Qualitative Multiple Case Study Research Articles

Strategic marketing of sustainable fashion: exploring approaches and contradictions in the positioning of fashion rental

Despite the potential of sustainable fashion alternatives such as fashion rental, the market share of these business models is low, and they are considered niche offerings in the fashion market dominated by unsustainable options. However, limited research exists on the strategic marketing efforts required to position and scale these models. The aim of this study was to explore the strategic marketing of sustainable fashion by identifying approaches and contradictions in the positioning of fashion rental as a sustainable alternative. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted involving five fashion rental companies in Finland. The findings were interpreted using Customer Value Propositions (CVPs) as a conceptual framework for exploring the economic, functional, emotional, and symbolic dimensions of proposed customer value as indicators for positioning. The study identified two approaches for positioning fashion rental: 1) in relation to ownership and 2) in relation to consumerism. These approaches revealed contradictions between detaching from and encouraging product ownership and balancing between maintaining and reducing consumerism. The results suggest that fashion rental companies navigate between niche and mainstream audiences by applying plasticity in their strategic marketing and that these activities occur within a highly complex environment. This article provides insights into the intermediate position of sustainable fashion alternatives, and expands the understanding of the gap between the acknowledged need to move to sustainable fashion and the minor share of these options on the market.

Using genre analysis for conceptualising virtual team collaborations with complex role and work context connections: what implementation problems can occur?

ABSTRACT Modern technology enables virtual team collaboration, offering new possibilities, particularly for geographically distributed teams. Traditionally, organisations favoured presence-based collaboration, but the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a widespread reconsideration, highlighting the feasibility and advantages of virtual teamwork. In the post-pandemic era, the focus has shifted from whether to engage in virtual team collaboration to how to do so effectively and efficiently. Particularly, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that virtual team collaborations with complex role and work context connections can still encounter fundamental problems. Thus, it is crucial to promote effective and efficient collaboration within virtual teams. This study employs a genre analysis proactively to conceptualise complex virtual team collaboration within a fully virtualised management education seminar addressing real-world IT consulting problems. Through a qualitative multiple-case study approach, the effectiveness and efficiency of this approach are evaluated. This study demonstrates the feasibility through handling, individual satisfaction, and group performance. It also sheds light on the potential of proactive use of genre analysis. The findings underscore the importance of using genre analysis in a proactive way and provide theoretical insights.

Exploring variations in the implementation of a health system level policy intervention to improve maternal and child health outcomes in resource limited settings: A qualitative multiple case study from Uganda.

Despite growing literature, few studies have explored the implementation of policy interventions to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Even fewer studies explicitly articulate the theoretical approaches used to understand contextual influences on policy implementation. This under-use of theory may account for the limited understanding of the variations in implementation processes and outcomes. We share findings from a study exploring how a health system-level policy intervention was implemented to improve maternal and child health outcomes in a resource limited LMIC. Our qualitative multiple case study was informed by the Normalization Process Theory (NPT). It was conducted across eight districts and among ten health facilities in Uganda, with 48 purposively selected participants. These included health care workers located at each of the cases, policy makers from the Ministry of Health, and from agencies and professional associations. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews to understand uptake and use of Uganda's maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) policy and were inductively and deductively analyzed using NPT constructs and subconstructs. We identified six broad themes that may explain the observed variations in the implementation of the MPDSR policy. These include: 1) perception of the implementation of the policy, 2) leadership of the implementation process, 3) structural arrangements and coordination, 4) extent of management support and adequacy of resources, 5) variations in appraisal and reconfiguration efforts and 6) variations in barriers to implementation of the policy. The variations in sense making and relational efforts, especially perceptions of the implementation process and leadership capacity, had ripple effects across operational and appraisal efforts. Adopting theoretically informed approaches to assessing the implementation of policy interventions is crucial, especially within resource limited settings.

Detective mystery play: play-based research methods for facilitating young children’s critical thinking

ABSTRACT This article explores the usefulness of detective role-play as a research method to facilitate young children’s critical thinking. The study examines four specifically designed detective play experiences, adopting an ethical rights-based approach to research with children. This qualitative multiple-case study is grounded in play-based pedagogy within a social-constructivist theory. The study consists of four exploratory cases focusing on semi-structured mystery play experiences. Twenty-four children aged 5–6 years participated. Child-centred and pedagogically appropriate methods and tools were used to facilitate the voice and visualisation of children’s thinking. Conducting observations (direct and video recorded) was effective in capturing the different ways young children expressed their thinking. Findings show that engaging in investigative collaborative enquiry, dazzling children’s curiosity, empowering children, listening to and acknowledging children’s thinking, and guiding and scaffolding were useful for facilitating critical thinking skills and dispositions. Additionally, the consideration of design elements, such as the degree of structure, open-endedness and content knowledge dependency, was found essential for creating productive spaces for facilitating children’s thinking. For example, an open approach to a task is beneficial for an open-natured exploration of critical thinking, while a more structured and adult-controlled design is more effective for facilitating and developing specific skills or dispositions.

