| 1. |
- Bergek, Anna, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Is one path enough? Multiple paths and path interaction as an extension of path dependency theory
- 2014
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Ingår i: Industrial and Corporate Change. - : Oxford University Press. - 0960-6491 .- 1464-3650. ; 23:5, s. 1261-1297
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To explain the development of multi-technology companies and industries where several alternative technologies co-exist and interact over long periods, this article suggests an extension of path dependency theory by providing a conceptualization of the path notion that incorporates the theoretical possibility of multiple paths and path interaction. The conceptualization is applied to a patent study of three leading companies in the lighting industry: General Electric, Osram/Siemens, and Philips. The study shows technology development patterns that are characterized by strong persistence, both within each path and across the whole technology field. These results demonstrate that multiple technological paths can co-exist in companies and industries, characterized by simultaneous long-term presence of several technologies. In such cases, path interaction takes place both between co-existing paths and when new, radically different paths are created. Although further studies are needed to identify the underlying self-reinforcing mechanisms, there is a clear indication that technological path dependency is not restricted to unitary progression patterns, as implied by previous conceptualizations.
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| 2. |
- Bergek, Anna, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Path dependency in industries with multiple technological trajectories
- 2012
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In the literature on path dependency in processes of innovation and technical change, two partly conflicting perspectives are presented. Within the first perspective, it is argued that the cumulative nature of technical change creates persistence in innovative activities: accumulated competencies and learning within a specific field generate new research questions and opportunities for innovation and create entry barriers, which works in favour of incumbent firms and limits the role of new innovators in an industry (Malerba et al., 1997). In contrast, the other perspective emphasises that path dependency gradually decreases the number of available future options (Aminzade, 1992; Araujo and Harrison, 2002) and eventually leads to lock-in to inefficient, inferior or unsustainable technology paths (Cowan and Gunby, 1996; David, 1985; Unruh, 2000).Within both these perspectives, paths tend to be conceptualised as single technological trajectories. However, in some industries multiple trajectories are pursued in parallel and new trajectories are added over time. This raises the questions of whether such industries still can be path dependent and, in that case, where path dependency occurs: within or across trajectories and at the company or industry level. To what extent does the incumbents’ development of newly added trajectories build on their existing knowledge base? The purpose of this paper is to answer these questions by analysing technological activities of three leading firms in the lighting industry.The paper is based on an analysis of lighting patents granted to General Electric (GE), Osram/Siemens and Philips and their key subsidiaries by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) over a period of 35 years (1976-2011). Lighting-related patents were identified through a combination of class-based search and title- and abstract-based keyword search.Our analysis shows a common patenting pattern between the three companies: about 70% of all the patents in the dataset belong to seven most frequently used classes and about 50% - to the top three classes. Most of these classes can be described as traditional since companies used them during the whole period of analysis. While some of them are declining both in terms of patent shares and numbers (H01K – Incandescent lamps), others are stable or growing (H01J – Discharge lamps, F21 – Lighting, H05B – Electric lighting, C09K – Materials for applications). Such long-term stability of traditional classes and similarity of patenting patterns between the three companies indicate technological persistence both at the company and the industry levels.The most recent addition to the companies’ patent stock is the semiconductors class (H01L). It has been intensively developed since the late 1990s, when industry incumbents joined the LED technology which was pioneered by new entrants. However, about 30-40% of the LED-related patents of GE, Osram/Siemens and Philips still belong to traditional lighting classes. Companies have, thus, been able to use their previously accumulated expertise in the development of LED lighting, in spite of its discontinuous character. While technological persistence in terms of LED development can be observed at both industry and company levels, there are some differences among the three companies.An analysis of patent references shows that when a patent cites one of the company’s own lighting patents, in 60-70% of the cases both patents belong to the same first class, which is a clear sign of path dependency inside trajectories. However, pairwise usage of patent classes indicates not only persistence inside technological trajectories, but also a complex relation between them since patents frequently belong to several classes simultaneously. In particular, H01J (discharge lamps) is the most frequently used secondary class.The main conclusions of the paper are the following: first, we have found signs of path dependency in the lighting industry at the company level in a form of technological persistence. Although persistence inside technological trajectories is especially strong, there is also a complex interconnection between trajectories which indicates that previous association of paths with single trajectories is too simplified. Second, a similarity of companies’ patenting patterns in almost every aspect of the analysis provides a clear evidence of path dependency at the industry level. Third, the LED example shows, on the one hand, a break with previous activities, and on the other hand, the ability of incumbents to use their accumulated expertise when developing a new, even radically different, technology. Overall, it can be concluded that path dependency can exist in industries with multiple technological trajectories. However, whether this path dependency is productive and efficient or will lead to unsustainable lock-in remains to be seen.
