Digital Innovation in the Energy Industry: The Impact of Controversies on the Evolution of Innovation Ecosystems
Journal
Technological forecasting & social change : an international journal
ISSN
0040-1625
ISSN-Digital
1873-5509
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2017-04-05
Author(s)
Kolloch, Michael
;
Dellermann, Dominik
Research Team
IWI6
Abstract
The concept of innovation ecosystems gained significant importance in academic research on strategy and practice over the last years. The emergence of the Internet of Things is disrupting industries and setting the ecosystem in the focus of innovation. Even traditional analog industries, like the energy industry, are under pressure to foster andmanage ecosystems during their innovation efforts. Thus, the energy industry represents an appropriate setting for examining the evolution of an innovation ecosystemunder the empirical lens of controversies,which describe the challenges of the status quo and is congruent with previous research on dialectical inquiries as source of innovation dynamics. For the purpose of this paper, the Actor-network theory (ANT) is regarded as an appropriate tool since it allows researchers to analyze howactors interact due to their specific interestswith each other and thus configure the ecosystem in its base. ANT further enlarges the perspective of handling actors,while it involves not only human but also non-human actors (i.e. technologies). This is a valuable and necessary feature while dealing with digital innovations such as virtual power plants (VPP). By analyzing three how distinctive typologies, their mechanisms as well as their pathways of controversies affect the innovation ecosystem of VPPs and the evolution of the technological components of the innovation, this interaction between human and non-human actors is highlighted. In consequence, our research emphasizes the significance of involving nonhuman
actors into managerial strategies and the role they inherit for the evolution of ecosystems. Furthermore, the present research reveals that controversies are not only a moderating factor but also a constitutional one for the coevolution of the ecosystem as well as the innovation itself especially during the forming phases. With respect to recent research of the management of digital innovation, this paper contributes to a better understanding of managerial challenges associated with digital innovation and their respective ecosystems.
actors into managerial strategies and the role they inherit for the evolution of ecosystems. Furthermore, the present research reveals that controversies are not only a moderating factor but also a constitutional one for the coevolution of the ecosystem as well as the innovation itself especially during the forming phases. With respect to recent research of the management of digital innovation, this paper contributes to a better understanding of managerial challenges associated with digital innovation and their respective ecosystems.
Language
English
Keywords
Actor network theory
Digital innovation
Energy industry
Innovation ecosystem
Virtual power plant
HSG Classification
contribution to practical use / society
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher place
Amsterdam
Volume
in press
Eprints ID
250837
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
open.access
Name
JML_622.pdf
Size
1.57 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
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