Resource renewal in heavy business networks: the case of Modvion starting up in the Swedish wind energy context

Purpose: Taking the perspective of a start-up company, the purpose of this paper is to analyse resource renewal in heavy business networks. Design/methodology/approach: The theoretical framework is based on the Industrial Network Approach and, especially, the resource interaction framework, business network settings and studies of starting up in business networks. The basis for the paper is a case study of a start-up in the Swedish wind energy context. Findings: Resource renewal in this case means replacing one resource, having implications for the resource interfaces in the three business network settings. Research limitations/implications: The paper contributes to the area of studies of starting up in business networks by identifying a distinct form of resource renewal in heavy business networks enabled by development of resource interfaces in three business network settings. Practical implications: Managers in start-ups as well as established firms need to interact to create and develop the resource interfaces that are needed to achieve resource renewal. Resource renewal not only is in the hands of start-ups but also requires interactive resource development with various collaboration partners. Originality/value: This study takes a start-up’s perspective to resource renewal of heavy business networks and analyses heaviness based on resource interfaces in three business network settings

Patterns of resource interaction in resource constellations: The case of start-ups approaching the Swedish energy system

This doctoral thesis deals with resource interaction in business networks. Interactive resource development is based on a combination of new and existing resources. However, interactions with specific resource constellations will look different depending on the context in which a new resource is to be embedded. Consequently, to support technological development and innovation it is important to understand how resources interact in a resource constellation and how changes evolve when to make new resources useful in the business network.Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to develop the understanding of resource interaction in business networks. The theoretical starting point is the Industrial Network Approach to industrial markets, especially resource development through interaction. Particular attention is devoted to the resource interfaces that are created between the resources of start-ups and those of other actors in the business network, and the way these are combined to create value for the involved parties over time.The empirical setting of the study is the Swedish energy system, which is characterised by long-term business relationships and investments and an urgent need for transformation. The method used is a single case study that describes the innovation journey of three start-ups when approaching resource constellations. The three start-ups focus on novel approaches to renewable energy. The results of this thesis are manifold. Firstly, the study contributes an analytical model to capture connected resource interfaces in business networks and identify potential hindrances and enablers when embedding new resources into a resource constellation. Consequently, different sequences of connected resource interfaces will occur, forming different resource interaction patterns. Five patterns are identified that can help in estimating the effects of attempting to embed a new resource into a resource constellation. Secondly, the study reveals that exploring the potential versatility of a resource in a resource constellation is a matter of exploring and exploiting resource interfaces within it. Thirdly, the study emphasises the importance of considering not only the known use(s) of a resource but also its potential use(s).Regarding policy implications, it is important to consider the network of the start-up when investing in start-ups that could be part of transforming the Swedish energy system. It is important to assess the resource collections of a start-up and the potential resource constellation it would be part of to see if any existing resources could act as a ‘bridge’ to the energy system. From a start-up manager’s perspective, it is important to have an awareness of the process of working with certain resource interfaces and how they are connected in order to allow for a start-up’s resources to be embedded into the business network. It is also necessary to find collaboration partners that are willing to make adaptations to their own resource collections

How should a small company interact in its business network to sustain its exchange effectiveness?

This paper investigates the dynamic alignment of network and business\ud development of two small firms in the printing industry. Developments are\ud followed over more than 8 years. The aim of the paper is to understand how\ud small firms can manage their network relations by maintaining both their\ud efficiency in existing business and flexibility to develop new business. The case comparison suggests that different networking approaches drive business\ud development. For successful business development both strong and varied ties\ud as well as the existence of different intermediary functions of partners are\ud necessary

Dynamic escape game

We introduce Dynamic Escape Game (DEC), a tool that provides emergency evacuation plans in situations where some of the escape paths may become unavailable at runtime. We formalize the setting as a reachability two-player turn-based game where the universal player has the power of inhibiting at runtime some moves to the existential player. Thus, the universal player can change the structure of the game arena along a play. DEC uses a graphical interface to depict the game and displays a winning play whenever it exists

Research on Cloud Enterprise Resource Integration and Scheduling Technology Based on Mixed Set Programming

With the development of Industry 4.0 and intelligent manufacturing, aiming at the incompatibility of heterogeneous manufacturing resource interfaces and the low efficiency of collaborative scheduling of manufacturing resources among enterprises，we proposed the resource integration and scheduling strategy among enterprises based on Mixed Set Programming [1]. By using the metadata and ontology modeling methods, we were able to realize a standardized model description of manufacturing resources. At last, an enterprise application case was discussed to verify the resources integration and scheduling strategy based on Mixed Set Programming is effective to optimize and improve the efficiency of the collaborative scheduling of resources among enterprises. The resources integration and scheduling strategy based on Mixed Set Programming could be applied to promote the optimal allocation of manufacturing resources

Making packaging more sustainable: Effects of resource embeddedness

Firms involved in e-commerce distribution are faced with challenges due to the increasing volume of single shipments to consumers, including concerns regarding sustainability. For instance, the role of packaging has gained increased attention because of over-packed parcels and excessive air within those parcels, which frustrate retailers, logistics service providers, and consumers. E-commerce also challenges established structures for distribution to physical stores, when firms increasingly use multiple distribution channels to reach consumers. The design of e-commerce packaging affects other resources in retail distribution, and vice versa. In turn, such interdependence not only affects how packaging solutions can be developed but also highlights the importance of various firms developing resources in interaction. This thesis aims to explore how more sustainable packaging solutions are developed in a business network context. A single case study was conducted to examine how e-commerce packaging interacts with other resources and how this interaction affects various firms in their efforts to create more sustainable packaging solutions. In doing so, the thesis is theoretically grounded in the Industrial Network Approach and focuses on resource interaction and how a focal resource—e-commerce packaging—is embedded in a business network. The thesis contributes by highlighting the challenges involved in efforts to make individual resources more sustainable in various parts of a business network. The findings underscore the importance of identifying how resources are embedded in network settings. Regarding e-commerce packaging, three network settings are identified: product development, sorting, and packing. The implications for firms involved in these network settings are that interaction is required both within and across the network settings to develop more sustainable packaging solutions

Disembedding air from e-commerce parcels: A joint challenge for supply chain actors

The increasing use of e-commerce has brought attention to the problem of excessive air in e-commerce parcels. Within this context, the paper sets out to illustrate how e-commerce parcels are embedded in a network of resources controlled by various actors, each with their own perspective on how to tackle the problem of excessive air in e-commerce parcels and its associated challenges. The findings are derived from a single case study relying on 33 interviews, field visits, a workshop and secondary data. The article is grounded in Industrial Network Theory and particularly the Resource Interaction Approach, which enables an analysis of how air as a resource can be disembedded from e-commerce parcels. The results offer insights for firms involved in e-commerce supply chains into various actors\u27 perspectives on air in e-commerce parcels and how firms can start tackling the challenge of reducing it. The paper concludes that even though excessive air in parcels has received much attention lately, this problem is not always highly prioritised and only one of many considerations for firms