| 1. |
- Cox, Charles, et al.
(author)
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Tendencies toward Problem-Setting and Problem-Solving: A Study of Operations Derived from Motivation Strategies
- 2014
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In: International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society. - 1832-3669. ; 10:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- User-centered approaches are a key concern for firms’ innovation practices, while higher engineering education typically focuses on the technical problem-solving activities. Recently, engineering education has incorporated team assignments for students where they are encouraged to manage open-ended problems. Yet, many students’ conduct appears to be “business as usual” and they do not make an attempt to shift their views. Reasons for this behavior need to be investigated to inform the engineering curricula. The purpose in this paper is to demonstrate the impact of distinct orientations on an open-ended design challenge in order to highlight differences, which have implications for learning and education. This study applies familiar educational psychology concepts to the unfamiliar setting of design education, focusing on user needs and acknowledging students’ orientations as a possible basis for guiding and accommodating design operations. Engineering design students were divided into two groups based on their individual orientation—namely the mastery and performance oriented types. The homogeneous groups reinforced the individual strategies and the effects on their operations could be observed. The distinct orientations had an impact on the open-ended design challenge. Results indicate considerations for conflicts between solving and setting, which might affect the involvement of users and their needs as resources in early product development. This study addresses how individual orientations in homogeneous groups have an effect on user-centered design in open-ended design tasks. Highlighting differences contributes to understanding challenges in innovation activities. The study indicates that students need different guidance and coaching to match their orientations.
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| 2. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Challenges of Industry 4.0 in SME businesses
- 2020
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In: 2020 3rd International Symposium on Small-scale Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (SIMS). - : IEEE.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper problematizes and discuss a change towards new business models in order to highlight some basic challenges of digital transformation needed for Industry 4.0. A particular effort is to discuss if SMEs may have sufficient means to capitalize on such a new paradigm. As an approach to enable problematization and discussion, the paper presents concepts and standpoints that are related to the fourth industrial revolution. For example, the idea of new business models is a concept taken for granted, and is not sufficiently contextualized into digital transformation and Industry 4.0. The discussion sheds some light on the benefit of SMEs' flexibility, while simultaneously it finds mindsets challenges related to change and transformation as critical.
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| 3. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Engineering design research methodologies in Product-Service Systems: when the complex gets tough
- 2017
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In: The 21th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED17). - : The Design Society. ; , s. 351-258
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The research field of Product-Service Systems (PSS) emerged within the engineering design field to address sustainability and radically lower environmental impact from production and product use stages. PSS research has progressed insights of the industrial phenomena, but are often grounded in either product or service development, and the sustainability perspective had diminished over time. The deviation from what was intended might depend on research methodologies that do not meet the requirements of PSS multidisciplinary research. Some reflections of our research and craftsmanship are thus needed, which is also the purpose of this paper. PSS are used in the paper as a framework to highlight some of the facets of engineering design research activities. The paper suggests that multidisciplinary research has to manage different methodologies and different theories, this can be achieved if underlying assumptions are made transparent and if contradictions between those and the conclusions are discussed. Finally, the paper make an effort to encourage discussions about research methodologies to improve not only research but also implementation in industry.
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| 4. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Innovations & Industrial Internet
- 2018
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The Innovations and Industrial Internet project was formed with partners from Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, Centria University of Applied Sciences, Finland, and University of Tromsø, campus Narvik, Norway. The work has addressed an increase in small and medium sized enterprises’ competences of applying modern digital technology to benefit product- and service development in the region. Almost 40 companies have been keenly involved in the project’s activities, which have included, for example, case studies, demonstrations, workshops and seminars. The close academia and company collaborations has resulted in SMEs’ test and evaluation of new technologies, in turn leading to the implementation of new methods that were new to 16 of those companies.The project collaborations have resulted in 9 products and services that were new to the companies. A number of cross-border collaborations among companies and universities across the program region have been finalized, for example a case on 3D printing and boat production which involved all partners competences. The cross-border added value does not only encompass the open accessible milieu bringing all partners expertise together to benefit SMEs in the region, but it also identified and mitigated barriers between knowledge domains, like the ones occurring in value chain collaborations where digital solutions often dissolve some aspects of a problem while simultaneously cause new ones.The project has had a fairly good representation of females in leading positions since the project leader and one country’s leader are females, but also the female representation in activities has been good.The project has been nominated to the Regio Stars Award 2017.
