Current innovation literature stress the fact that companies seeking to boost their innovation capabilities should open their boundaries and collaborate with partners for bolder and faster value creation. While correct, and in fact frequently practice among several industries, many companies have failed in their attempt to innovate on ecosystem’s settings due mainly to lack of the appropriate management methodologies. Although co-development alliances have become a common practice in the market place, tools and strategies to manage them are quite behind on real execution. Furthermore, companies currently involved in such scenarios have overlook the new conditions of co-creation, failing to yield return over the cost of capital, and losing credibility on their ecosystems. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify practical managerial strategies, process and tools for orchestrating innovation ecosystems in general, and tailored them into real company current practices, in particular. In this thesis, a theoretical revision has been carried out in order to understand what innovation ecosystems are, why companies involved in innovation should care about them and what are the essential elements for orchestrating projects breed in that setting, being successful at it. Furthermore, a case study was developed with the purpose of connecting empirical findings to theoretical suggestions, and draw conclusions and recommendations. The company chosen for the analysis is one of the larger international players in their industry; having strong motivations to grow their innovation field, clear objectives to do it on partnership basis, and unquestionable position to claim the role of orchestrator. Moreover, management at this company believed that their innovation partnerships are not fulfilling expectations, and wanted to know how they can improve the way those projects are being managed, while keeping the center of the innovation ecosystem. The results show the process to create an orchestration strategy model, and a final proposal for the company under analysis. The case was developed taking into consideration information provided by key processes stakeholders over a series of interviews, and critical observation of the system during a six-month period. Scientific implications contribute in providing a framework for orchestrating innovation ecosystems on a technology-driven industry, while managerial implications contribute in providing the company with a robust model on how to position as a global hub for cross-innovation.

Abstract  Level: Master thesis in Innovation and design , 30 credits Institution: School of Innovation, Design and Technology, Mälardalen University Author: Cornelia Alenbring (98/05/24)   Title: In the search of the student's role in innovation ecosystems Supervisors: Anders Vikström, Erik Bjurström MDU examinator:Yvonne Eriksson Keywords: “ecosystems for innovation”, “eco systems for social innovation”, “social innovation ecosystems”, “quadruple helix” “students- innovation ecosystem” “students role in innovation ecosystems” Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the specific role of students in innovation ecosystems. By gaining a deeper understanding of their role, this research aims to contribute to a more nuanced micro-dynamic perspective on the role of students in innovation ecosystems. This thesis explores conceptualizations and metaphors of innovation ecosystems with the aim of exploring different theorizing in the field, related to the role of students within those.  Research question: What is the role of students in innovation ecosystems? Method: The study was based on a qualitative method. The empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews and observations using focus groups with 5 actors within the public, academia, industry and civil society. Conclusion: The role of the student is at the heart of the innovation ecosystem metaphor - that of emergence and co-evolution. Rather, the empirical evidence of this thesis concurs that the roles available to students also depend on other actors taking them seriously, and that the reasons for less than optimal exchange between students and other actors deserves further investigation.  It is an interesting observation that students fall between the system perspective’s grand theorizing and pedagogics’ narrower focus on education: - So what is the point of pursuing a research approach where either students or ecosystems are not mentioned? There is an obvious gap in where the abstract level of the system perspective, whilst it can serve as an overview of the concept,  does not specify actors and misses to provide a micro perspective on what is occurring between actors, that could explain how it all happens. Are students rather representatives of the civil society, or of what Powell referred to ‘amphibians’, or representative of nothing but themselves as individuals-in-the-making, as a representative of becoming itself and emergence in itself – through their interaction on a campus which they don’t own, but inhabit? And what do companies really want when they want to be a campus? What is special about a campus and life on a campus? What is the very essence of it?

Innovation ecosystem strategy is often adopted by platform technology owners to seek complementary innovation from resources located outside the firm to exploit indirect network effect. In this dissertation I aim to address the issues that are related to the formation and business value of platform innovation ecosystems in the enterprise software industry. The first study explores the role of three factors - increased payoff from access to platform owner's installed base, risk of misappropriation due to knowledge transfer, and the extent of competition - in shaping the decisions of third-party complementors to join a platform ecosystem. The second study evaluates the effect of participation in a platform ecosystem on small independent software vendors' business performances, and how their appropriability strategies, such as ownership of intellectual property rights or downstream complementary capabilities, affect the returns from such partnerships. Built upon resource based view and theory of dynamic capabilities, the third study reveals that users' co-innovation in enterprise information systems, measured by their participation in online professional community networks, constitute a source of intangible organizational asset that helps to enhance firm level IT productivity.

