Christopher Palmberg and Olli Martikainen
While the ICT industry as a whole is undergoing a potentially disruptive phase of development due to the convergence between information and telecom technologies and the rapid…
Abstract
Purpose
While the ICT industry as a whole is undergoing a potentially disruptive phase of development due to the convergence between information and telecom technologies and the rapid diffusion of internet‐related applications. Against this background the purpose of the paper is to analyse recent patterns of internal/indigenous and external diversification of prominent Finnish telecom firms using data on patents and strategic R&D alliances.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology comprises of statistical analyses of patterns of patenting of Finnish telecom firms to capture the internal/indigenous nature of diversification, compared with patterns of external diversification based on a new database of alliances of Finnish firms.
Findings
The results indicate that the Finnish telecom industry has diversified its technological base in recent years. The industry appears internally/indigenously weak in internet‐related “new” telecom technologies and related applications. However, telecom firms have also extensively engaged themselves in complementary R&D alliances in these fields.
Research limitations/implications
The paper carries important implications for policymakers and managers alike related to the sustainability of previous success of Finnish telecom. Limitation related to the use of Finnish patent data that might to capture software technologies sufficiently, and does not aim to/cannot capture the diversified technological competencies of Nokia on a global level.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper lies in the combination of patent and R&D alliances data, as well as the development of a concordance table to link technology classes to broader developments in the industry, for a novel and systematic analysis of the responsiveness of the Finnish telecom industry to ICT convergence
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Christopher Palmberg and Eric Bohlin
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers in the special issue on “Next generation mobile telecommunications networks challenges to the Nordic ICT industries”.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers in the special issue on “Next generation mobile telecommunications networks challenges to the Nordic ICT industries”.
Design/methodology/approach
This introductory paper summarises the key points of each paper.
Findings
The competitive environment of the Nordic ICT industries has changed and is far more complex now compared to the previous single‐standard environment of 2G. The avenues for influencing competition between basic technology platforms and standards are much narrower and involve interaction with a much greater number of stakeholders and technologies on a global level.
Originality/value
The six papers of this Special Issue highlight interesting viewpoints both on the possible future evolution of the mobile telecommunications industry in general, as well as on the past development and present challenges that the Nordic countries face.
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Eric J. Iversen and Richard Tee
The purpose of this mainly conceptual paper is to analyze key changes in the institutional setting for standardization and to discuss what they indicate about further developments…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this mainly conceptual paper is to analyze key changes in the institutional setting for standardization and to discuss what they indicate about further developments of the mobile sector. The intention is that this conceptual analysis will complement and contextualize the analysis of Nordic players found in the other papers of this special issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is concerned with issues of industrial organization. The paper presents a treatment of industrial dynamics in them mobile telecom sector and the changing role of standards in it. We approach the substantial changes in the mobile telecom sector, focusing on the correspondence of the changes in the standards system to overall industry dynamics. Empirical information from the Symbian case is used to illustrate the hypothesis of standardization process and of the industry at large.
Findings
The paper identifies changing patters in the organization of technological standardization which represents a microcosm of the larger reorganization of the sector. Nordic actors, whose present position owes much to success in linking capabilities to sequential mobile standards. The paper draws out implications of the limits to “intergenerational leveraging” in standards.
Originality/value
The major contribution of the paper is to focus on changes in the organization of the standardization process in order to discuss the industrial dynamics of an industry which is undergoing a period of rapid change. Its reference to industrial dynamics perspective allows it to link the literature on dominant design to the field of standards research.
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Christian R. Pedersen, Michael S. Dahl and Bent Dalum
To analyse the past developments and future challenges of the Danish ICT industries with a focus on the mobile communications industry.
Abstract
Purpose
To analyse the past developments and future challenges of the Danish ICT industries with a focus on the mobile communications industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on ICT employment and usage is analysed from an innovation system perspective in a case study of the Danish ICT industries.
