This research project is a quantitative enquiry focused specifically on the value consumption of digital business platforms (DBP's) in relation to how informal sector traders (IST's) are using them to buy, sell and market their product and services in their daily trade functions. This study has adopted the approach of classifying the social media platforms, internet banking platforms and mobile payments platforms, as a single collective and defined under the banner of Digital Business Platforms. The advantage to this approach, is that it provides a multi-dimensional view of the perceived value-axis based on positive and negative experiences of using a variety of digital platforms including messaging, payments, and banking applications on their mobile phones in their daily trading functions. This study examines the positive experiences of perceived value (PV), collectively in the form of social value (SV), emotional value (EV) and functional value (FV). On the opposite end of the value spectrum, are the negative experiences of perceived risk in the form of price risk (PR) and technical barriers (TB) for the same group of informal sector traders. Understanding the relational impacts of these positive and negative experiences of value consumption, may lead to an understanding of their influence in the perceived usefulness (PU) and the perceived ease of use (PEoU) of DBP's. The results of these relationships will shed some light towards the behavioural intention (BI) to adopt DBP's and their actual usage in the long term. The analysis yielded the following results: for positive experiences, emotional value had the least impact on both perceived ease of use and usefulness and functional value was higher than social value. This means that IST's place more value on the utility of DBP's, than the emotional and social values. Regarding the negative experiences, price risk had the most significant impact on the willingness to adopt DBP's by ISTs.

Denna studie fokuserar på att undersöka förutsättningarna för svenska banker att investera i artificiell intelligens (AI) för att förbättra kundnöjdheten. I ljuset av den pågående digitala transformationen och de teknologiska innovationerna som skett inom banksektorn har det analyserats hur bankerna anpassar sig för att möta kundernas förväntningar och behov. Genom att integrera insikter från teoretiska ramverk och intervjuer med representanter från banksektorn och privatpersoner har det utforskats kring strategiska initiativ, såsom digitalisering, användning av AI och förändringar inom kundservice.  Studien finner att bankernas anpassningsförmåga till digitala förväntningar har en direkt inverkan på hur de investerar i artificiell intelligens och därigenom påverkar kundnöjdheten. En framgångsrik integration av AI-teknik, särskilt inom områden som kunder förstår, är kritisk för att möta varierande kundbehov och öka effektiviteten hos banktjänster. Resultaten från vår analys visar konkreta exempel på hur implementeringen av specifika AI-verktyg har påverkat bankernas förmåga att effektivt hantera kundkontakt och öka effektiviteten. Genom att grunda oss på dessa resultat kan det härledas tydliga samband mellan de identifierade behoven och de implementerade åtgärderna. Sammanfattningsvis belyser våra resultat den strategiska betydelsen av att svenska banker kontinuerligt anpassar sig till digitala förväntningar och ansvarsfullt implementerar AI för att säkra en hållbar framtid och bibehålla konkurrenskraft. Denna insikt är central för att förstå hur banksektorn kan navigera genom de utmaningar och möjligheter som den digitala eran innebär.

Background Digitalisation is transforming our society in several ways, bringing sev-eral new opportunities and challenges. It changes how organisations in-teract with their customers and generally has a positive effect on reve-nue. Maserhallen AB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Borlänge municipality and wants to grow as an organisation. Maserhallen AB aims to improve its quality of service, customer value and increase rev-enue by implementing a digitalised system into its organisation. The study is needed to construct a framework and strategy that can aid Maserhallen AB on the challenges and pathways of adopting new tech-nology. Aim This study highlights the challenges and pathways that await a tradi-tional organisation when trying to adopt a new digital system. Method There are two sources of data collection; the first is a literature study, and the second is a questionnaire. In the questionnaire, nine volunteers have participated, the age ranging of volunteers are from 24-60 years old. The targeted participants were the organisation management team and receptionist. Results The results gathered from both the case study and questionnaire indi-cate that the case company needs a new digital system. The thesis exam-ines two core areas: digitalisation strategies and the use of new technol-ogy to develop an analysis framework. The outcome is a framework that blends theoretical and digital strategy principles with successful ap-proaches in concepts and new technologies. Conclusions For Maserhallen AB to avoid obstacles when facing implementation of digitalisation, it is necessary to adopt new technology with the help of digital strategy and framework. This is not only needed for efficiency and cost reasons, but also it will assist in increasing customer value and quality of service. The framework provided in this case study will aid Maserhallen AB in adopting a new digital system.