Purpose - As energy demand increases in tandem with an increasing climate crisis, the world runs towards renewable energy generation. Within the area of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) there are a multitude of opportunities that should be capitalized on, but this requires an integration of the connected systems of Information Technology (IT) and the governing systems of Operational Technology (OT). In the utility sector, this has proven very complex. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges between utility companies, IT providers, and OT providers in the ecosystem to identify activities to combat these challenges by developing a contingency framework. Thus, contributing to the development of Smart Grids (SG) within renewable energy generation. Method – To fulfill the purpose of this study, the partnership between the Swedish branch of a global technology company and a sizeable Swedish energy producer has been investigated. A qualitative single case study has been conducted with an inductive, explorative approach. Empirical data were collected from 22 interviews and 4 workshops from six different companies across five countries. The interviews and workshops were conducted in three different waves: 1) Explorative, 2) Investigatory, and 3) Validatory. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings – Findings from our data analysis have identified challenges and key activities in four main categories: 1) IT/OT Collaborative Challenges, 2) IT/OT Technical Challenges, 3) IT/OT Collaborative Activities, and 4) IT/OT Technical Activities. These findings are combined to form a contingency framework that emphasizes the activities to overcome industry challenges. Theoretical and Practical Implications – Our findings and framework expand on current literature in IIoT, SGs, and Innovation Ecosystems development by investigating the collaborative challenges and activities within IT/OT collaboration rather than specific technologies or ecosystem structures. It also expands the literature on IT/OT convergence by taking a broader ecosystem perspective than only IT and OT companies. Our framework provides practical contributions for managers by identifying key challenges and activities and how these relate to each other. Limitations and Future Research – Our study is limited to a single case study on wind power generation in northern Europe. Therefore, future studies are recommended to investigate if our findings apply to other companies, industry sectors, and geographical areas.

Background: Innovation and collaboration are deemed popular terms that are widely used and agreed on. It is implied that innovation without collaboration seems to be unlikely (Deichmann et al., 2017, Haanæs et al., 2018, Innov8rs, 2018). However, the meaning behind innovations of disruptive, incremental, or radical character remains vague and presumably differs between practitioners, just as it differs among scholars. Also, the literature only implies how collaboration can be used effectively for innovation, whilst focussing more on what forms of collaborations are existing.   Research questions: How is innovation understood in the CIC? How does the CIC work together in order to realise cross-industry collaborations for innovation?   Purpose: This study aims at investigating the variety of innovation understanding and how it is applied in collaborations, based on the views of practitioners from different companies that are part of the Cross Industry Club.   Method: This research is designed as an exploratory case study and follows a qualitative strategy with abductive reasoning. Data is collected through nine semi-structured interviews with representatives from five different companies.   Conclusion: The study revealed that practitioners have other aspects in mind which define their understanding of innovation compared to scholars. By that, the usage of innovation terminology is rather arbitrary in practice. The influence of innovation frameworks on the understanding of innovation and the collaborative work have been revealed. Innovation in a cross-industry collaboration, in its purpose and characteristics, is similar to the work of communities of practice. Challenges that appear during the emergence of a collaboration like the CIC, and values that affect the initial work towards cross-industry projects, have been identified.

O empreendedorismo e a cultura de inovação ganham cada vez mais lugar na realidade econômica mundial. Grandes centros inovadores, como o Vale do Silício, nos Estados Unidos, e Tel-Aviv, em Israel, surgem como modelos para outras nações que pretendem introduzir definitivamente o empreendedorismo como uma cultura local. Nesta dissertação, uma nova metodologia de coleta e análise de dados proposta pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Empreendedorismo do IME-USP foi refinada e utilizada para desenvolver um modelo do ecossistema de startups de software da cidade de São Paulo. Para tanto, os dados que compõem o modelo foram reunidos através de pesquisa qualitativa com membros e fundadores de startups, aceleradoras, investidores de risco e outros agentes importantes para o ecossistema. Os resultados do estudo constatam que a cidade possui todos os elementos fundamentais para o ecossistema empreendedor, tais como instituições, clientes interessados em experimentar novos produtos, a presença de importantes agentes financeiros, e um ambiente promissor; no entanto, ainda é necessária uma melhor conexão entre esses componentes, e certos problemas críticos de grandes metrópoles, tais como a mobilidade urbana e o alto custo de vida, precisam ser melhorados para que o ecossistema da cidade possa continuar progredindo. A dissertação conclui com sugestões de ações para a melhoria do ecossistema, baseadas nos comentários dos entrevistados e em recomendações de outros estudos e relatórios com foco similar. / Entrepreneurship and the innovation culture are increasingly gaining ground in the global economy. Great innovative centers, such as the Silicon Valley, in the United States, and Tel-Aviv, Israel, arise as models for other nations wishing to definitely introduce entrepreneurship as part of the local culture. In this thesis, a new methodology for collecting and analyzing data proposed by the IME-USP Entrepreneurship Research Group was refined and used to build a model of the software startups ecosystem in São Paulo, Brazil. Data that make up the model were gathered through qualitative research with members and founders of startups, accelerators, venture capitalists and other important agents of the ecosystem. The study findings show that the city possesses all vital elements for the entrepreneurial ecosystem, such as institutions, customers interested in experimenting new products, the presence of important financial agents, and a promising environment; however, better connections among these components are required, and certain critical problems common in very large cities need to be improved so that the city\'s ecosystem can continue evolving. The thesis concludes by suggesting concrete actions for the improvement of the ecosystem based on the results from the qualitative research.

