Playing the Numbers Game: Dealing with Transparency

This paper unpacks the performativity of transparency inside the organization. Organizational members often use digital technologies to make their actions visible to others in the organization. However, practices of visibility produce opaqueness as much as transparency. In our qualitative study in a telecommunications organization, organizational members sometimes made their actions transparent to their colleagues and managers, while at other times they played numbers games and made their actions opaque. We take a sociomaterial perspective and investigate how practices of visibility are performed by organizational members while using digital technologies. We consider the temporality of visibility making practices, to better understand how they emerge and how they produce transparency and opaqueness. We illustrate how transparency and opaqueness are produced interchangeably, as actors are oriented towards the past, present, or future. The study extends our understanding of information visibility inside organizations, by bringing to the foreground its sociomaterial and temporal nature

Micro-Institutional Affordances and Strategies of Radical Innovation

Institutional theory emphasizes the institutional constraints that render radical innovations illegitimate, but fails to explain how such innovations might succeed. Adopting a micro-institutional perspective, this paper addresses why and how embedded agency may overcome legitimacy crises within established systems. Drawing on a sample of 20 legitimacy problems identified in five radical innovation trajectories at two mature companies, we develop an empirically grounded theory of the institutional work through which proponents legitimize radical innovations within established firms. This theory describes a variety of micro-institutional affordances that enable different strategic responses to legitimacy crises. We thus extend institutional theory by explaining embedded agents\u27 use of a range of options to pursue radical innovation, providing a robust explanation of both institutional stability and radical change

Manganverbindungen als Katalysatoren für die Wasseroxidation und als CO freisetzende Moleküle