Aging infrastructure, along with the escalating occurrence and severity of extreme weather events linked to climate change, and the growing demands of an increasing population, have placed significant strains on wastewater and stormwater systems. Consequently, there has been a rise in instances of Combined and Sanitary Sewer Overflows (CSOs and SSOs), among other related problems. These challenges have intensified the impact of sewershed issues on both society and the environment. Fortunately, recent advancements in technology, such as sophisticated sensor technologies, more powerful processors, and advanced mathematical modeling techniques, have opened up new possibilities for developing intelligent water systems in the United States that are capable of making well-informed, data driven decisions. While the technological capabilities of these tools are advancing, their application in the water sector is limited and often siloed. Water utilities face a variety of challenges related to digitalization of sewershed management and require a more structured approach for their digital transformation. This research aims to present a comprehensive framework called iWISE (Intelligent Water Infrastructure Systems Engineering) that will serve as a blueprint to facilitate the implementation of Intelligent Sewersheds for water utilities across the country. The proposed framework will focus on enhancing our understanding of various aspects, including system of systems thinking, data management, modeling techniques, decision-making processes, and service delivery, in order to adopt a more intelligent and efficient approach to managing sewersheds. This framework was piloted with small, medium and large scale utilities to capture feedback on the proposed building blocks from a real world perspective and the findings from these interviews reveal that most utilities are in the preliminary stages of intelligent water systems implementation, and is more common among large utilities as compared to their small and medium counterparts. / Master of Science / Water infrastructure in the United States is facing several challenges like the deterioration of infrastructure with time, increasing extreme weather events like flooding due to climate change, and growing population demands. These issues are putting a lot of pressure on wastewater and stormwater systems, leading to more instances of Combined and Sanitary Sewer Overflows (CSOs and SSOs) and other related problems that have significant negative impacts on both the society and the natural environment. Fortunately, recent advancements in technology like remote sensing, internet of things, increased computing power and advanced data analysis tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning, have provided opportunities for water utilities to improve their sewershed management practices. This research introduces a comprehensive framework called iWISE (Intelligent Water Infrastructure Systems Engineering) to help implement the new technologies and practices available for water utilities nationwide to improve the efficiency and reliability of sewershed management. The framework focuses on improving our understanding of different aspects like how a sewershed and its components are defined, collecting and managing data parameters, modeling techniques, decision-making, and service delivery. The framework was piloted with small, medium, and large scale utilities to get real-world feedback. The findings showed that most utilities are in the early stages of adopting intelligent water systems, and larger utilities are more likely to use these technologies compared to smaller ones.

From changing consumer relationships to demands for new experiences, performing arts institutions are under increasing pressure to embrace digital transformation. Technology is altering how audiences engage with the arts. Preferences and consumption habits are rapidly evolving. Strategies to sustain existing formats, customers, and revenue models are unlikely to succeed. Cultural institutions in general and performing arts such as orchestras, ballets, and operas are rapidly adopting technology – with millions of social media followers, streaming services, and online ticketing. Yet, these initiatives are fragmented, hard to assess, and there is very little known on how to digitally transform performing arts institutions overall. This research asks: What are the mechanisms driving digital innovation in performing arts institutions, and specifically in orchestras? The research approach includes three qualitative studies, which use a semi-structured questionnaire with fifty performing arts organizations. Study 1 explores the overall practice of digital innovation in the performing arts. Study 2 more specifically examines the role of engagement as a mechanism to understand digital transformation in the performing arts in general, and orchestras in particular. Study 3 maps the mechanisms of digital engagement to uncover digital transformation in the performing arts and defines engagement. This research makes several contributions to theory and practice by identifying the performing arts as an important area for applying digital transformation. A research framework was developed through synthesis of performing arts, innovation, business model, and engagement literature. Engagement was defined and identified as an important construct for digital transformation. The components, development, instantiation, and impact of engagement were elaborated in a set of propositions that summarize the role of digital transformation in the performing arts. Finally, the research provides recommendations and action items for arts administrators. / Business Administration/Management Information Systems

Background: Digital transformation has become crucial for success in the global automobile industry. Emerging digital technologies are imposing new challenges and offering new opportunities to automotive firms and are fuelling the business model innovation in the global automotive sector. This research study explored the nature of business model innovation during the digital transformation process and the dynamic capabilities that automobile organizations need to build for successful transformation. Research Question: How could digital transformation-driven business model innovation be successful by building dynamic capabilities, and what key lessons could be learned from Volvo- a Swedish automobile manufacturing company? Conceptual Framework: Dynamic capabilities theory provides a theoretical basis to understand how digital transformation-led business model innovation encourages automotive firms to build their dynamic capabilities to ensure survival and dominance in the quickly changing market. Methodology: A qualitative empirical research study is conducted on chosen case organization- Volvo. The thematic analysis of 10 interviews conducted with the Volvo managers yielded some interesting insights. Conclusion: Volvo is proactive in adopting emerging digital technologies (like IoT, big data, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, etc.) to keep pace with changing world. Volvo actively builds its dynamic capabilities to invest in the emerging business model innovations fuelled by the digital transformation, which enables the firm to maintain its digital dominance. When automotive organizations build dynamic capabilities, it lays a strong foundation for business model innovations. Dynamic capability framework can be a useful guidance tool for building organizational capabilities in a digital transformation context.