O empreendedorismo e a cultura de inovação ganham cada vez mais lugar na realidade econômica mundial. Grandes centros inovadores, como o Vale do Silício, nos Estados Unidos, e Tel-Aviv, em Israel, surgem como modelos para outras nações que pretendem introduzir definitivamente o empreendedorismo como uma cultura local. Nesta dissertação, uma nova metodologia de coleta e análise de dados proposta pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Empreendedorismo do IME-USP foi refinada e utilizada para desenvolver um modelo do ecossistema de startups de software da cidade de São Paulo. Para tanto, os dados que compõem o modelo foram reunidos através de pesquisa qualitativa com membros e fundadores de startups, aceleradoras, investidores de risco e outros agentes importantes para o ecossistema. Os resultados do estudo constatam que a cidade possui todos os elementos fundamentais para o ecossistema empreendedor, tais como instituições, clientes interessados em experimentar novos produtos, a presença de importantes agentes financeiros, e um ambiente promissor; no entanto, ainda é necessária uma melhor conexão entre esses componentes, e certos problemas críticos de grandes metrópoles, tais como a mobilidade urbana e o alto custo de vida, precisam ser melhorados para que o ecossistema da cidade possa continuar progredindo. A dissertação conclui com sugestões de ações para a melhoria do ecossistema, baseadas nos comentários dos entrevistados e em recomendações de outros estudos e relatórios com foco similar. / Entrepreneurship and the innovation culture are increasingly gaining ground in the global economy. Great innovative centers, such as the Silicon Valley, in the United States, and Tel-Aviv, Israel, arise as models for other nations wishing to definitely introduce entrepreneurship as part of the local culture. In this thesis, a new methodology for collecting and analyzing data proposed by the IME-USP Entrepreneurship Research Group was refined and used to build a model of the software startups ecosystem in São Paulo, Brazil. Data that make up the model were gathered through qualitative research with members and founders of startups, accelerators, venture capitalists and other important agents of the ecosystem. The study findings show that the city possesses all vital elements for the entrepreneurial ecosystem, such as institutions, customers interested in experimenting new products, the presence of important financial agents, and a promising environment; however, better connections among these components are required, and certain critical problems common in very large cities need to be improved so that the city\'s ecosystem can continue evolving. The thesis concludes by suggesting concrete actions for the improvement of the ecosystem based on the results from the qualitative research.

Digital Health relates to “health information systems which enable the merging of social-care and healthcare systems. This would impact on the organisation, service delivery as well as the technological infrastructure” (Herselman & Botha, 2016, p.10). However, with relatively sparse research publications emanating from within the Namibian Health domain, and the concept of Namibian Digital Health as an emergent phenomenon, a Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework would provide a start to conceptualising, developing and implementing such an ecosystem for Namibia and thus unlocking the potential of Digital Health in this country. The purpose of this study is to develop a Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework based on literature reviews and the feedback from knowledgeable professionals (KPs) in Namibia, as well as global experts. The methodology which was applied in this study to address the purpose, and to answer the research questions, was Design Science Research Methodology and the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) process of Peffers, Tuunanen, Rothenberger and Chatterjee (2008), was adopted. Pragmatism is the overall philosophy guiding the study, as proposed by Ackoff’s theory regarding the hierarchy of human understanding (1989) and Shneiderman’s visual information seeking mantra (1996). During Phases 2 and 3 of the study interpretivism and positivism were applied as philosophies, guided by hermeneutics and triangulation, towards understanding the feedback of Knowledgeable Professionals (KPs) in Namibia, as well as the global experts. The study was divided into three phases. The first phase entailed a literature study which identified the components of Digital Health, Innovation and Digital Ecosystems as well as related research of Digital health, Innovation and Digital Ecosystems in developed and developing countries. This process led to the compilation of the initial Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework using a conceptual approach. In the second phase of the study, the initial Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem was evaluated by KPs in Namibia using the Delphi method and interviews. Phase 2 adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings from Phase 2 resulted in the development of the intermediate Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem Framework. In Phase 3 of the study, the intermediate framework was validated by global experts. Feedback was collected from global experts through questionnaires which were analysed through qualitative content analysis. The findings, from Phase 3 led to the development of the final Namibian Digital Health Innovation Ecosystems Framework. The guidelines, which can be used by the Namibian government to implement the suggested digital health innovation ecosystem framework, were also provided. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Systems)