City Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The objectives of this study are to examine (1) whether entrepreneurial characteristics of the SME owner and the firm characteristics of the SME are related to networking by SMEs, (2) whether networking is related to access to bank loans and trade credit by SMEs, (3) whether networking is related to the performance of SMEs and (4) whether access to debt finance by SMEs mediates the relationship between networking and performance of SMEs. The results reveal that the gender and education of SME owners and the age, size and legal status of SMEs are the entrepreneurial and firm characteristics that are positively related to networking by SMEs. In addition, the results indicate that there is a positive relationship between networking and access to finance and performance of SMEs. The results of this study further reveal that access to debt finance partially mediates the relationship between networking and performance of SMEs. Lastly, the study recommended that SMEs should network more to gain access to information, resources and contact sharing. This will increase the likelihood of SMEs obtaining finance, and will also improve the performance of SMEs.

This study to meant to determine the extent to which the Zimbabwean women in the small-scale business sector depended on their social capital to make it. The primary question of the study was: What is the significance of social capital in determining the success or failure of women’s businesses in Zimbabwe? Methodologically, the study followed the constructivist approach, which aimed at obtaining detailed and thick in-depth descriptions from the women who are socially a vulnerable group. It followed the qualitative research design; whose characteristics were dependence on the narratives of the discussants to explain phenomena. Non-probability sampling was preferred, and the sampling techniques used were mainly purposive. The sample comprised 21 participants, drawn from a population of women in small scale businesses in Glen Norah A, Glen View 1 and Highfield in Harare. The researcher used focus group discussions and individual interviews for data collection. Data was analysed thematically. The key findings were that women were dependent on their bonding and linking social capital to succeed (or fail) in business. Thus, such findings constitute some of the major contributions of the study to the commonwealth of knowledge. In particular one contribution is that women’s business development in the small-scale informal sector follows a particular lifecycle where different types of social capital are required. The findings led to the recommendations that women must be recognized as key players in economic development, and should be assisted at nascent stages so that their participation in economic development can be more robust and visible. / Sociology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

Mobile payment services are expected to be the next step of the electronic payment evolution. However, the level of penetration in European countries is lower than expected. The focus of most academic research has been in two main areas: (i) mobile payment adoption by consumers and (ii) technical aspects of the service. Consequently, a number of themes remain under-researched. In order to expand knowledge on reasons that affect the wider penetration of mobile payments, challenges related to the introduction of mobile payment services in the market have been explored in this thesis. More specifically, this research has addressed two problem areas: (i) why mobile payments have not been widely adopted by merchants; and (ii) what effects that the introduction of mobile payments has had on the business networks of the involved actors. As an example, we use the mobile payment services applied in the Swedish retail industry. The study is focused on the main groups of stakeholders – the mobile payment providers, the retailers, and the consumers. First, this study has helped to identify what different stakeholders expect of mobile payments and how these services correspond to their needs. In order to analyse the expectations of stakeholders, we have developed an analysis framework based on the theory of diffusion of innovations, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the theory of network externalities. The analysis highlights the expectations of stakeholders and helps to understand what kind of mobile payment service merchants expect and are willing to adopt. One key finding is that existing mobile payment services for retailing could be further improved in order to ensure an enhanced purchasing process for consumers. Second, the research has explored the impact of mobile payment services on the business networks. In order to analyse the relationships and cooperation between business actors, and changes in business strategy and network structure, we used the approach proposed by the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) Group. The performed analysis illustrates the following changes in the structure of business networks for the traditional payment solutions (bank cards): (i) emergence of new business actors (i.e. independent mobile payment providers); (ii) new roles and activities of business actors; and (iii) exclusion of traditional business actors (i.e. banks) from the mobile payment