Findings
The Danish ICT sector is characterised by high skill levels and advanced demand while the supply side is lacking behind. However, opportunities is found in the emerging next generation mobile communication network standard due to a combination of a broad skill base, influence of US firms and relatively lesser vested interests in previous generation networks, standards and business models.
Originality/value
This paper is a part of a special issue on next generation mobile telecommunications networks – challenges to the Nordic ICT industries. This paper presents the past development and future challenges of the Danish ICT industries emerging from the mismatch between demand and supply.
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Internet and GSM have become the dominant designs for information and communication technology (ICT) industries in the late 1990s. Internet protocol (IP) is the dominant standard…
Abstract
Purpose
Internet and GSM have become the dominant designs for information and communication technology (ICT) industries in the late 1990s. Internet protocol (IP) is the dominant standard for cost effective networking and new interactive broadband services. GSM (2G) is currently the dominant cellular technology and it is the basis of GSM, GPRS (2.5G) and UMTS (3G), the GSM‐continuum of standards. The marriage of broadband internet and mobile has created open questions on which are the future winning wireless standards. Will mobile internet be based on the GSM‐continuum or on US wireless developments such as WLAN and WiMAX? In longer time‐scale the Mobile Ad‐hoc Network (MANET) which does not use any preinstalled communications infrastructure may also become a cost‐effective challenger to infrastructure based networks. The paper seeks to address these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper elaborates these questions with the aim to provide an analytically clarifying conceptualisation of the competitive relationships between 3G, WLAN/WiMAX and the emerging MANET opportunities both in network and application perspectives. By considering the interaction of the possible competitive regimes we analyze the disruptive capabilities of new solutions to become substitutes to the existing ones.
Findings
There are a number of open issues in the WLAN/WiMAX and MANET architectures, which require further work and global standardization. For the while, the integration of the personal applications to the GSM continuum seems to be the most potential approach to import internet to the mobile world. However, there is no winner yet, and the author strongly believes that a new wave of innovations may come around these lines and that these developments will also change the mobile technology and services landscape.
Originality/value
The paper contributes with a systemantic analysis of the competition between 3G, WLAN/WiMAX and ad hoc network technologies. A novelty in the analysis is that it incorporates both network access technologies and applications.
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Sven Lindmark, Erik J. Andersson, Erik Bohlin and Mattias Johansson
To analyse the evolution of the Swedish telecommunications sector (1970‐2003), with a focus on barriers and drivers of innovative activity.
Abstract
Purpose
To analyse the evolution of the Swedish telecommunications sector (1970‐2003), with a focus on barriers and drivers of innovative activity.
Design/methodology/approach
Developing a functional approach to innovation systems analysis, where six basic interdependent functions need to be served for a new technology to be developed and diffused and for a supporting industry to evolve. The sector is divided into four major sub‐sectors: traditional fixed telecom; mobile telephony; fixed data communications (including internet); and mobile data communications (including mobile internet).
Findings
Relate to two questions: first, how did it happen that Sweden developed a leading innovation system for mobile telephony but not for data communication; and second, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the innovation system for mobile data communications? Findings include that early developments mattered, innovative search direction is crucial as are the provision of incentives for innovative activity.
Research limitations/implications
Functional analysis of innovation systems useful for guiding policy actions, which should have the purpose of strengthening weak functions, removing bottlenecks and stimulating inducement mechanisms, in particular if used to stimulate the transition from one phase to another. It needs further development, in particular with respect to the understanding of diffusion processes.
Practical implications
The stimulation of innovation in, and diffusion of, mobile and broadband data services is crucial to development of the innovation system, globally, in Europe and in Sweden. An innovation system which allows for entrepreneurial experimentation should be fostered. Early stage financing and diffusion of services are major system weaknesses. Regulatory authorities should consider addressing innovation explicitly.
Originality/value
New (adapted) approach for guiding policy action. Better understanding of dynamics in the telecom sector, and the comparative success and failure of Swedish industry in sub‐sectors.