Platform-centric startups that generate value by facilitating interactions between two or more interdependent groups digitally transform and disrupt the business environment, leading to significant changes in how people purchase, sell, communicate, and even live. Some of these, such as Uber and Airbnb, have become among the most beloved and successful brands, though they had serious challenges in building up their brands at the early stages due to lack of resources. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a framework of branding in platform-centric startups by identifying the pillars of brand‐building and linking the relevant factors. This study employs qualitative method to propose a four-level framework including passion, innovation, co-creation, and moralization for brand-building in startups. The novelty of this framework reveals that the locus of brand-building is gradually expanding from the founders to the company, then to the customers, and finally to a larger societal constituency. The framework can assist founders and stakeholders in monitoring the growth of a new venture in the real business world while guiding branding scholars to investigate the discipline of startup branding.

The work of peace practitioners was already complex before the fourth industrial revolution took place. Since then, it has gotten increasingly challenging. What is the current status quo of technology in terms of peacebuilding? How can peace practitioners work with instead of against Goliath? This research included qualitative semi-structured interviews with five peace practitioner experts working in the field of peacebuilding. Through a thematic analysis six themes could be identified, which have the names as follows: Let the positive peace grow, Recipe for disaster, In agreements we trust, Batman’s utility belt, Duct tape and hope. The urgency for progress from the side of social media platforms as well as more education and experience with the platforms from the side of peace practitioners is discussed in this paper. It comes to the conclusion that there is a need to bring everyone to the table and, through that, ensure long-term and sustainable peace. Further, the demand for a still ongoing work process of “duct tape and hope” / Fredsarbetares arbete var komplext redan innan den fjärde industriella revolutionen. Sedan dess har det bara blivit mer och mer utmanande. Vad är teknikens nuvarande status quo när det gäller fredsbyggande? Hur kan fredsarbetare arbeta med, istället för mot, Goliat? Den här uppsatsen omfattar kvalitativa semi-strukturerade intervjuer med fem fredsaktörer/experter som arbetar inom området för fredsbyggande. Genom en tematisk analys kunde sex teman identifieras: låt den positiva freden växa, dömt att misslyckas, lita på överenskommelser, Batmans verktygsbälte, silvertejp och hopp. I denna uppsats diskuteras behovet av utveckling bland sociala medieplattformar samt mer utbildning och erfarenhet av plattformarna bland fredsarbetare. Slutsatsen är att det finns ett behov av att bjuda in alla till förhandlingsbordet och på så sätt säkerställa en långsiktig och hållbar fred. Dessutom krävs en kontinuerlig arbetsprocess med “silvertejp och hopp”

The Doctoral Thesis explores Sustainability-oriented transition mechanisms (SUS) at different levels of analysis (Country, inter-organizational, and organizational levels). The focus of the study is Digital Transformation (DT) and the Collaborative (multi-stakeholder) (COL) dimensions. By disentangling between COL and DT, the thesis proves that Digital Transformation and the Collaborative dimension are sufficient conditions to achieve Sustainable outcomes. In particular, the Collaborative dimension mediates the impact that Digital Transformation has on Sustainability transitions, which the existing literature identifies as a direct effect. The motivation behind these results seems to emerge from the explorative longitudinal case study, where a digital platform represents a tool able to increase the efficiency of collaboration dynamics and enable sustainable outcomes. After five years, the platform ecosystem collapsed as the leading ecosystem firm failed to effectively engage with multiple stakeholders toward sustainability outcomes and began transitioning towards lower levels of sustainability.