Investigating HEMIS pre-implementation factors in Kenyan universities

Background: A few Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in African countries have successfully implemented the higher education management information system (HEMIS). Aside from technological challenges, studies indicate that other contextual elements (social and economic) play a critical role in influencing implementation.Objectives: This article investigates HEMIS pre-implementation factors in Kenyan HEIs, specifically Universities.Method: The article adopts a qualitative multiple case study approach, focusing on the HEMIS implementation journey of four Universities. Participants from the HEIs cases comprise HEMISs staff who are directly involved in the implementation projects. Data is collected using interviews. Data analysis comprises of reviews of iterations and document analysis.Results: The findings reveal that technological and organisational factors play a key role in motivating implementation. Environmental factors are least significant. Integration, automation, information access, usability, efficiency, cost and scalability are the key influencing factors that influence HEMIS implementation. Other elements include accountability, security, robustness, contractual issues, technological support and need for greater capacity for storage.Conclusion: HEMIS implementation is complex and challenging. Recommendations were offered to incorporate implementation factors and considerations within African or developing countries context to enable the development of more practical solution-oriented perspectives on HEMIS implementation.Contribution: The findings provide an understanding of pre-implementation of HEMIS implementation through its investigation of pre-implementation factors. The findings reveal that technological and organisational factors play a key role in motivating implementation. Environmental factors are least significant. The article recommends adopting a socio-technical approach in the review of pre-implementation in determining HEMIS implementation.

“If you haven’t got trust, they’re not going to come to you with anything:” Qualities of positional leader and early childhood teacher relationships that support agency

Leadership is a relational practice that influences early childhood teachers’ (ECTs) capability for agency. Agency contributes to the job satisfaction, wellbeing, and retention of ECTs-which are of pressing importance in a climate of global early childhood workforce sustainability challenges. Empirical insights presented in this paper explore the qualities of supportive relationships between positional leaders and ECTs which afford agency. Findings from a qualitative multiple case study that analysed the relationship between ECT agency and retention are provided. Data were collected from six ECTs, five service leaders, and two policy agents working in Victoria, Australia. Through the theoretical lens of Sen’s Capability Approach and Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, it is argued that positional leaders must cultivate supportive relationships with ECTs despite the neoliberal hegemony that fosters a culture of managerialism. Supportive relationships involve leaders who recognise ECTs’ personhood, cultivate encouragement, trust, and respect, and prioritise emotional and psychological safety.

Examining Strategies Developed by Insurance Companies for Addressing Carbon Emissions in the Automotive Supply Chain in the UK

The automotive supply chain is one of the top eight value chains that cause 50% of global emissions. Despite its significance, limited literature has researched the role of insurance companies in addressing automotive supply chain emissions. This research explores strategies developed by insurance companies for addressing carbon emissions in the automotive supply chain in the UK. It employs a qualitative multiple case study approach and conducts in-depth analysis of main drivers, barriers, and strategies in four insurance companies in addressing automotive supply chain emissions. It finds that cost savings and competitive advantage, changing mindset, impending regulation, market changes, and increased connectedness are the main drivers. But further progress is slowed down by five main barriers: ‘the complexity of tracking and quantifying emissions’, ‘conflicts of interest in the supply chain’, ‘skill shortage’, ‘lack of accountability’, and ‘profit prioritisation’. To overcome this, the study establishes five main strategies for insurance companies to follow: ‘circular business model with green parts and repair-over-replace methodologies’, ‘supply chain collaboration’, ‘quantifying emissions and setting key performance indicators’, ‘higher weighting for ESG in tenders and policies’, and ‘education and awareness’. If followed correctly, businesses will be able to achieve ‘emission reductions’, ‘gain competitive advantage’, and ‘reduce costs in the supply chain’. Taking into account these findings and the academic literature, this study develops a framework for insurance companies to mitigate automotive supply chain emissions. This is one of the first papers to study carbon emissions in automotive supply chains from the perspective of the insurance industry. It provides practical implications for the insurance industry in developing carbon emission strategies in automotive supply chains.