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Dan Saugstrup and Anders Henten
The main purpose of this paper is to analyze which standard/technology will win the 3G mobile markets. In addition, two sub topics are examined. First, which kind of victory will…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this paper is to analyze which standard/technology will win the 3G mobile markets. In addition, two sub topics are examined. First, which kind of victory will it be – will one technological solution be all‐dominating or is co‐existence more likely? Second, which are the most decisive factors in the battle between the different standards – which roles do respectively technology path‐dependence, network effects and strategic concerns play?
Design/methodology/approach
The approach taken in the paper is to examine the different kinds of stakeholders – in this field, first and foremost, equipment manufacturers, network operators, policy makers/administrators and end users; to analyze how such stakeholders are intervening in the different relevant steps – technology development, technology deployment and technology take‐up – and to analyze these issues from different angles – technology, markets and economy, policy and regulation, and other social aspects.
Findings
The paper concludes that WCDMA will dominate the markets, but that there will be a co‐existence of different solutions – also inside individual countries where more than one solution is implemented.
Originality/value
The paper is based on the understanding that a vast array of different factors in a complex dynamic environment goes into the determination of the outcome of such standardization games. However, the battle between 3G standards has already reached a level, where relatively certain predictions can be made. And, the paper contributes with a methodologically based discussion concerning the outcome of the battle between 3G standards.
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Hatice Akpinar and Didem Özer-Çaylan
The global business environment causes different and difficult kinds of problems that threaten organizational survival. As an important solution, the organizational resilience…
Abstract
Purpose
The global business environment causes different and difficult kinds of problems that threaten organizational survival. As an important solution, the organizational resilience concept arises and offers holistic philosophy. The resilience concept offers multidisciplinary and valuable eclectic literature to organizational studies that help to produce a wide variety of solutions but causes a lack of consensus to measure and apply resilience at an organizational level. To fill this gap, this paper aims to offer the complex adaptive systems (CAS) approach as a lens to organizations. This paper aims to offer that CAS provides a suitable toolkit to address the organizational resilience concept as it has the potential to offer more generalizable guidance.
Design/methodology/approach
To reach that goal, this research follows a two-phase systematic literature review. In the first phase, the purpose is to search past five years’ studies (2015–2020) to figure out current trends in organizational resilience concepts. In the second phase, organizational resilience studies, which include the CAS approach, are checked to analyze the alignment procedures of two concepts.
Findings
Literature shows that the organizational resilience concept has rarely worked from the CAS lens.CAS are more resilient via adaptation and learning as they depend on local interactions that shape and co-evolve together with their dynamic environment, which helps the emergence of self-organization in an unpredictable future. To achieve organizational resilience, the CAS lens proposes a generalizable and applicable framework to organizational studies.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should also explore the impact of the interrelationship between two concepts; quantitative and qualitative methods should be applied to be able to get empirical results.
Practical implications
CAS lens could be used as a contemporary design idea. The CAS approach enables the learning and adaptation requirement of the organizational resilience concept, which helps to create dynamic capabilities to handle turbulent changes and gain long-lasting competitiveness. Designing organizations’ agents from CAS viewpoint helps to understand and be ready for new trends, such as digitalization or Industry 4.0.
Social implications
Evaluating organizations from the CAS lens as living systems that co-evolve with their environments reveals different ways to achieve organizational resilience management philosophy. Designing organizations as CAS promotes organizational adaptation and learning, which improves organizational decision-making, increasing organizational resilience in organizations.
Originality/value
The originality of the study lies in proposing to achieve organizational resilience via CAS lenses and offering a conceptual framework to achieve organizational resilience.
