Agility and Resilience as Sources of Competitive Advantages a Theoretical and Empirical Investigation

Today’s hypercompetitive global climate makes lasting competitive edge unsuitable. Firms face increasing complexity due to the rapid entry and growth of internationalizing firms from emerging markets, technological breakthroughs, discontinuous innovation, and the uncertainties surrounding unexpected shocks transmitted across world markets, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. In this research, I examine how firms have built and applied two adaptive abilities (agility and resilience) to respond to environmental changes and disruptions to create sustainable competitive advantage. An agile organization is simultaneously a resilient organization. Despite agility’s increased relevance in the academy and practitioners\u27 publications, its epistemological and ontological analyses are superficial at best. Specifically, supported by inductive and deductive analysis, I bring clarity to agility’s concept and its boundary conditions. Thus, I propose an integrative multilevel framework of the antecedents, the enablers, and the outcomes of the process of agility performance. Moreover, through in-depth interviews with executives, I explore how agility and resilience manifested in emerging market multinational firms (EMNEs) enhance their competitiveness by using both adaptive abilities in their international operations. The findings reveal that all organizations possess some degrees of agility and resilience simultaneously as two faces of the same coin. Furthermore, agility and resilience are interdependent, comprising five common domains

New challenges for business actors and positive heuristics

Purpose: The purpose of this guest editorial is to present an overview of the contributions in this special issue and proposes a positive approach to heuristics deriving from the growing interest in the decision-making topic with respect to the new challenges emerging in uncertain environments in management and marketing research. Design/methodology/approach: The authors explore the reasons for a positive view of business actors' judgments and choices based on heuristics, not only in terms of effectiveness in practice, but their fit with human cognition and behavior, and the potential distinctiveness in contexts where technological devices and algorithms are more widespread, but not necessarily more appropriate. Findings: The authors present and discuss the emergence and evolution of heuristics as a topic in the management literature, and the themes and insights proposed in the papers published in this special issue contributing to research aimed at systemizing a managerial perspective of the concepts and tools that may be useful for practitioners and researchers in this field. Originality/value: The paper discusses the positive role that heuristics can play, offering some propositions for future research by framing heuristics as a set of tools (toolbox) for business actors in uncertain contexts, without constituting a cognitive limitation for effective solutions

The Finnish metal industry on the verge of the Industrial Internet as a setting for service design - Researching the digital and design maturity of the industry

This thesis examines the role of design within machinery and equipment manufacturing SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) of the Finnish metal industry. Design has traditionally been understood as a form giving activity, and often still remains so in companies of the metal industry. The industry is starting to produce an increasing amount of services partially driven by digitalisation and the Industrial Internet. Servitisation of the industry demands for new kinds of competences and service design approach could be used to support the transition from designing physical products to broader and in some cases immaterial entities. Service design approach however still remains unknown to many companies of the industry and an effort has to be made to spread the understanding of it. This research aims to gain better understanding on how digitally advanced the industry is, how familiar it is with the design approach, and how it sees it’s future in terms of digitalisation and design in practice. This study’s approach to the topic was to interview professionals from the design field and the metal industry. Eight SMEs of the industry were selected to this study and this thesis reveals how digitalisation and design are visible in practice in these companies. The research also includes one interview with a professor of the Industrial Internet at Aalto University. In addition to evaluating the maturity of the industry, the thesis seeks for successful ways of applying service design in the defined context of the study. The Industrial Internet has been described as the next Industrial Revolution and transformations at this scale affect the offerings of service providers such as design consultancies. This is also an attempt to better understand the expectations and opportunities for service design in response to the IIoT. This thesis contributes to the discussion of applying service design expertise in the metal industry under the demands of the Industrial Internet and this thesis can provide the SMEs with new ideas or answers to questions related to service design, servitisation and digitalisation. I hope that companies of the metal industry and the design community could benefit from the findings of this thesis and to create dialogue between the two of them.Tämä tutkielma käsittelee muotoilun roolia suomalaisessa kone- ja metalliteollisuudessa, ja digitalisaation sekä teollisen internetin vaikutusta näiden toimialoihin. Metalliteollisuuden toimialat tuottavat kasvavia määriä palveluita, joissa digitalisaatiolla ja teollisella internetillä on osansa. Palvelumuotoilua voidaan hyödyntää liiketoiminnan laajentuessa fyysisistä tuotteista aina aineettomiin kokonaisuuksiin saakka. Tämä tutkielma pyrkii löytämään ymmärryksen sille, kuinka digitaalisesti kehittynyt teollisuus on erityisesti teollisen internetin osalta, kuinka tietoisia yritykset ovat muotoilusta ja muotoilun metodeista, sekä kuinka yritykset näkevät tulevaisuuden digitalisaation ja muotoilun kautta. Lisäksi tutkielma pyrkii löytämään toimivia tapoja palvelumuotoilun hyödyntämiseen teollisuuden toimialojen yhteydessä. Opinnäytteen aihetta lähestyttiin haastattelemalla muotoilun ja metalliteollisuuden ammattilaisia. Mukaan on valikoitunut myös teollisen internetin professorin haastattelu. Teollista internetiä on kuvailtu seuraavaksi teolliseksi vallankumoukseksi ja tutkimuksessa selvitetään, miten tämä näkyy käytännössä kahdeksassa suomalaisen metalliteollisuuden yrityksessä. Tämän mittakaavan muutokset vaikuttavat myös palveluntarjoajien, kuten muotoiluyritysten tarjoamaan. Tutkielma pyrkii myös paremmin ymmärtämään odotuksia ja mahdollisuuksia palvelumuotoiluun liittyen tässä kontekstissa. Tämä tutkielma osallistuu keskusteluun siitä, kuinka palvelumuotoilua voidaan hyödyntää metalliteollisuudessa teollisen internetin vaatimukset huomioon ottaen. Tutkielmaan valittiin pieniä ja keskisuuria yrityksiä metalliteollisuudesta. Pk-yritykset voivat saada tästä tutkielmasta uusia ideoita tai vastauksia kysymyksiin, jotka liittyvät palvelumuotoiluun, palvelullistamiseen ja digitalisaatioon. Toivon, että teollisuus ja suunnittelijat löytävät tutkielmasta apua keskinäiseen vuoropuheluunsa

