Building Digital Foundations: A Course of Action Towards a Circular Construction Industry : An Exploratory Case Study

This thesis aims to explore the potential for digital platform ecosystems to support the development of the circular economy in the Norwegian construction industry. While there is a general understanding among scholars and industry professionals that digitalization can enable circularity, the existing literature on the intersection of these two concepts is limited. Existing literature does not adequately address the potential for using digital platforms to promote circularity across industry value chains and achieve the goals of a circular economy. To gain a holistic perspective on this potential, the thesis is based on an exploratory case study involving clients, consultants, architects, and contractors in the construction industry. The study aims to contribute to existing literature by developing a conceptual framework linking the concept of a circular economy to digital platform ecosystems, as well as by exploring why and how such a platform ecosystem can support the transition to circularity in the construction industry. The study's findings are twofold. Firstly, the study suggests the need for an improved organization of the value chain actors on digital platforms to facilitate iterative collaboration on project-level. Particularly, we identified that the implementation of circularity in the industry depend on frequent involvement of contractors and consultants. Moreover, in order to succeed in the transition towards circularity, we argue that the industry needs an industrywide platform to create a market for reused materials. Therefore, our study suggests that the industry requires a multidimensional platform with both project-specific and industry-wide components. Secondly, we identified three fundamental attributes that need to be present on a digital platform ecosystem for circularity: flexibility, data accumulation, and interaction. Based on these findings, we reassess our preliminary framework linking the circular economy to digital platform ecosystems and describe how the fundamental attributes can support this relationship. Overall, our thesis contributes to a better understanding of how industry actors can be organized on digital platform ecosystems to support circularity. In addition, the thesis provides the fundamental attributes necessary to configure a digital platform ecosystem for circularity in the construction industry.nhhma

Digital Solutions in the Forest-Based Bioeconomy

This chapter aims to illustrate the potential and significance of forest-based industry to take the lead in the sustainable development of the bio-based economy under digitalization. The digital solutions are transforming the forest-based industry by enabling the real-time end-to-end supply chain visibility, stock level optimization, demand planning, and real-time order status tracking and transparent, speedy, and hassle-free order fulfillment. In addition, increasing diversification corresponds to eco-consciousness, and shift in people’s preferences induces the transformation of forest-based bioeconomy into a digital platform industry. Further, this chapter will highlight the circular economy way of thinking that offers the possibility for the use of material to a more efficient level along with creating new, sustainable business models for many industries. The future of many industries lies in cross-industrial collaboration and creation of new value network based on circular economy as in the industrial ecosystems; the side streams generated in the production of one firm may be the input raw material for others. Based on all of these developments, transformation of forest-based bioeconomy into a digital platform industry can be expected

German and Israeli Innovation: The Best of Two Worlds

This study reviews – through desk research and expert interviews with Mittelstand companies, startups and ecosystem experts – the current status of the Israeli startup ecosystem and the Mittelstand region of North Rhine- Westphalia (NRW), Germany. As a case study, it highlights potential opportunities for collaboration and analyzes different engagement modes that might serve to connect the two regions. The potential synergies between the two economies are based on a high degree of complementarity. A comparison of NRW’s key verticals and Israel’s primary areas of innovation indicates that there is significant overlap in verticals, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), sensors and cybersecurity. Israeli startups can offer speed, agility and new ideas, while German Mittelstand companies can contribute expertise in production and scaling, access to markets, capital and support. The differences between Mittelstand companies and startups are less pronounced than those between startups and big corporations. However, three current barriers to fruitful collaboration have been identified: 1) a lack of access, 2) a lack of transparency regarding relevant players in the market, and 3) a lack of the internal resources needed to select the right partners, often due to time constraints or a lack of internal expertise on this issue. To ensure that positive business opportunities ensue, Mittelstand companies and startups alike have to be proactive in their search for cooperation partners and draw on a range of existing engagement modes (e.g., events, communities, accelerators). The interviews and the research conducted for this study made clear that no single mode of engagement can address all the needs and challenges associated with German-Israeli collaboration

Co-opetition of TV broadcasters in online video markets : a winning strategy?