Tesis por compendio / [ES] La deconstrucción de la teoría entendida como ciencia normal, comienza desde la comprensión de que el proceso de construcción de un sistema democrático tradicional presenta grandes inconsistencias, además de que el propio sistema está sumergido en una crisis de representación y legitimidad ante la falta de confianza de la ciudadanía en quién toman las decisiones, así como, la falta de participación en la toma de decisiones públicas. Por ello, se parte de un cambio de enfoque fundamental que siguiendo la lógica que inspira el principio de Conservación del Momento Lineal, las TIC actúan como catalizador que conlleva a una transformación del sistema directo, por ello, las sociedades deben diseñar y adaptarse al impacto de esta ola, al igual que en la física cuando un objeto se mueve en respuesta a la aplicación de una fuerza. El análisis conceptual crítico revela que las teorías tradicionales sobre democracia adoptan un enfoque de programación orientado a objetos (OOP), centrado en instituciones y actores como componentes estáticos de una democracia y sus interacciones. la participación ciudadana en la toma de decisiones públicas, interpretando Demos como 'pueblo' y Kratos como 'poder' o 'gobierno'. Así, propone una transformación hacia un enfoque orientado a funciones, centrando la consolidación democrática en procesos dinámicos que integran el sis-tema y enfocándose en la participación ciudadana como función principal que integra a su vez distintos elementos. La adopción de este enfoque permite la propuesta del concepto de 'Democracia Dinámica' que surge de esta Tesis. Esta Tesis propone tres principios después de una validación rigurosa a través de estudios de caso y análisis de datos: el Principio de la Dinámica Política y Tecnológica, el Principio del Liderazgo Público en la Gestión de la Transformación Digital, y el Principio de la Transformación Digital para la Consolidación Democrática en Contextos en Desarrollo. Estos principios ofrecen un marco teórico renovado para comprender el patrón que rige el proceso de consolidación democrática en la era digital. Esto desafía directamente las nociones convencionales, abriendo nuevas vías que explican como las tecnologías emergentes, si son utilizadas de manera estratégica, pueden servir para consolidar procesos democráticos en diferentes contextos. La adopción de estos principios por un país podría guiar sus futuras políticas hacia el desarrollo efectivo y rápido, marcando así una nueva manera en la cual los Estados y as sociedades abordan la democratización en un mundo cada vez más tecnológico, además, en el cual el sistema democrático se pone en duda. En resumen, lo que se propone es que la democracia se convierte en resultado y función de un proceso, y en esta tesis, se ha encontrado el patrón que rige el proceso. Por lo tanto, siguiendo el principio hermenéutico de lo que es afuera, es adentro, si se desarrolla el proceso el resultado que es la democracia (con todos los elementos oportunos) se consolida. Esta Tesis Doctoral se estructura de un marco teórico que desemboca en la concreción de tres hipótesis, las cuales se validan a través de tres estudios regionales que involucran un total de 84 países, lo que permite que las hipótesis emerjan como principios son validados empírica-mente. Los tres estudios regionales se presentan en publicaciones científicas con un índice de impacto alto (Q1 JCR). Finalmente, la Tesis propone líneas de investigación desarrollar por la autora centradas en la supervivencia y el liderazgo del sistema democrático en el siglo XXI. Se enfatiza la importancia de explorar cómo la digitalización puede contribuir a la consolidación de la democracia a nivel global, destacando tanto los límites de los hallazgos actuales como los riesgos asociados con la transición sociotécnica. / [CA] La deconstrucció de la teoria entesa com a ciència normal, comença des de la comprensió que el procés de construcció d'un sistema democràtic tradicional presenta grans inconsistències, a més del fet que el propi sistema està immers en una crisi de representació i legitimitat davant la manca de confiança de la ciutadania en qui pren les decisions, així com la manca de participació en la presa de decisions públiques. Per això, es parteix d'un canvi d'enfocament fonamental que seguint la lògica que inspira el principi de Conservació del Moment Lineal, les TIC actuen com a catalitzador que comporta una transformació del sistema directe, per això, les societats han de dissenyar i adaptar-se a l'impacte d'aquesta onada, així com en la física quan un objecte es mou en resposta a l'aplicació d'una força. L'anàlisi conceptual crític revela que les teories tradicionals sobre democràcia adopten un enfocament de programació orientat a objectes (OOP), centrat en institucions i actors com a components estàtics d'una democràcia i les seves interaccions. La tesi argumenta que aquest enfocament no compleix amb la funció essencial del sistema polític: la participació ciutadana en la presa de decisions públiques, interpretant Demos com 'poble' i Kratos com 'poder' o 'govern'. Així, proposa una transformació cap a un enfocament orientat a funcions, centrant la consolidació democràtica en processos dinàmics que integren el sistema i centrant-se en la participació ciutadana com a funció principal que integra al seu torn diferents elements. L'adopció d'aquest enfocament permet la proposta del concepte de 'Democràcia Dinàmica' que sorgeix d'aquesta Tesi. Aquesta Tesi proposa tres principis després d'una validació rigorosa a través d'estudis de cas i anàlisi de dades: el Principi de la Dinàmica Política i Tecnològica, el Principi del Lideratge Públic en la Gestió de la Transformació Digital, i