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| 3. |
- Johansson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Interaktioner mellan affärs-, energi- och innovationsstrategier i massa- och pappersindustrin - slutrapport
- 2020
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Samhällets omställning till en biobaserad ekonomi innebär nya möjligheter för svensk massa- och pappersindustri. Detta projekt har studerat hur massa- och pappersföretag i Sverige formulerar sina affärsstrategier i relation till krav på produktdiversifiering och förbättrad energi- och resurseffektivitet. Projektet har särskilt fokuserat på interaktioner mellan företagens affärs-, energi- och innovationsstrategier med syfte att öka kunskapen om dels företagens strategier och dels hur de tillsammans påverkar företagens möjligheter att möta de krav som ställs på branschen och, i förlängningen, deras förmåga att uppnå en hållbar och konkurrenskraftig produktion. Projektet har genomförts genom en intervjustudie med utvalda massa- och pappersföretag, en enkät till bruken i Sverige, dokumentstudier samt studier av utvalda innovationsprojekt. Studien har identifierat tre typer av affärsstrategier i branschen: bred differentiering, fokuserad differentiering samt kostnadsledarskap. De flesta studerade företag har en av de två förstnämnda strategierna. Resultaten visar att innovationsstrategierna har en tydlig relation till affärsstrategierna i det att företag som har en differentieringsstrategi strävar efter teknologiskt ledarskap eller åtminstone att vara snabba efterföljare, medan lågkostnadsproducenten har en innovationsstrategi som går ut på att följa efter senare än de andra. De studerade företagens energistrategier är mångfacetterade och kan relatera till företagets affärsstrategier på flera sätt. Energistrategin innefattar såväl aktiviteter som syftar till minskade kostnader som aktiviteter som syftar till att öka företagets intäkter. Alla företag i studien arbetar strategiskt med energi och har satt upp mål för detta arbete. Studien visar att företagen arbetar strategiskt med att minska sina energirelaterade kostnader genom energieffektivisering, energibesparing, självförsörjning av energi och byte till förnybar energi. Hälften av de studerade företagen arbetar även strategiskt med att ta fram och sälja energiprodukter för att härigenom öka sina intäkter och studien indikerar ett ökat intresse för detta. Studien har identifierat både synergier och konflikter mellan företagens innovations- och energistrategier. Synergier uppstår när energieffektiviseringar resulterar i processinnovationer (och vice versa), produktinnovationer leder till förbättrade energiprestanda eller nya biobaserade produkter ersätter fossilbaserade produkter. Samtidigt finns det även konflikter, eller trade-off, mellan innovation- och energistrategier, till exempel i form av ökad energianvändning i samband med produktionen av nya produkter. I dessa fall, är innovationens potentiella lönsamhet, eller business case, avgörande: innovationer med hög lönsamhet satsas på trots högre energianvändning.