Propósito
El entorno empresarial global genera distintos problemas que amenazan la supervivencia de la organización. Como solución relevante, surge el concepto de resiliencia organizacional que ofrece una filosofía holística. El concepto de resiliencia ofrece una literatura ecléctica multidisciplinaria y que es valiosa para los estudios organizacionales que ayudan a producir una amplia variedad de soluciones, pero existe una falta de consenso para medir y aplicar la resiliencia a nivel organizacional. Con el fin de llenar este vacío, este documento ofrece el Enfoque de Sistemas Adaptativos Complejos (CAS) como una lente para las organizaciones. El objetivo de este estudio es demostrar que los Sistemas Adaptativos Complejos (CAS) proporcionan un conjunto de herramientas adecuado para abordar el concepto de resiliencia organizacional, ya que tiene el potencial de ofrecer una orientación más generalizable.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Para alcanzar ese objetivo, esta investigación sigue dos fases de revisión sistemática de la literatura. En la primera fase, el propósito fue buscar en cinco años (2015–2020) para investigar las tendencias actuales en los conceptos de resiliencia organizacional. En la segunda fase, se verifican los estudios de resiliencia organizacional que incluyen el enfoque CAS para analizar los procedimientos de alineación de dos conceptos.
Hallazgos
La literatura muestra que el concepto de resiliencia organizacional no se vincula a los Sistemas Adaptativos Complejos (CAS). Los sistemas adaptativos complejos son más resistentes a través de la adaptación y el aprendizaje, ya que dependen de las interacciones locales que dan forma y coevolucionan junto con su entorno dinámico que ayuda a emerger como auto-organización en un futuro impredecible. Para lograr la resiliencia organizacional, la lente CAS propone un marco generalizable y aplicable a los estudios organizacionales.
Originalidad
La originalidad del estudio radica en proponer lograr la resiliencia organizacional a través de los Sistemas Adaptativos Complejos (CAS) y ofrece un marco conceptual para lograr la resiliencia organizacional.
Palabras clave
Resiliencia organizacional, Enfoque de sistemas adaptativos complejos (CAS), Revisión sistemática de la literatura, Modelo conceptual
Tipo de papel
Documento conceptual
Objetivo
O ambiente de negócios global gera diferentes problemas que ameaçam a sobrevivência da organização. Como solução relevante, surge o conceito de resiliência organizacional que oferece uma filosofia holística. O conceito de resiliência oferece uma literatura multidisciplinar eclética e é valioso para estudos organizacionais que ajudam a produzir uma grande variedade de soluções, mas há falta de consenso para medir e aplicar resiliência a nível organizacional. Para colmatar esta lacuna, este trabalho oferece a Abordagem Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) como uma lente para organizações. O objetivo deste estudo é demonstrar que os Sistemas Adaptativos Complexos (CAS) fornecem um conjunto adequado de ferramentas para abordar o conceito de resiliência organizacional, uma vez que tem o potencial de oferecer orientações mais generalizadas.
Design/metodologia/abordagem
Para atingir este objetivo, esta investigação segue duas fases de revisão sistemática da literatura. Na primeira fase, o objetivo foi procurar em cinco anos (2015–2020) investigar as tendências atuais nos conceitos de resiliência organizacional. Na segunda fase, verifica-se estudos de resiliência organizacional que incluem a abordagem CAS para analisar os procedimentos de alinhamento de dois conceitos.
Conclusões
A literatura mostra que o conceito de resiliência organizacional não está ligado a Sistemas Adaptativos Complexos (CAS). Os sistemas adaptativos complexos são mais resistentes através da adaptação e da aprendizagem, pois dependem de interações locais que moldam e co-evoluem juntamente com o seu ambiente dinâmico que ajuda a emergir como auto-organização num futuro imprevisível. Para alcançar a resiliência organizacional, a lente CAS propõe um quadro generalizável aplicável aos estudos organizacionais.
Originalidade
A originalidade do estudo consiste em propor a obtenção de resiliência organizacional através de Sistemas Adaptativos Complexos (CAS) e oferece um quadro conceptual para alcançar a resiliência organizacional.
