Circular solutions require a systemic approach involving multiple actors within and across industrial sectors. This has implications for the structure and dynamics within geographically bounded entrepreneurial ecosystems. Actors within the entrepreneurial ecosystem assume the role of ‘system coordination’ but very little is known about this role. As circular solutions and transformations cannot be realized in isolation, a better understanding of this coordination role is pertinent, which actors perform it and the strategies they use to overcome challenges. We conduct a comparative study of two sectoral cases in the Netherlands. Our preliminary findings from the case on circular textiles shows that coordination is distributed among several and diverse ecosystem actors to close technical material flows, whereas our preliminary findings in agri-food show that coordination is concentrated among actors that explicitly assume the coordination role to close biological material flows. We intend to make novel contributions to the literature on circular economy business transformation and entrepreneurial ecosystems as well as provide insights on the system coordination role for policy makers and practitioners.
This report contains an analysis of the AMP1’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It aims to assess the external perceptions about the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Metropolitan Area of Porto and the key variables to work on. We systematically analyse the perception of Porto as entrepreneurial ecosystem in the AMP itself, based social media analysis and on interviews with entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the Porto ecosystem. As a reference case, we also conducted a survey and interviews in Amsterdam. This helps to compare the situation in AMP with that in Amsterdam. The analysis helped to understand the current strengths and weaknesses of the AMP’s ecosystem, seen from the eyes of insiders and outsiders. In particular, we focused on two key features: internationalisation and the role of the wider region.
According to literature, digital transformation requires an organization to develop a broad, holistic, and business ecosystem perspective on how digital technologies can be used to rethink and improve business models, products, services, and processes. The objective of this research is to empirically explore the claim that the business ecosystem perspective is one of the dominant views in organizations’ digital transformation initiatives and more specifically in the digital strategy. We studied seven organizations in the Netherlands through semi-structured interviews and digital strategy documents. These organizations are aware of developments in their business ecosystem. However, their plans, as outlined in their digital strategies, mainly focus on improving internal operations. We also found that collaboration enablers are partially present in digital strategies. Digital strategies and subsequent digital transformations are mainly internally focused. We argue that collaborative business models must be developed at the business ecosystem level rather than at the individual organizational level. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-14844-6_11
The focus of this project is on improving the resilience of hospitality Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by enabling them to take advantage of digitalization tools and data analytics in particular. Hospitality SMEs play an important role in their local community but are vulnerable to shifts in demand. Due to a lack of resources (time, finance, and sometimes knowledge), they do not have sufficient access to data analytics tools that are typically available to larger organizations. The purpose of this project is therefore to develop a prototype infrastructure or ecosystem showcasing how Dutch hospitality SMEs can develop their data analytic capability in such a way that they increase their resilience to shifts in demand. The one year exploration period will be used to assess the feasibility of such an infrastructure and will address technological aspects (e.g. kind of technological platform), process aspects (e.g. prerequisites for collaboration such as confidentiality and safety of data), knowledge aspects (e.g. what knowledge of data analytics do SMEs need and through what medium), and organizational aspects (what kind of cooperation form is necessary and how should it be financed).
The focus of this project is on improving the resilience of hospitality Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by enabling them to take advantage of digitalization tools and data analytics in particular. Hospitality SMEs play an important role in their local community but are vulnerable to shifts in demand. Due to a lack of resources (time, finance, and sometimes knowledge), they do not have sufficient access to data analytics tools that are typically available to larger organizations. The purpose of this project is therefore to develop a prototype infrastructure or ecosystem showcasing how Dutch hospitality SMEs can develop their data analytic capability in such a way that they increase their resilience to shifts in demand. The one year exploration period will be used to assess the feasibility of such an infrastructure and will address technological aspects (e.g. kind of technological platform), process aspects (e.g. prerequisites for collaboration such as confidentiality and safety of data), knowledge aspects (e.g. what knowledge of data analytics do SMEs need and through what medium), and organizational aspects (what kind of cooperation form is necessary and how should it be financed).Societal issueIn the Netherlands, hospitality SMEs such as hotels play an important role in local communities, providing employment opportunities, supporting financially or otherwise local social activities and sports teams (Panteia, 2023). Nevertheless, due to their high fixed cost / low variable business model, hospitality SMEs are vulnerable to shifts in consumer demand (Kokkinou, Mitas, et al., 2023; Koninklijke Horeca Nederland, 2023). This risk could be partially mitigated by using data analytics, to gain visibility over demand, and make data-driven decisions regarding allocation of marketing resources, pricing, procurement, etc…. However, this requires investments in technology, processes, and training that are oftentimes (financially) inaccessible to these small SMEs.Benefit for societyThe proposed study touches upon several key enabling technologies First, key enabling technology participation and co-creation lies at the center of this proposal. The premise is that regional hospitality SMEs can achieve more by combining their knowledge and resources. The proposed project therefore aims to give diverse stakeholders the means and opportunity to collaborate, learn from each other, and work together on a prototype collaboration. The proposed study thereby also contributes to developing knowledge with and for entrepreneurs and to digitalization of the tourism and hospitality sector.Collaborative partnersHZ University of Applied Sciences, Hotel Hulst, Hotel/Restaurant de Belgische Loodsensociëteit, Hotel Zilt, DM Hotels, Hotel Charley's, Juyo Analytics, Impuls Zeeland.
Deze vervolgaanvraag is gebaseerd op de resultaten van de eerste fase aanloopactiviteiten LC en bouwt voort op de geformuleerde conclusies en aanbevelingen. Learning community-ontwikkeling en docentprofessionalisering zijn cruciale elementen in de ontwikkeling van een responsief regionaal ecosysteem gericht op het slimmer en beter opleiden van mensen voor de waterstoftransitie. Met betrekking tot learning community-ontwikkeling onderzoeken we de wijze waarop de integratie van de W in de WIL driehoek verbeterd kan worden. Daarnaast richten we ons met onderzoek op het leren in een learning community te transformeren van leren van elkaar naar leren met elkaar. In het project is daarnaast specifiek aandacht voor de rol van docenten in regionale ecosystemen. Docenten hebben – net als de andere deelnemers in een learning community – een andere rol dan die van de klassieke docent. Die rol verschuift naar samenwerken in de regio, participeren in ontwikkeling van innovaties met bedrijven en onderzoekers en zo meer. Dat vraagt om een andere benadering van docentprofessionalisering. We richten regionale experimenten in waarin verschillende mechanismes en interventies rond de ontwikkeling van learning communities en de veranderende rol van deelnemers daarin worden onderzocht op hun effectiviteit.