This PhD thesis deals with several aspects of manganese chemistry and is divided into three parts. The first two concern the synthesis and characterization of manganese-based water oxidation catalysts. The four-electron oxidation of water to dioxygen is a key process of oxygenic photosynthesis in which solar energy is captured and stored in the form of carbohydrates. In nature, this reaction is catalyzed by a µ-oxido-Mn4Ca cluster, the oxygen evolving complex (OEC). Mimicking this reaction with synthetic analogues is of fundamental importance for bioinorganic chemistry. Additionally, manganese based water oxidation catalysts are interesting candidates for the development of so-called artificial photosynthetic devices, i.e. systems for the synthesis of fuels like hydrogen or methanol using the energy of sunlight. In the first part of this thesis, the synthesis of a new dinuclear manganese complex [Mn2(III,III)(tpdm)2(µ-O)(µ-OAc)2]2+ (1) is presented, in which manganese is coordinated to the unusual, facially-coordinating and oxidation stable ligand tpdm (tris(2-pyridyl)methane). The redox behavior of the compound was studied using both UV/Vis and X-Band EPR spectroelectrochemistry. Electrochemical (+1200 mV vs. Ag/Ag+) and chemical (tBuOOH) oxidations transform 1 via a singly oxidized di-µ-oxido Mn2(III,IV)-intermediate to a Mn2(IV,IV)-form of the complex, and both oxidation reactions show characteristics resembling oxidation steps of the OEC. Furthermore, the ability of complex 1 to evolve O2 was studied experimentally. Whereas reactions with hydrogen peroxide and peroxomonosulfate yield O2, homogeneous water-oxidation using Ce(IV) was not achieved. Thus, despite its favorable coordination geometry and multielectron redox chemistry, complex 1 fails to be a functional catalyst for overall water oxidation. In the second part, the preparation of functional, manganese-based catalysts for water oxidation could be achieved by the adsorption of different manganese precursors on K10 montmorillonite. The best catalyst hybrid investigated in this study was prepared by the simple adsorption of Mn3+ onto montmorillonite clay. Spectroscopic results indicated that the catalytic units on the surfaces most likely consist of more than two manganese centers. Furthermore, a manganese oxidation state of Mn≥+III seems to be a prerequisite for active catalysts. On the other hand, very different types of manganese(III) precursors can be assembled into active catalysts, so the geometrical arrangement of the manganese precursors seems to be of no importance. The last part of this thesis deals with an entirely different field of Mn coordination chemistry. Water-soluble complexes containing the fac-[Mn(I)(CO)3]-moiety have been identified as candidates for photoCORM activity (CORM = CO releasing molecule), which describes the photoactivated release of molecular carbon monoxide, a potential therapeutic agent. For the first time, a combination of spectroscopic methods (UV/Vis, IR and EPR) was employed to reveal details of the processes following CO release for Mn(I)(CO)3]-complexes. First, manganese dicarbonyl intermediates are formed after the release of one CO per Mn. The last two carbonyl ligands are then liberated in a reaction accompanied by manganese oxidation to MnII and beyond, which could be clearly detected by EPR spectroscopy. Ultimately, µ-O-Mn(III)-compounds appear to be the most likely final reaction products. The additional information gained in this way could be of significant importance for a potential pharmaceutical application of manganese photoCORMs.Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit verschiedenen Aspekten der Manganchemie und ist in drei Teile gegliedert. Die ersten beiden behandeln die Synthese und Charakterisierung von manganbasierten Wasseroxidations-Katalysatoren. Die Vierelektronen-Oxidation von Wasser zu Sauerstoff ist ein Schlüsselprozess der oxygenen Photosynthese, bei der Solarenergie in Form von Kohlenhydraten gespeichert wird. In der Natur wird diese Reaktion von einem µ-oxido-Mn4Ca-Cluster, dem Sauerstoff-entwickelnden Komplex (oxygen evolving complex, OEC), katalysiert. Die Nachbildung dieser Reaktion mit synthetischen Analoga ist von fundamentaler Bedeutung für die bioanorganische Chemie. Des Weiteren sind manganbasierte Wasseroxidations-Katalysatoren interessante Kandidaten für die Entwicklung der sogenannten künstlichen Photosynthese, d.h. Systeme für die Synthese eines Brennstoffes wie Wasserstoff oder Methanol durch die Nutzung von Sonnenenergie. In dem ersten Teil dieser Arbeit wird die Synthese des neuen zweikernigen Mangankomplexes [Mn2(III,III)(tpdm)2(µ-O)(µ-OAc)2]2+ (1) präsentiert. Das Redoxverhalten von 1 wurde durch UV/Vis- und X-Band EPR-Spektroelektrochemie untersucht. Chemische (tBuOOH) und elektrochemische (+1200 mV vs. Ag/Ag+) Oxidation überführen 1 über das einfach oxidierte di-µ-oxido Mn2(III,IV)-Intermediat in die Mn2 (IV,IV)-Form des Komplexes, wobei beide Oxidationsreaktionen charakteristische Oxidationsschritte des OEC nachbilden. Des Weit- eren wurde die Fähigkeit von Komplex 1 O2 zu entwickeln ntersucht. Während Reaktionen mit Wasserstoffperoxid und Peroxomonosulfat Sauerstoff ergeben, wird keine homogene Wasseroxidation mit Ce(IV) als Oxidationsmittel erreicht. Folglich ist Komplex 1 trotz Mehrelektronenredoxchemie kein funktionaler Wasseroxidationskatalysator. Im zweiten Teil wurden funktionale, manganbasierte Katalysatoren für die Wasseroxidation durch die Adsorption verschiedener Manganprecursoren auf K10 Montmorillonit erhalten. Der beste Katalysator, der in dieser Studie untersucht wurde, konnte durch die simple Adsorption von Mn3+ auf Montmorillonit-Ton erhalten werden. Spektroskopische Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass die katalytischen Einheiten auf den Oberflächen höchstwahrscheinlich aus mehr als zwei Manganzentren bestehen. Darüber hinaus scheint eine Manganoxidationsstufe von Mn≥+III eine Voraussetzung für einen aktiven Katalysator zu sein. Die geometrische Struktur der Manganprecursoren scheint hingegen nicht wichtig zu sein, da aus sehr unterschiedlichen Mangan(III)-Precursoren aktive Katalysatoren erhalten werden können. Der letzte Teil dieser Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit einem gänzlich anderen Bereich der Mangankoordinationschemie. Für wasserlösliche Komplexe, die die fac-[Mn(I)(CO)3]-Einheit enthalten, wurde gezeigt, dass sie photoinduziert Kohlenmonoxid abgeben können, also photoCORM-Aktivität (CORM = CO releasing molecule, CO freisetzendes Molekül) aufweisen. Erstmals wurde eine Kombination von spektroskopischen Methoden (UV/Vis, IR und EPR) verwendet, um Details der CO-Abspaltungsprozesse zu erhalten. Als erstes entstehen Mangandicarbonyl-Intermediate nach der Abgabe von einem Molekül CO pro Mn. Die letzten beiden Carbonylliganden werden nachfolgend in einer Reaktion freigesetzt, die mit einer Manganoxidation zu Mn(II) und darüber hinaus verbunden ist, wie eindeutig mit Hilfe der EPR-Spektroskopie gezeigt werden konnte. Letztlich scheinen µ-O-MnIII-Verbindungen die Endprodukte der Reaktionen zu sein. Die durch diese Studien gewonnenen Informationen könnten von maßgeblicher Bedeutung für eine potentielle pharmazeutische Anwendung von Mangan-photoCORMs sein