A Framework To Develop Business Models For The Exploitation Of Disruptive Technology

Adopting new technology to expand business prospects is not a new trend. Certainly, this brings innovation and new opportunities to the business but also raises several challenges. This research addresses the challenges of business modelling in relation to disruptive technologies. Emerging technologies are very dynamic, resulting in continuous new developments. Therefore, businesses need to adjust their business models to stay sustained with this dynamic nature of technology. This research aims to create a conceptual framework and a related methodology to develop business models for the commercial use of disruptive technologies. The research evaluates the gaps in the major business model development methodologies and argues that these methodologies are not adequate for businesses that offer high-end products and services to their customers. It creates a framework to make a methodical comparison among different business model methodologies. Based on that framework, it conducts a systematic comparison of five significant business model development methodologies to identify possible flaws. It analyses business elements of two use cases, where a disruptive technology, in this case, cloud computing in the form of cloud-based simulation, offers significant value to customers. Thereafter, it compares the components of all the five identified methodologies with each other using business elements of the selected use case. While the analysis highlights the differences and the similarities between the methodologies, it also reveals the limitations of the current approaches and the need for further decomposing technological elements. Therefore, the study carries out an empirical investigation based on selective sampling. Seven real-life business use cases that execute the application of disruptive technology (i.e., cloud/HPC-based simulation as a solution based on cloud computing & high-performance computing) have been explored, involving 30 individual companies. Thenceforth, a thematic analysis of these use cases, based on a detailed report provided by a European research project, is conducted. Besides, three months of observation is carried out by participating in the same project as a ‘Research Associate’ from the period of July 2019 to September 2019. This three-month observation supports not only providing access to 26 business use cases and their relevant documents but also validating the information provided, as well as finding clarity in collected data. Moreover, the selected business use cases are particularly useful for identifying the technology elements that are required to create the proposed framework. The analysis has resulted in an understanding of the dynamics of the interrelationship of social and technical factors for developing new technological solutions that push the development of new business models devised for delivering solutions exploiting disruptive technologies. Based on this understanding, the research extends a widely used business model ontology (Osterwalder’s Business Model Ontology), and offers a new business model methodology with the introduction of new business model elements related to technology. The technological elements are being identified as the results of the above empirical analysis. Utilising this extended ontology, a novel methodology for developing business models for the exploitation of disruptive technologies is suggested and its applicability is demonstrated in the example of cloud-based simulation case studies. The research creates three main contributions. Firstly, it uses a systematic approach and identifies that the technological elements are not explicitly defined in the analysed business model methodologies, as well as the factors of disruption in the context of the socio-materiality view is missing. Secondly, it conducts an empirical analysis and defines the specific social and technological elements such as ‘Dynamic Capabilities’, ‘Competition Network’, ‘Technology Type’, ‘Technology Infrastructure’, ‘Technology Platform’, and ‘Technology Network’; that are needed to create a new business model methodology. Finally, it extends an existing business model ontology (which was developed by Alexander Osterwalder) and constructs a new ontological framework with an accompanying methodology to develop business models, particularly for organisations that introduce technological solutions as their main value using disruptive technologies

