Incom 2018 –Bergamo Italy June 11-13, 2018

Special Session (u4ew7)

 

The role of smart technology in service business ecosystems – Organizing adaptation and interaction processes

 

Chairs

Thomas Süße, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, thomas.suesse@rub.de, Germany

Jens Pöppelbuß, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, jens.poeppelbuss@ruhr-uni-bochum.de, Germany

 

Description

The emergence of smart technologies like artificial intelligence, neuronal networks or smart data analysis is discussed as having huge potential in supporting and enhancing the organization of knowledge, information exchange and interconnected activities of heterogeneous actors. Researchers and practitioners argue that the advances in the field of the technological area, especially in information technology, enable and support profound transformational processes that lead to new forms of organizing as well as a new quality of highly interoperable interaction and problem solving processes, e.g. in the sense of highly synchronized activities and a shared context of business goals and values among a set of loosely coupled actors, organizations or entities. This means that the way how problem solving processes during solution development or delivery are organized today and in the future is supposed to change dramatically with the help of technological advances. A prominent example which illustrates how the understanding and conceptualization of new forms of organizing has already reshaped can be seen in the increasing usage and popularity of the term business ecosystem (Gawer, 2014; Mäkinen & Dedehayir, 2012; Muegge, 2011). This implies a rather new understanding about forms of organizing and organization as it goes beyond the traditional concept of network organizations. In general ecosystems can be understood as complex adaptive systems (Lewin, 1999) which are based on the interconnection and the interoperability of heterogeneous actors, organizations or entities in order to cope with the challenges of highly dynamic environments (Adner & Kapoor, 2010). Some of the key characteristics of ecosystems which differentiate them from rather traditional network organizations are openness, complexity, interdependence as well as a dynamic set of tight and loose couplings (Cohendet, Grandadam, Simon, & Capdevila, 2014). Particularly resilience is considered as a main feature of ecosystems which stems from the growing opportunities and alternatives of actions on the bases of loosely coupled elements when confronted with external shocks. This insures the survival of (business) ecosystems (Boschma, 2015). However, this also means that the diversity and complexity of system elements is regarded as an essential precondition for the adaptability of business ecosystems in current market environments. While the approach of business ecosystems is discussed as a promising strategic concept to survive in dynamic market environments the traditional rather mechanistic forms of organizing seem to have its limits in supporting or framing the adaptation processes and the dynamics accompanied with tight and loose coupling.

 

To address this gap in research this session invites contributions which cover some of the following research questions or other related research issues: How can technology in general shape or reshape the understanding of organizing (service) business ecosystems? How can technology contribute to the transformation of traditional organizations to support their participation and contribution in (service) business ecosystems? How can new forms of organizing that emerge in the context of using smart technologies be conceptualized in more detail? How can the coupling and decoupling processes be supported by technology, e.g. during adaption processes? Which impact can technology have on the management or organization of tight and loose couplings? etc.

 

The main topics should concern analytical models, quantitative or qualitative approaches or simulation studies. Papers should give insights into behavioral, cognitive and organizational issues with respect to technologically enabled or driven interactions of heterogeneous actors in ecosystem-oriented contexts like service business ecosystems. Contributions may include, but are not limited to the following main topics.

 

Main Topics

- Technological advances and their contribution to the evolution of new forms of organizing

- Further conceptualizations and specification of business ecosystems

- Role / impact of technology in coupling and decoupling (tight vs. loose coupling)

- Perceived role of technology and its contribution to the success of ecosystems from the perspective of various actors of stakeholders

- Contribution of technology in ensuring communication and cooperation processes in ecosystems

- Technology, boundaries and governance in ecosystems

- Impact of specific technologies on adaptation processes in ecosystems

- Technological and other prerequisites for organizing ecosystems successfully

- Role of technology for modelling and understanding the dynamics of ecosystems

 

Submission Procedure

All manuscripts must be electronically submitted through the Conference Manuscript Management System by selecting the correct Special Session Code: u4ew7

Conference Manuscript Management System: https://ifac.papercept.net/conferences/scripts/start.pl

 

Please check the full submission procedure reported in the conference website at:

http://www.incom2018.org/paper-submission/

 

Important Dates

Paper submission deadline: 15th November 2017

Notification of acceptance: 12th January 2018

Camera-ready version: 16th February 2018

 

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Prof. Dr. Jens Pöppelbuß

Ruhr-Universität Bochum | Fakultät für Maschinenbau

Lehrstuhl für Industrial Sales and Service Engineering

Gebäude IC 1-131 | Universitätsstr. 150 | D-44801 Bochum 

Fon: +49 234 32-26401 | Fax: +49 234 32-14280

Mail: jens.poeppelbuss@ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Web: www.rub.de