This article focuses on TV broadcasters adopting co-opetition strategies for launching online video services. It is claimed that the emergence of online video platforms like YouTube and Netflix is driving TV broadcasters to collaborate with their closest competitors to reduce costs and reach the necessary scale in the global marketplace. The article sheds light on online video platforms that were developed following a co-opetition strategy (Hulu and YouView). The establishment of joint ventures in online video, however, has been scrutinised by competition authorities which fear that collaboration between close competitors lessens rivalry and reduces consumer choice. Therefore, several co-opetition projects (among others BBC’s Kangaroo and Germany’s Gold) have been prohibited by competition authorities

New horizons shaping science, technology and innovation diplomacy: the case of Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union. EL-CSID Working Paper Issue 2018/20 • August 2018

Europe and the world face a moment of transformation. The global financial crisis wiped out years of economic and social progress, exposed structural weaknesses in world economies and emphasised the importance of the real economies and strong industries. Modernisation and digitalisation of the industrial base together with the promotion of a competitive framework for industry through research, technology and innovation are drivers for recovery. Innovation, and particularly open innovation, is a key factor of global competitiveness. The European Commission (EC) addresses international cooperation policy in a wider framework and adapts to the evolving needs of partner countries at different stages of development (EC, 2018a). Latin America and the Caribbean countries’ (LAC) and the European Union’s (EU) cooperation on science, technology and innovation has a long history based on cultural roots and common concerns. They share a strategic bi-regional partnership, which was launched in 1999 and stepped up significantly in recent years. The two regions co-operate closely at international level across a broad range of issues and maintain an intensive political dialogue at all levels. EU-LAC relationships are moving from a traditional cooperation model towards a learning model, where sharing experiences and learning from innovations appear to be decisive (OECD, 2014). This paper focuses on the challenges that innovation nowadays poses to international relations and diplomacy. It is based on the evidence gained by the research team from participation in several EULAC projects, especially the ELAN Network project coordinated by TECNALIA, the INNOVACT project as well as other projects and activities

Government as a social machine - the implications of government as a social machine for making and implementing market-based policy

This is the second of two reports from the Government as a Social Machine project. The first report gave an overview of the evolution of electronic/digital government, and explored the concept of 21st century government as a \u27social machine\u27. This report identifies seven social machines developed by governments in Australia and New Zealand. These social machines harness digital technologies in order to deliver more effective and efficient services, develop better business practices, and enable better accountability and transparency. The report gives an overview of each social machine in context, describing the social need that is being met and the community that has developed it, and begins to unravel some of the socio-political consequences that might arise from the use of these social machines within the public policy context. These reports are not intended to be comprehensive (further educational materials are being developed as part of the ANZSOG Case Library), but they are intended to begin a conversation amongst those studying or practicing in public policy as to how governments can better understand, manage and employ these evolving social machines for better governance and social benefit

Strategies For Cross-Company Collaboration From An OEM's Perspective In The Context Of Digital Ecosystems

The mechanical engineering industry is facing significant challenges due to digital transformation. Business model innovation, such as service-oriented business models, is required to maintain competitive advantage. These innovative business models require capabilities that traditional manufacturing companies may not possess. These capabilities can be developed through cooperation in ecosystems. This paper examines the development of ecosystems and cross-company cooperation in mechanical engineering. The aim is to develop a strategy for cross-company cooperation within the framework of a practical example, which presents capability development framework for an OEM. A scenario analysis compares different alternatives to the cross-company collaboration strategy. The paper compares the approaches of the platform economy and the federative data space in the context of research projects. The methodology is based on a design science research approach and expert interviews to generate practice-oriented findings, as well as a literature review for theoretical insights