el Principi de la Transformació Digital per a la Consolidació Democràtica en Contextos en Desenvolupament. Aquests principis ofereixen un marc teòric renovat per comprendre el patró que regeix el procés de consolidació democràtica a l'era digital. Això desafia directament les nocions convencionals, obrint noves vies que expliquen com les tecnologies emergents, si s'utilitzen de manera estratègica, poden servir per consolidar processos democràtics en diferents contextos. L'adopció d'aquests principis per part d'un país podria guiar les seves futures polítiques cap al desenvolupament efectiu i ràpid, marcant així una nova manera en què els Estats i les societats aborden la democratització en un món cada vegada més tecnològic, a més, en el qual el sistema democràtic es posa en dubte. En resum, el que es proposa és que la democràcia es converteix en resultat i funció d'un procés, i en aquesta tesi, s'ha trobat el patró que regeix el procés. Per tant, seguint el principi hermenèutic de que és fora, és dins, si es desenvolupa el procés el resultat que és la democràcia (amb tots els elements oportuns) es consolida. Aquesta Tesi Doctoral s'estructura d'un marc teòric que desemboca en la concreció de tres hipòtesis, les quals es validen a través de tres estudis regionals que involucren un total de 84 països, el que permet que les hipòtesis emergeixin com a principis són validats empíricament. Els tres estudis regionals es presenten en publicacions científiques amb un índex d'impacte alt (Q1 JCR). Finalment, la Tesi proposa línies de recerca desenvolupar per l'autora centrades en la supervivència i el lideratge del sistema democràtic al segle XXI. S'emfatitza la importància d'explorar com la digitalització pot contribuir a la consolidació de la democràcia a nivell global, destacant tant els límits dels descobriments actuals com els riscos associats amb la transició sociotècnica. / [EN] The deconstruction of theory understood as normal science begins with the understanding that the process of constructing a traditional democratic system presents significant inconsistencies. Additionally, the system itself is immersed in a crisis of representation and legitimacy due to the lack of trust from citizens in decision-makers, as well as the lack of participation in public decision-making. Therefore, a fundamental shift in focus is initiated, following the logic that inspires the principle of Conservation of Linear Momentum, where ICT acts as a catalyst leading to a transformation of the system. Societies must thus design and adapt to the impact of this wave, akin to physics where an object moves in response to the application of a force. Critical conceptual analysis reveals that traditional theories of democracy adopt an object-oriented programming (OOP) approach, focusing on institutions and actors as static components of democracy and its interactions. The thesis argues that this approach fails to meet the essential function of the political system: citizen participation in public decision-making, interpreting Demos as 'people' and Kratos as 'power' or 'government'. It proposes a transformation towards a function-oriented approach, focusing democratic consolidation on dynamic processes that integrate the system and emphasizing citizen participation as the primary function that in turn integrates various elements. Adopting this approach allows for the proposal of the concept of 'Dynamic Democracy' arising from this Thesis. This Thesis proposes three principles following rigorous validation through case studies and data analysis: the Principle of Political and Technological Dynamics, the Principle of Public Leadership in Digital Transformation Management, and the Principle of Digital Transformation for Democratic Consolidation in Developing Contexts. These principles offer a renewed theoretical framework for understanding the pattern governing the process of democratic consolidation in the digital age. This directly challenges conventional notions, opening up new avenues explaining how emerging technologies, if strategically utilized, can serve to consolidate democratic processes in different contexts. The adoption of these principles by a country could guide its future policies towards effective and rapid development, thus marking a new way in which States and societies address democratization in an increasingly technological world, as well as one in which the democratic system is questioned. In summary, it is proposed that democracy becomes the result and function of a process, and in this thesis, the pattern governing the process has been found. Therefore, following the hermeneutic principle that what is outside is inside, if the process is developed, the result which is democracy is consolidated. This Thesis is structured within a theoretical framework that leads to the concretization of three hypotheses, which are validated through three regional studies involving a total of 84 countries, allowing the hypotheses to emerge as empirically validated principles. The three regional studies are presented in scientific publications with a high impact index (Q1 JCR). Finally, the Thesis proposes lines of research to be developed by the author focused on the survival and leadership of the democratic system in the 21st century. Emphasis is placed on exploring how digitalization can contribute to the consolidation of democracy globally, highlighting both the limits of current findings and the risks associated with socio-technical transition. / Stratu Strelet, D. (2024). Unveiling the Power of Digital Transformation in Developing Countries: Towards a Theory of Democratic Consolidation from Inside Out [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/204134 / Compendio