Palavras-chave
Resiliência organizacional, Abordagem de sistemas adaptativos complexos (CAS), Revisão sistemática de literatura, Modelo conceptual
Tipo de manuscrito
Papel conceitual
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Henry Mutebi, Joseph Mpeera Ntayi, Moses Muhwezi and John C. Kigozi Munene
To coordinate humanitarian organisations with different mandates that flock the scenes of disasters to save lives and respond to varied needs arising from the increased number of…
Abstract
Purpose
To coordinate humanitarian organisations with different mandates that flock the scenes of disasters to save lives and respond to varied needs arising from the increased number of victims is not easy. Therefore, the level at which organisations self-organise, network and adapt to the dynamic operational environment may be related to inter-organisational coordination. The authors studied self-organisation, organisational networks and adaptability as important and often overlooked organisational factors hypothesised to be related to inter-organisational coordination in the context of humanitarian organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
The study’s sample consisted of 101 humanitarian organisations with 315 respondents. To decrease the problem of common method variance, the authors split the samples within each humanitarian organisation into two subsamples: one subsample was used for the measurement of self-organisation, organisational network and adaptability, while the other was for the measurement of inter-organisational coordination.
Findings
The partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis using SmartPLS 3.2.8 indicated that self-organisation is related to inter-organisational coordination. Organisational network and adaptability were found to be mediators for the relationship between self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination and all combined accounted for 57.8% variance in inter-organisational coordination.
Research limitations/implications
The study was cross sectional, hence imposing a limitation on changes in perceptions over time. Perhaps, a longitudinal study in future is desirable. Data were collected only from humanitarian organisations that had delivered relief to refugees in the stated camps by 2018. Above all, this study considered self-organisation, adaptability and organisational networks in the explanation of inter-organisational coordination, although there are other factors that could still be explored.
Practical implications
A potential implication is that humanitarian organisations which need to coordinate with others in emergency situations may need to examine their ability to self-organise, network and adapt.
Social implications
Social transformation is a function of active social entities that cannot work in isolation. Hence, for each to be able to make a contribution to meaningful social change, there is need to develop organisational networks with sister organisations so as to secure rare resources that facilitate change efforts coupled with the ability to reorganise themselves and adapt to changing environmental circumstances.
Originality/value
The paper examines (1) the extent to which self-organisation, adaptability and organisational networks influence inter-organisational coordination; (2) the mediating role of both adaptability and organisational networks between self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination in the context of humanitarian organisations against the backdrop of complex adaptive system (CAS) theory.
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Henry Mutebi, Moses Muhwezi, Pontius Byarugaba, Ssekajja S. Mayanja, Wilbroad Aryatwijuka and Sharon Brenda Munduru
Globally, health care facilities often fail to respond quickly to health emergencies, resulting in significant deaths. Thus, the study examines the mediating effect of logistics…
Abstract
Purpose
Globally, health care facilities often fail to respond quickly to health emergencies, resulting in significant deaths. Thus, the study examines the mediating effect of logistics capabilities in the relationship between co-evolution, organization capacity building and operational agility.
Design/methodology/approach
SmartPLS 4.0.8.3, variance-based structural equation models (VB-SEM) were used to test direct and indirect hypotheses across 45 health facilities. The respondents were 140 nurses and doctors. Disproportionate stratified simple random sampling was used based on government and private health facilities in Kampala City, Uganda.
Findings
A significant and positive relationship exists between logistics capability and operational agility. However, co-evolution and organizational capacity are intimately linked to operational agility via logistics capability.
Research limitations/implications
A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using self-administered questionnaires. The results did not show any variation in the operational agility of health facilities during emergency management; thus, qualitative approaches are needed.
Practical implications
During emergency management, health facilities need to cooperate by sharing information, building capacity to increase their responsiveness and flexibility. This should be done by sharing equipment, tools, drugs and medical supplies, and we hope to encourage joint medical research.
Originality/value
A complex adaptive systems (CAS) framework is used in this study to examine how co-evolution, organizational capacity building and logistical capability relate to the operational agility of healthcare during times of emergency.