systems. All these changes lead to increased complexity of relationships and increased level of interdependence between business actors within the networks. The following changes in the strategies of involved actors have been identified: (i) mobile payment providers seek to achieve a control over the business network; (ii) the retailers affect strategies of the mobile payment providers; (iii) the marketing strategies of business actors include cross-marketing in different sectors. All these changes result in additional value and enhanced quality of service for consumers. In order to analyse a complex and multidisciplinary area such as mobile payments, it is beneficial to use more than one analysis approach. A combination of different complementing methods helps to explore different aspects of the phenomenon and provides a more comprehensive overview of several research aspects. This work contributes to the academic research of mobile payment service adoption by merchants through proposing a theoretical analysis framework. More specifically, the research addresses a new area – expectations of retailers when new solutions are introduced. The framework consists of the following criteria and aspects: technological feasibility, economic benefits, lower service costs, added value of services, network externalities and the problem of critical mass, and finally, ease of use. This framework helps to identify what merchants can expect of mobile payment services. Another area of contribution is the analysis of the effect that mobile payments make on the actors and business networks of traditional payment services. The introduction of new services results in emergence of new business actors, a need to establish new relationships, and increased complexity of a business network. Moreover, in order to succeed, cooperation between all network actors is needed. As a result, business actors have to adjust their services and strategies according to needs of others. / <p>QC 20150828</p>

The need for faster, more flexible and less risky ways for organisations to expand their capabilities and competencies increasingly lead to the formation and proliferation of networking strategies and partners. Understanding the potential contribution that CoP membership can provide within these teams is a step towards developing and refining a strategy to support and enhance the speedy progression of the team towards a productive phase. The study shows that membership of researchers to the same or similar CoPs have some impact on the norming stage, and assist in reaching the performing / productive stage faster in team development. The survey in particular has indicated that similar standards, practices, terminology, ethics, standards, peer recognition, trust and a sense of belonging have more of an impact on the productive phase of team forming, than on the norming phase. The hard factors such as terminology, standards and similar practices have a strong correlation with the softer factors such as a sense of belonging and trust. This information should be utilised in both the socialisation processes in academic institutions as part of the education of professionals, as well as organisational approaches to Research and Development (R&D), information sharing and development of the researchers. The paper also highlights emerging organisational and strategic Best Practices currently prevalent in R&D teams and collaborative projects. It is clear that research collaborations cuts across the whole spectrum of business and management areas - from strategy, across intellectual property issues, finance, strategic human resource management, R&D management and innovation, knowledge management, organisational values and culture, and many more. To support innovation and R&D on a strategic level, both internally and on inter-firm collaborations, requires a review of the total organisational strategy, culture and norms in an organisation. Innovation and R&D support should be a holistic approach, with strategic and pro-active risk management supported by appropriate strategic human resources management and systems. Literature on CoPs, teams, social capital (SC), knowledge management (KM), intellectual capital (IC), intellectual property (IP), strategy and governance provide theoretical grounding. / Business Leadership / Ph. D.

本研究採用「商業生態系統」觀點，以「利基者」的角度出發，來探討利基型軟體公司經營模式的變遷。研究對象為屬於「利基者」的資訊安全軟體公司，以及其所處的環境。研究分為「歷史分析」與「探索性個案研究」兩大部分。首先，本研究以「歷史分析」作為前導研究，探討資訊安全軟體由1986年至2007年的發展沿革，並釐清防毒軟體廠商、防火牆軟體廠商，以及入侵偵測/防禦軟體廠商所處的商業生態系統，以及廠商在其中的角色。此外，在歷史分析中，本研究也探討了主要商業生態系統之間的關係。而「探索性個案研究」，則選擇了五個成功的資訊安全軟體公司，以及五個失敗的資訊安全軟體公司，探討這些廠商在1986年至2000年之間經營模式的變遷，以了解成功及失敗的因素為何。此外，也描述繼續存活的成功廠商，如何在2001年之後，因應環境「擾動」而動態調整其經營模式。 在「歷史分析」的部份，本研究首先發現，資訊安全軟體自1986年開始出現，此時的資訊安全軟體廠商，主要為防毒軟體廠商，而廠商在「個人電腦商業生態系統」以及「區域網路商業生態系統」中扮演「利基者」的角色。在1994年後，「Internet商業生態系統」蓬勃發展，除了防毒軟體廠商之外，防火牆軟體廠商以及入侵偵測軟體廠商開始出現。而資安軟體廠商在「Internet商業生態系統」中扮演「利基者」的角色。之後，資訊安全軟體廠商逐漸形成了一個「邊界安全商業生態次系統」。在這個「次系統」中，不同的廠商分別扮演了次系統中的「關鍵者」、「支配者」，以及「利基者」。另一方面，三個「主系統」之間，存在「演替」的現象，後者的重要性，逐漸超越前者。而到了2001年之後，由於環境中的劇烈「擾動」，產生了新的生存空間，也改變了既有「物種」的「種間關係」。而另一方面，主要商業生態系統中「關鍵者」的跨入，也嚴重壓縮了既有「利基者」的生存空間。 「探索性個案研究」中，本研究又分為「規範性個案研究」與「描述性個案研究」兩部分。「規範性個案研究」探討五個成功的資訊安全軟體公司，包括Symantec、Trend Micro、McAfee、Check Point，以及Internet Security Systems(ISS)，在1986年至2000年之間，調整經營模式的動態過程，並與五個失敗的公司，包括ACSI、ESaSS、EliaShim/eSafe、Raptor，以及Axent進行比較。研究首先發現，成功的「利基者」，充分「借助」了「關鍵者」的資源，包括「技術」、「夥伴」、「聲譽」，並透過學習，運用關鍵者的「知識」，提升組織的能力。