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| 4. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Digital tools for self-study and examination
- 2019
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Digitalization and increased use of information and communication technology (ICT) are major change processes taking place in engineering education today. Self-study and examination are areas with high potential for beneficial use of digital ICT tools. Some advantages with such tools are that students' can continuously assess their own learning in relation to the course objectives while they also can provide an opportunity to meet the teachers' needs to control how the students absorb the course material. Moreover, automatic provision of quick or instant feedback through digital tools can stimulate students’ commitment and active learning and allow students greater flexibility in their learning process, with tests that can be conducted online regardless of time and space and can be repeated as needed. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different types of ICT-based self-study and examination practices can be implemented in courses on topics such as project management, product development, and entrepreneurship, and build a knowledge base necessary for future systematic implementation of digital examinations. Our study is based on an educational development project at Linköping University, where we tested and evaluated different models and approaches for digital knowledge testing in a number of selected courses.We discuss both positive and potentially problematic aspects of the use of digital tools and conclude that successful implementation is dependent on well-planned integration of such tools into the overall course where different types of activities enhance each other. Thus, this study connects the areas of digital self- study and examination and provides examples of first steps on the way towards implementation of ICT-based examination practices.
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| 5. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia
(författare)
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Enabled by the past : understanding endogenous innovation in mature industries
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Mature industries have played and still play a crucial role in national and world economies. To survive and retain competitiveness, they need to innovate, as innovation is the driver of economics growth and industrial transformation. However, existing research does not provide sufficient explanation of how innovation in mature industries can be enabled based on resources and internal development logic of those industries, i.e. endogenously. Some previous studies focused on incremental innovation patterns, which led to an underestimation of innovation potential of mature industries. Other studies acknowledged a high innovation potential of mature industries, but failed to explain how, through what mechanisms, industry-endogenous logic can bring about major innovations.Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to systematically address, explain and conceptualize endogenous industry- innovation and its driving mechanisms in mature industries. To achieve this purpose, three main issues are addressed. First, the thesis investigates and conceptualizes the notion of industry endogenous innovation mechanisms based on the path dependency theory. Second, the thesis addresses strategic choices and actions by established companies that are rooted in the industry endogenous mechanisms and result in highly innovative outcomes. Third, the thesis systematically analyses different aspects of radicalness of innovations resulting from industry endogenous mechanisms.The thesis represents a qualitative, embedded case study with two main industry cases, i.e. the global lighting industry and the Swedish pulp and paper industry. The lighting industry and its sub-cases in the form of specific lighting technologies have been studied via the analysis of patents of leading lighting manufacturers, archival and secondary data sources as well as interviews with different types of actors in the industry. The pulp and paper industry and its sub-cases in the form of innovation initiatives have been studied with the help of interviews with leading manufacturers and research institutes, as well the analysis of annual reports and secondary data sources. The outcomes of the study are presented in the form of the thesis cover paper and five appended papers.The results show that innovations of any magnitude can be endogenously developed in mature industries. At the industry level, endogenous innovation is driven by innovation mechanisms that can be conceptualized as reactive sequences and self-reinforcing mechanisms. At the level of individual companies, the exploitation strategy corresponds to the logic of endogenous innovation mechanisms by enabling highly innovative outcomes and building on a wide range of resources available in the industry. The endogenous character of innovation mechanisms imposes certain limitations on the radicalness of the outcomes in the form of trade-offs in terms of how many and what particular aspects can be radically new at once.With these results, the thesis contributes to a more balanced overall understanding of innovation potential of mature industries and allows shifting the focus of discussion from whether mature industries can develop radical innovation to when and under what conditions they can succeed in this process. The results of the thesis also suggest several recommendations for managers in established companies with regard to how they can they can take advantage of industry endogenous innovation mechanisms.
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| 6. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia
(författare)
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Endogenous sources of path generation in a path dependent industry
- 2017
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Ingår i: Technology Analysis & Strategic Management. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0953-7325 .- 1465-3990. ; 29:9, s. 1062-1075
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper investigates and conceptualises industry endogenous sources of innovation in a context of path dependency. With an embedded case study of the mature multi-technology lighting industry, it considers two cases of technology generation (fluorescent lamps and light-emitting diodes) that have occurred under the dominance of established incandescent technology. The results demonstrate the existence of common driving forces (variety of performance criteria and variety of lighting applications) behind the development of the existing path and the generation of two new paths. Such common driving forces indicate the existence of a reactive sequence or a logical causal relationship between the existing and the new paths, which serve as an enabling mechanism in endogenous path generation.