Strategizing and the initiation of interorganizational collaboration through prospective resourcing

In this paper, we explain how managers establish resource complementarity during their strategizing efforts for interorganizational collaboration. Based on a longitudinal field study at an automotive company, we show that resource complementarity is not given but jointly constructed in interactions with multiple potential partners through recursive cycles of what we refer to as 'prospective resourcing'. Prospective resourcing mediates the interplay of strategizing and collaboration, thereby reversing the prevailing logic that strategy precedes and determines collaboration. Our findings offer insight into resourcing as a mechanism for developing strategic initiatives and shows how external actors may influence strategizing

Make way for the algorithms:Symbolic actions and change in a regime of knowing

When actors deem technological change undesirable, they may act symbolically by pretending to comply while avoiding real change. In our study of the introduction of an algorithmic technology in a sales organization, we found that such symbolic conformity led unintendedly to the full implementation of the suggested technological change. To explain this surprising outcome, we advance a regime-of-knowing lens that helps to analyze deep challenges happening under the surface during the process of technology introduction. A regime of knowing guides what is worth knowing, what actions matter to acquire this knowledge, and who has the authority to make decisions around those issues. We found that both the technologists who introduced the algorithmic technology, and the incumbent workers whose work was affected by the change, used symbolic actions to either defend the established regime of knowing or to advocate a radical change. Although the incumbent workers enacted symbolic conformity by pretending to comply with suggested changes, the technologists performed symbolic advocacy by presenting a positive side of the technological change. Ironically, because the symbolic conformity enabled and was reinforced by symbolic advocacy, reinforcing cycles of symbolic actions yielded a radical change in the sales' regime of knowing: from one focused on a deep understanding of customers via personal contact and strong relationships, to one based on model predictions from the processing of large datasets. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for the introduction of technology at work and for knowing in the workplace

Complementors as connectors: managing open innovation around digital product platforms

In the digital age, open innovation is increasingly organized around platform ecosystems. This paper investigates how firms can coordinate open innovation as a platform strategy for the development of complementary products by independent third parties. We draw on a qualitative case study of Philips Hue – a connected lighting platform for consumers with its variety of complementary products. We identify three increasingly complex ways in which independent complements connect to a focal platform. Our findings show that managing these connections requires a hybrid open innovation approach that combines arm’s length coordination, with a large number of complementors through open interfaces, and intensive bilateral collaboration, with a selected number of partners. Our findings demonstrate that complex interconnections across digital platforms and products lead to the management challenge of navigating an ‘ecology of platforms’, which warrants future research

Sustaining Complement Quality for Digital Product Platforms:A Case Study of the Philips Hue Ecosystem

Innovation in a digital world increasingly revolves around open platforms that consist of a core technology and a large variety of complementary products developed by an ecosystem of independent complementors. The platform ecosystem literature has mainly focused on indirect network effects arising from the quantity of complements, with little attention to the quality of complements, despite the importance of quality for the complementary value that drives platform ecosystems. Because digital products are malleable and dependent on the ever-evolving ecosystem, we advance a relational and dynamic conceptualization of complement quality. Drawing on a systematic, in-depth qualitative case study of the Philips Hue connected lighting platform and its complementary third-party apps, we study how and why complement quality is sustained over time. By analyzing apps and their updates, we developed a process model that explains pathways through which complement quality is enhanced, maintained, or deteriorates. Changes in the platform core, changes in other ecosystem elements, and idiosyncratic connections by users result in expanding affordances, materializing glitches, and emerging obsolescence. Without further action, glitches and obsolescence lead to deteriorating quality. Joint action of complementors, platform owners, and users is needed to act upon affordances, glitches, and obsolescence, in order to maintain integrity and enhance functionality. This paper contributes to the literature on innovation in platform ecosystems by explaining the dynamic and relational nature of complement quality in a digital platform ecosystem and showing the interdependence of ecosystem members (the triad between platform owner, complementors, and users) in sustained development efforts