ECO D2.5 Learning analytics requirements and metrics report

In MOOCs, learning analytics have to be addressed to the various types of learners that participate. This deliverable describes indicators that enable both teachers and learner to monitor the progress and performance as well as identify whether there are learners at risk of dropping out. How these indicators should be computed and displayed to end users by means of dashboards is also explained. Furthermore a proposal based on xAPI statements for storing relevant data and events is provided.Part of the work carried out has been funded with support from the European Commission, under the ICT Policy Support Programme, as part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) in the ECO project under grant agreement n° 21127

Elearning, Communication and Open-data: Massive Mobile, Ubiquitous and Open Learning

ABSTRACT: In MOOCs, learning analytics have to be addressed to the various types of learners that participate. This deliverable describes indicators that enable both teachers and learner to monitor the progress and performance as well as identify whether there are learners at risk of dropping out. How these indicators should be computed and displayed to end users by means of dashboards is also explained. Furthermore a proposal based on xAPI statements for storing relevant data and events is provided

MOTION HANDBOOK: From Overtourism to Innovating Sustainable Solutions in the EU

Erasmus + Programme of the European Union. Project with reference: 2020-1-FI01-KA203-066543

A social theory of performance : a structuration approach

This study embarks on a journey into the realm of organisational performance from a structuration perspective, seeking to unravel the multifaceted processes and capabilities that enable organisations to thrive amidst the ever-changing currents of their socioeconomic, political, and cultural surroundings. The research goes beyond common boundaries of performance analysis, inviting scrutiny into how organisations not only respond to change in the social environment in which they perform but also exert their influence upon them. Drawing from the meticulous examination of a case study centred on alcohol policy in Scotland, the study highlights the reciprocal interactions between agency, agents, and social structures. It argues that organisational performance results from the continuous interaction between organisations and the social context in which they operate, emphasising their dynamic and evolving relationship. This research enriches our understanding of organisational performance by bridging the gap between micro level actions and macro level social structures. It proposes a structuration model that acknowledges performance as a dynamic and dialectical process influenced by historical, contextual, and temporal factors. It underscores the need for a holistic exploration of performance, considering the multifaceted nature of organisational existence. It emphasises their adaptability and resilience amidst change as organisations navigate dynamic socioeconomic landscapes. The research advocates an empirical approach to organisational performance, drawing insights from real-world cases, and encourages scholars and practitioners to push beyond traditional boundaries in performance analysis.This study embarks on a journey into the realm of organisational performance from a structuration perspective, seeking to unravel the multifaceted processes and capabilities that enable organisations to thrive amidst the ever-changing currents of their socioeconomic, political, and cultural surroundings. The research goes beyond common boundaries of performance analysis, inviting scrutiny into how organisations not only respond to change in the social environment in which they perform but also exert their influence upon them. Drawing from the meticulous examination of a case study centred on alcohol policy in Scotland, the study highlights the reciprocal interactions between agency, agents, and social structures. It argues that organisational performance results from the continuous interaction between organisations and the social context in which they operate, emphasising their dynamic and evolving relationship. This research enriches our understanding of organisational performance by bridging the gap between micro level actions and macro level social structures. It proposes a structuration model that acknowledges performance as a dynamic and dialectical process influenced by historical, contextual, and temporal factors. It underscores the need for a holistic exploration of performance, considering the multifaceted nature of organisational existence. It emphasises their adaptability and resilience amidst change as organisations navigate dynamic socioeconomic landscapes. The research advocates an empirical approach to organisational performance, drawing insights from real-world cases, and encourages scholars and practitioners to push beyond traditional boundaries in performance analysis