其次，成功的「利基者」，都能建立以自己為中心的「商業生態次系統」，包括「通路次系統」或是「技術平台次系統」。此外，成功的「利基者」，也都能及時參與新興的商業生態系統，並察覺商業生態系統「演替」(亦即「消長」)的狀況，進而調整參與的重心。而失敗的五個「利基者」，均於2000年之前被其他公司購併，主要因為較欠缺這些作為，或在這些方面未能成功。「描述性個案研究」則描述在2001年之後繼續存活的成功「利基者」，如何因應環境「擾動」與其他廠商行為的改變，動態調整經營模式。這些廠商調整經營模式，以鞏固既有的生存空間，並掌握新的生存空間。同時，也多方參與由不同的「關鍵者」所主導，未來可能成為「主流設計」的技術架構。 綜合來說，成功的利基型軟體公司，由創立開始，隨著成長的過程，「參與」以其他關鍵者為中心的商業生態系統，同時也致力於「建立」以自己為中心的商業生態系統。「參與」及「建立」二者與時並進，並適時調整，利基者才得以維持長久生存。 / This study takes the view of niche players to explore their business model changes in the software business ecosystem. Software firms in the information security software industry and their environments are selected as research context. The research is comprised of two main parts: a historical analysis and an exploratory case study. The historical analysis serves as a pilot study, in which information security software industry’s historical development is scrutinized to clarify which business ecosystems these security software firms, including antivirus software firms, firewall software firms, and intrusion detection/prevention software firms, participate in as they grow, as well as these firms’ roles within the business ecosystems. Relationships between different busines ecosystems are also studied in the historical analysis. In the exploratory case study, five successful security software firms and five failed security software firms are selected as case companies. The case study explores how successful firms and failed firms, from 1986 to 2000, differ in the way they changed their business models, in order to understand why successful firms remain in existence after 2000. The case study also describes how these surviving firms have, responding to “disturbance” in the environments, been adjusting their business models dynamically since 2001. The historical analysis reveals that the “PC business ecosystem”, the “LAN (local area network) business ecosystem”, and the “Internet business ecosystem” are involved as security software firms grow. Information security software firms have participated in the “PC business ecosystem”, when antivirus software was brought to the world in 1986. Antivirus software firms played the role of “niche players” in the “PC business ecosystem” at that time. Later when local area network was getting prevalent, a few antivirus firms participated in the “LAN business ecosystem”, playing the role of “niche players” as well. When the Internet commercialized around 1994, firewall software firms and intrusion detection software firms emerged. All participating information software firms played the role of “niche players” in the “Internet business ecosystem”. In 1996, a “sub-system”—“perimeter security sub-system” —was formed within the “Internet business ecosystem” by various security software firms and hardware companies. This “sub-system” had its own “keystones”, “dominators”, “hub landlords”, and “niche players”. In addition, “ecosystem succession” phenomenon is observed between the three “main system” —the “PC business ecosystem”, the “LAN business ecosystem”, and the “Internet business ecosystem”. Importance of the latter gradually surpassed the former. Furthermore, “disturbance” has emerged since 2001, creating new living space, but at the same time altered the “inter-species relationship” between existing species. Some “keystones” in the main ecosystems turned into “dominators”, highly decreased existing niche players’ living space. The exploratory case study is divided into a “normative case study” and a “descriptive case study”. In the “normative case study”, five successful security software firms, including Symantec, Trend Micro, McAfee, Check Point, and Internet Security Systems (ISS) are compared with five failed firms—ACSI, ESaSS, EliaShim/eSafe, Raptor, and Axent in the way they adjusted their business models from 1986 to 2000. Evidences revealed that successful niche players sufficiently leveraged resources provided by keystones. Resources include technologies, partners, and reputation. Successful niche players also learn from keystones to acquire knowledge, which further improves niche players’ organization capabilities. In addition, successful niche players are capable of building up their own “sub-systems,” which can be “channel sub-systems” or “technological platform sub-systems.” Furthermore, successful niche players, in time, participate in every promising business ecosystems, and sense the “ecosystem succession” phenomenon when it takes place to adjust their efforts on different business ecosystems. Five unsuccessful case companies fail to achieve similar accomplishments. Consequently, all of them have been acquired or merged by other firms by 2000. Meanwhile, in the “descriptive case study,” I describe how five successful firms keep surviving after 2001, adjusting their business models to secure existing living space and seize emerging opportunities. These successful niche players also participated in all information security architectures proposed by different keystones, expecting that one of these architectures will turn out to be the “dominant design” in the future. Overall, successful niche players, as they grow, participate in business ecosystems led by other keystones, and build up their own business ecosystem as well. They advance and adjust both their “participating” and “builing up” activities to secure long-term survival.