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| 7. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia
(författare)
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Path generation in a path dependent industry : the influence from theestablished technology
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper studies the process of development of new technologies in established multitechnology industries. More specifically, with the help of the concepts of path dependency and path generation, the paper addresses how the process of formation and early development of new technologies is influenced by previously established path dependent dynamics. Empirically, the paper is based on a case study of the lighting industry where two new technological paths (compact fluorescent lamps and light-emitting diodes) were developed under conditions of dominance of the incandescent technology.As a result, three types of influence from path dependency on the process of path generation are revealed: the dominant technology can impose barriers (negative influence), shape (neutral influence) and enable (positive influence) development of new technologies. Thus, the paper shows that previously prevailing understanding of this influence as solely negative was incomplete, and contributes to a better understanding of endogenous change sources in path dependent industries.
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| 8. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Second wind for exploitation: Pursuing high degrees of product and process innovativeness in mature industries
- 2020
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Ingår i: Technovation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0166-4972 .- 1879-2383. ; 89
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper investigates to what extent and how an exploitation-oriented innovation logic can enable innovations characterised by a high degree of newness. The paper is based on an embedded case study of 11 innovation initiatives by the Swedish pulp and paper companies and uses a multi-dimensional framework that takes into account both product and process innovation dimensions as well as multiple stages in the value chain. The results show that the studied initiatives are characterised by new to the companies or new to the industry products and processes in the primary or final steps in the value chain (or both). It is also shown that such high degrees of novelty can be the result of an exploitation innovation logic, where novelty is enabled and facilitated by unchanged or slightly modified products and processes in other parts of the value chain. It can therefore be concluded that exploitation strategies can contribute to more than incremental innovation outcomes and, consequently, that mature industries hold considerably higher innovation potential than the previous literature assumes.
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| 9. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia, et al.
(författare)
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Self-reinforcing mechanisms and multi-path dynamics: insights from applying the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) perspective
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse self-reinforcing mechanisms in an industry characterized by persistent development of multiple, co-existing technologies in order to demonstrate that multi-path industries can be path dependent. With the help of the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework, a structured analysis (following seven system functions) of self-reinforcing mechanisms is applied for the empirical case of the lighting industry, characterised by co-existence of a number of technologies, including established, or incumbent, technologies (such as incandescent, halogen, fluorescent etc. lamps) as well as the recently added light-emitting diodes (LED) technology.As a result, three types of self-reinforcing mechanisms have been distinguished: 1) mechanisms that affect the lighting industry at the overall level; 2) mechanisms that are relevant for only one narrowly defined lighting technology and 3) mechanisms that unite several (but not all) lighting technologies. This co-existence of path-internal and cross-path self-reinforcing mechanisms confirms that industries characterised by multiple technological paths can have self-reinforcing dynamics and, consequently, be path dependent.
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| 10. |
- Onufrey, Ksenia, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Self-reinforcing Mechanisms in a Multi-technology Industry: Understanding Sustained Technological Variety in a Context of Path Dependency
- 2015
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Ingår i: Industry and Innovation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-2716 .- 1469-8390. ; 22:6, s. 523-551
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper studies self-reinforcing mechanisms in multi-technology industries, i.e. industries in which technological lock-in does not occur and several technologies continue to coexist. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what kind of self-reinforcing mechanisms can be present in such industries and explain how multiple paths can coexist and interact in a context of self-reinforcement and, ultimately, path dependency. Building on the empirical example of the lighting industry, the paper shows that all previously recognized types of self-reinforcing mechanisms can be present in a multi-technology industry. However, in addition to the path-internal positive feedbacks and cross-path negative externalities identified in single-path settings, multi-technology industries also experience positive cross-path externalities that create a symbiotic relationship between alternatives and allow for the reproduction of the same development pattern across technologies. Due to the existence of such non-negative technology interactions, multi-technology industries can be path dependent while still retaining technological variety.
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