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| 5. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Innovations & industrial internet : research for regional growth and competitiveness
- 2018
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In: SIMS 2018. - New York : IEEE. - 9781538644379
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Digitalization is a source for Industrial Internet, which solutions influence businesses and everyday life in many different ways. The digital transformation calls for understanding, not only about your customers, but also your whole organization. A digital business world opens up for seamless and borderless collaborations in product, service and production development, yet such a visionary future need both systematic and systemic changes in companies. As such open innovation approaches including participatory research studies could support regional growth and increase competitiveness among SMEs. This article describes how these issues have been managed in a transnational project for the Northern Nordics.
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| 6. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Online innovation supports
- 2018
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In: SIMS 2018. - New York : IEEE. - 9781538644379
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Starting from interactions with SMEs from a number of different areas, this short paper addresses the challenges of turning hands-on practice into an online supports tool for innovation. The SMEs are found in the North of Finland and the North of Sweden, thus already facing challenges related to the sparsely populated areas. Yet, digitalization and online support may become one way to bridge distances as well as filling knowledge gaps between different domains. Nevertheless, the suggestion to transform practical know-how into an online tool that can be globally accessed and used is non-trivial. Thus, problematizing such ideas could progress these efforts.
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| 7. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Place innovation : using design thinking in live cases
- 2016
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In: Proceedings of NordDesign 2016. ; , s. 398-317
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper presents a study based on two views, i.e. innovation in teams of non-designers and live case interactions. This means that a diverse set of roles are involved in the innovation activities that originate from real regional situations. The application area relates to design and development of destinations, e.g. regions, tourism and attractive places. This study focuses on two main issues, namely (a) is it possible to make non-designers momentarily become design thinkers, and (b) is it possible to produce ideas and 'out-of-the-box' views in groups consisting of non-designers within a short timeframe? The purpose of this paper is thus to illustrate and explain these issues in order to contribute to a live case platform for collaborative innovation among society, trade and industry, and universities. The empirical data from four workshops, in total engaging 179 participants, shows that there are several challenges related to the efforts to transfer techniques and methods for design thinking and innovation into the heads and hands of non-designers. For example, trade and business can rarely allocate regular working hours for participatory design thinking, so they act based on traditional professional roles. Also, sessions turn into (unproductive) discussions if the participants are not firmly facilitated and encouraged. Bringing in live cases through the participation of mixed teams places additional requirements on innovation research in respect of implementation and packaging for practical uses.
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| 8. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Project: Developing Innovation for Change – Enablers for Sustainability
- 2015
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Other publication (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- De tre delarna i hållbarhetsperspektivet, dvs. ekologiska, ekonomiska och sociala, bör ses som en integrerad helhet, men det är också det som är utmaningen. Projektet söker undersöka och exemplifiera olika intressenters perspektiv och därmed den kunskapsbas de tar med sig in i en produktutvecklingsprocess. Projektet syftar till att demonstrera hur olika intressenters värden stödjer eller inte stödjer en hållbar utveckling.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Ericson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Project: Making Regional Manufacturing Globally Competitive and Innovative
- 2015
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Other publication (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- NPA – Target (Making Regional Manufacturing Globally Competitive and Innovative)This project will develop tools to enhance capacity of manufacturing companies in the NPA region to adapt and embrace new technologies and innovation. The toolbox developed will consist of subsets such as Digital manufacturing (robotics and simulation), New ideas and thinking (human centred and environmental thinking, competitiveness), Business models and modern Product innovation.
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