Born to go far: analyzing how emerging economy born globals make strategic changes toward internationalization

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the drivers of the internationalization scope of born global from the digital and software solution sector in an emerging economy context, which presents an unexplored avenue of research. This study endeavors to understand the individual and market-level drivers of internationalization scope. Relying on the effectuation and causation framework and reactive/proactive driver typology, this paper sheds light on the individual decision-maker’s makeup and market conditions that influence the changes between strategies in the internationalization process.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative multiple case study approach is used to explore drivers of the internationalization scope of born globals. Seven born globals from the digital and software solution sectors were depicted, and interviews with their founders were conducted.FindingsStudy findings support the utilization of effectuation theory in explaining the scope of internationalization of born globals. Furthermore, the findings attest that the two decision-making logics are interchangeable. On the market level, several context-specific factors have stirred the diversity of markets pursued by born globals. The findings evince that the founders of the born globals perceive the domestic market as small and underdeveloped; therefore, they seek more developed, easily accessible, distant markets.Originality/valueThe study contributes to a better understanding of the internationalization of born globals in an emerging economy context. We find that born globals change their strategies iteratively with the stage of internationalization.

Family firms’ internationalization: a pathway to long-term legitimacy

Purpose Based on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, this paper aims to focus on the mixed-gamble logic to study the process of internationalization of family firms. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative multiple case study is based on four longitudinal Irish case studies. Findings This study proposes that family leaders assess potential SEW gains and losses when facing international strategic decisions. Findings show that family firms build legacy through international practices and, subsequently, gain long-term legitimacy, defined as the transgenerational status and credibility obtained by their family leaders. Practical implications Given the importance of international practices for the achievement of legacy, and ultimately legitimacy, practitioners should be aware of the critical role that internationalization could play. Originality/value The study develops a framework that contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of the internationalization process of family firms.

Using normalisation process theory (NPT) to explore implementation of the maternal perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) policy in Uganda: a reflection

BackgroundThe implementation of the maternal perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) policy is among the envisaged strategies to reduce the high global burden of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. However, implementation of this policy across various contexts is inconsistent. Theoretically informed approaches to process evaluation can support assessment the implementation of policy interventions such as MPDSR, particularly in understanding what the actors involved actually do. In this article, we reflect on how the normalisation process theory (NPT) was used to explore implementation of the MPDSR policy in Uganda. NPT is a sociological theory concerned with the social organisation of the work (implementation) of making practices routine elements of everyday life (embedding) and of sustaining embedded practices in their social contexts (integration).MethodsThis qualitative multiple case study conducted across eight districts in Uganda and among 10 health facilities (cases) representing four out of the seven levels of the Uganda health care system. NPT was utilised in several ways including informing the study design, structuring the data collection tools (semi-structured interview guides), providing an organising framework for analysis, interpreting and reporting of study findings as well as making recommendations. Study participants were purposely selected to reflect the range of actors involved in the policy implementation process. This included direct care providers located at each of the cases, the Ministry of Health and from agencies and professional associations. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and were inductively and deductively analysed using NPT constructs and subconstructs.Results and conclusionNPT served useful for process evaluation, particularly in identifying factors that contribute to variations in policy implementation. Considering the NPT focus on the agency of people involved in implementation, additional efforts are required to understand how recipients of the policy intervention influence how the intervention becomes embedded within the various contexts.

ELT Female Leadership in Latin America: Identity and Support

The purpose of this study was to explore the way twelve female leaders in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Latin America have lived their leadership roles in relation to their identity as transformational female leaders. This qualitative multiple-case study used a cross-case analysis to find the similarities and differences among the different leadership cases identified among the participants through a questionnaire during the fall of 2019. The participants were chosen for their active participation and for playing a relevant leadership role, either in their local educational contexts or in their English Language Teaching Associations (ELTAs). The group of participants shared their views on their Latin identity, leadership, female collaboration, role modeling, and female support networks. Among the most relevant findings was that female leadership identity is still a challenge and a matter of perseverance and hard work. The obstacles the participants (or female leaders) still face are gender stereotypes, cultural stereotypes, and gender roles. However, ELT female leaders in Latin America want to use their skills and capacities to lead in their challenging and caring Latin-American ways.

Perceptions of Saudi elementary school special education teachers regarding mathematics content and instructional practices for students with intellectual disabilities

This study explored the perceptions of special education teachers of students with intellectual disabilities at three elementary schools in Saudi Arabia regarding the instructional practices and content used for teaching such students mathematics. The research employed a qualitative multiple case study design and used an open-ended questionnaire, artifacts, and teacher interviews with 14 special education teachers. By employing thematic analysis of the data collected, the following major issues were identified: (a) there is a strong focus on teaching only numbers; (b) there is an emphasis on teaching functional life skills rather than academic mathematics skills; and (c) mathematics instruction emphasizes procedural mathematics rather than mathematical understanding, also known as conceptual mathematics. These findings illustrated that elementary school students with ID in the sample did not receive comprehensive mathematics education in terms of either content or instructional practices. It might be beneficial for future studies to replicate and extend this research to incorporate observations of the classroom to obtain objective data on teachers’ actual practices while instructing students with ID in mathematics.

