Interconnecting Innovation and Business Ecosystems : A Case of Client Orchestration in Construction

• This study explores how a public construction client as a focal firm orchestrates innovation and business ecosystems by coordinating participant activities to co-create value in the construction industry. The research is based on qualitative methods, with 25 semi-structured interviews being conducted with client representatives and project partners from four completed construction projects. This study shows how the orchestration of ecosystems for value co-creation in construction includes activities inside and outside projects. While business ecosystem activities in projects tend to be exploitative, innovation ecosystem activities are typically exploratory. Yet, the activities are not exclusive in this sense, but rather entail varying degrees of both exploration and exploitation. We show how a rather small public client firm, steered by an internal strategy for driving innovation and sustainable development in its building stock and long-term commitment to and engagement with many actors, can successfully orchestrate such activities by assuming the role of a focal interconnecting actor. We identify key factors contributing to client success in achieving high innovation ambitions: finding suitable partners, fostering strong relationships throughout and among projects, continuously testing and capturing learning from innovation, and engaging with the industry.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Byggproduktion (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Construction Management (hsv//eng)

Keyword

public client

ecosystem

client innovation

orchestration

energy

sustainability

Smart Cities and Communities

Smarta städer och samhällen

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)