1,720,988 research outputs found
The dark side of projects: corruption, sexism, modern slavery, money laundering, inefficient use of resources, and waste of existing assets
No full textThe fine line between success and failure: an analysis of open innovation projects
No full textPurpose: Despite the multiple calls for research on the dark side of open innovation, very few studies have approached the topic so far. This study aims to analyse successful and unsuccessful open innovation projects. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses thematic analysis to describe the factors determining their (un)success. The researchers interviewed 27 managers and owners in the manufacturing sector. Then, the respondents were asked to discuss one successful and one unsuccessful open innovation project to explore the differences in triggers and setbacks, focusing on the causes that determined the failures. Findings: Findings show that many interviewees are reluctant to identify failure cases, which somewhat explains the paucity of studies on the topic, and others do so when the failure is recognised by a third party (such as a public institution not granting funds to the project). This study discussed how this phenomenon is linked with the paradoxical relation between innovation success and failure. It is also found that triggers and setbacks determining the project's (un)success are markedly differently based on the technological intensity of the firm. Implications for scholars and practitioners are also drawn. Originality/value: This study provides a balanced view between open innovation successes and failures to offer informative recommendations to practitioners. Furthermore, it contributes to filling the scarcity of studies related to risks and failures of open innovation projects. This gap has been addressed by studying the factors that determine the success and unsuccess of an open innovation project
Tackling new research questions in energy transition: The system of provision approach
Full text linkInvestigating the transition toward more sustainable socio-technical systems in the energy sector is challenging, requiring the integration of political economy and ecology perspectives, along with social power dynamics. Nevertheless, these elements are often studied in isolation, and not integrated into transition research theoretical frameworks, hampering the development of a more nuanced understanding of sustainable transition in the energy sector. This paper provides a systematic literature review and thematic analysis to provide a critical overview of the System of Provision (SoP) approach as a complementary theoretical approach for energy researchers. The SoP approach connects social practices, cultural norms, and consumer agency with broader economic structures, recognising energy consumption as an integral part of daily life rather than an isolated activity. Bridging micro-level behaviours with macro-level policies, the SoP offers a bottom-up framework to understand the roles of agents and systemic factors in sustainable energy transitions. The SoP approach paves the way for novel research inquiries into consumption behaviours and social relations, particularly those that encompass emergent modalities of practice, cognitive frameworks, and organisational structures in the provisioning of energy. The paper concludes by offering practical insights for applying the SoP approach in empirical studies, highlighting key elements like agents, structures, processes, relations and material cultures, outlining geographical contexts, provisioning systems, and methodological options for both detached and engaged research, and discussing the main critiques and weaknesses of the approach, offering alternatives to move forward research in the energy sector
Crowdsourcing initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic: empirical evidence from the Italian context
No full textPurpose – Academics and practitioners are increasingly discussing the role of crowdsourcing initiatives in
dealing with the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with their role in an emergency context
in general. However, empirical evidence about the role of crowdsourcing initiatives in an emergency context is
still scarce. This paper aims to address this gap in knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors adopted an inductive approach to investigate how
companies leveraged crowdsourcing initiatives to address the issues posed by COVID-19. Data were collected
through semi-structured interviews. The selection of the interviewees was based on a purposive sampling
strategy. Data were analysed through thematic analysis.
Findings – The analysis led to the identification and examination of drivers (e.g. preserving relationships with
customers), advantages (e.g. increased demand for services) and disadvantages (e.g. increased platform cost) of
implementing crowdsourcing initiatives during COVID-19. By leveraging the findings, this paper suggests future
research opportunities. Relevant future research opportunities include: (1) quantitatively evaluating the economic
impact of crowdsourcing initiatives during a disruptive event and (2) examining how the sector inwhich the company
operates influences the beneficial and detrimental effects of crowdsourcing initiatives on company performance.
Originality/value – The involvement of crowds as innovation partners has provided unique opportunities for
companies to innovate and address the challenging scenario. The scientific literature about the role of
crowdsourcing during COVID-19 is growing. However, there is still a scarcity of empirical evidence about the
mechanisms underpinning the use of crowdsourcing during the pandemic. By leveraging semi-structured
interviews, this paper addresses this relevant gap in knowledge
Policies toward net-zero: Benchmarking the economic competitiveness of nuclear against wind and solar energy
Full text linkGoing Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Modular circular economy in energy infrastructures: The case of Small Modular Reactors
Full text linkPolicymakers, practitioners, and academics increasingly discuss modularisation
and Circular Economy (CE) in the energy sector. However, these topics are
usually discussed individually, failing to recognise their interdependency.
Recognising interdependency is crucial because modularisation can become a
key enabler of CE. This PhD research addresses this gap in knowledge.
Traditional stick-built infrastructures have a lifecycle often predetermined by
components very difficult or expensive to replace. Modular energy
infrastructures could be made reconfigurable and extend their lifecycle by
decoupling the life of the infrastructures from their modules. Modules can be
designed in a way that, when a module reaches its end of life, it could be
exchanged, extending the life of the infrastructure. Moreover, when the
infrastructure needs to be retired, modules still functioning could be used in
another infrastructure. Shifting the attention from component to module level
can facilitate CE initiatives. Leveraging this intuition, this research investigated
the link between modularisation and CE, focusing on the case of Small Modular
Reactors (SMRs), which the literature considers a key modular technology in the
next 10-20 years. This research contributes to both theory and practice.
Regarding the contribution to theory, the link between modularisation and CE
has been theoretically conceptualised by introducing the Modular CE, which is
the key novelty of this PhD research. The Modular CE has been compared to
traditional modularisation by leveraging a systematic review and a case study.
Regarding the contribution to practice, this research focused on the reuse
initiative, identifying and examining enabling factors and barriers for the
Modular CE by interviewing 24 experts in the nuclear and oil and gas sector.
Furthermore, this research identified and ranked the most relevant elements
hindering and favouring Modular CE in the case of SMRs by conducting a
questionnaire survey involving 97 SMR experts. Finally, this research paves the
way to future research opportunities, such as investigating the Modular CE in
other infrastructures (e.g. wind farm) and the quantitative evaluation of the
economic and environmental implications of Modular CE initiatives
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