Corporate social and digital responsibility in esports

PurposeThe esports industry has experienced a dynamic growth. In this context, a significant evolution in the logic of corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be observed, particularly in the digital sphere. By extending Carroll’s three-dimensional model to include corporate digital responsibility (CDR), this paper addresses a key research question: How does CSR evolve and develop in the dynamic digital industry of esports?Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a qualitative multiple case study research design. It drew on secondary data from 50 professional esports organisations and key players in CSR development in the global esports industry, such as game publishers, pro-teams, pro-athletes, event organisers, and governing bodies. A content analysis of 50 official websites and 72 public annual, CSR, and environmental reports for the financial years ending in 2021 and 2022 was conducted.FindingsOur empirical findings not only map the territory of esports CSR and CDR but also provide practical insights. These insights are later synthesized to develop an esports CSR/CDR framework that extends Carroll’s three-dimensional model. CSR and CDR domains of esports are theoretically grounded (business performance, responsiveness, social issues, and digital responsibilities), while practical implications for managers and academics are forwarded.Originality/valueThis paper stands out as a pioneering empirical study, filling a significant research gap in the fields of CSR and CDR in esports. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first to illuminate these concepts within the unique ecosystem of esports, thereby contributing to the evolving understanding of CSR in the digital context.

Not in the file: How competency committees work with undocumented contributions.

Competence committees (CCs) centre their work around documentation of trainees' performance; undocumented contributions (i.e. informal, unrecorded material like personal judgements, experiential anecdotes and contextual information) evoke suspicion even though they may play a role in decision making. This qualitative multiple case study incorporates insights from a social practice perspective on writing to examine the use of undocumented contributions by the CCs of two large post-graduate training programmes, one in a more procedural (MP) speciality and the other in a less procedural (LP) one. Data were collected via observations of meetings and semi-structured interviews with CC members. In the analysis, conversations were organised into triptychs of lead-up, undocumented contribution(s), and follow-up. We then created thick descriptions around the undocumented contributions, drawing on conversational context and interview data to assign possible motivations and significance. We found no instances in which undocumented contributions superseded the contents of a trainee's file or stood in for missing documentation. The number of undocumented contributions varied between the MP CC (six instances over two meetings) and the LP CC (22 instances over three meetings). MP CC discussions emphasised Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) observations, whereas LP CC members paid more attention to narrative data. The divergent orientations of the CCs-adding an 'advis[ing]/guid[ing]' role versus focusing simply on evaluation-offers the most compelling explanation. In lead-ups, undocumented contributions were prompted by missing and flawed documentation, conflicting evidence and documentation at odds with members' perceptions. Recognising other 'red flags' in documentation often required professional experience. In follow-ups, purposes served by undocumented contributions varied with context and were difficult to generalise; we, therefore, provide deeper analysis of two vignettes to illustrate. Our data suggest undocumented contributions often serve best efforts to ground decisions in documentation. We would encourage CC practices and policies be rooted in more nuanced approaches to documentation.

A Real-Life Laboratory Setting for Clinical Practice, Education, and Research in Family Systems Care: Protocol for a Transformational Action Research Study.

Burdening health and illness issues such as physical or mental illnesses, accidents, disabilities, and life events such as birth or death influence the health and functioning of families and contribute to the complexity of care and health care costs. Considerable research has confirmed the benefits of a family systems-centered care approach for patients, family caregivers, families, and health care professionals. However, health care professionals face barriers in working with families, such as feeling unprepared. Family systems-centered therapeutic conversations support families' day-to-day coping, resilience, and health. A family systems care unit (FSCU) was recently established as a real-life laboratory at one of the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences. In this unit, health care professionals offer therapeutic conversations to families and individual family members to support daily symptom management and functioning, soften suffering, and increase health and well-being. These conversations are observed in real time through a 1-way window by other health care professionals, students, and trainees and are recorded with video for research and education. Little is known about how therapeutic conversations contribute to meaningful changes in burdened families and the benefits of vicarious learning in a real-life laboratory setting for family systems care. In this research program, we aim to deepen our understanding of how therapeutic conversations support families and individuals experiencing burdening health and illness issues and how the FSCU laboratory setting supports the learning of students, clinical trainees, and health care professionals. Here we apply a transformational action research design, including parallel and subsequent substudies, to advance knowledge and practice in family systems care. Qualitative multiple-case study designs will be used to explore the benefits of therapeutic conversations by analyzing recordings of the therapeutic conversations. The learning processes of students, trainees, and professionals will be investigated with descriptive qualitative study designs based on single and focus group interviews. The data will be analyzed with established coding methods. Therapeutic conversations have been investigated in 3 single-case studies, each involving a sequence of 3 therapeutic conversation units. Data collection regarding the second research question is planned. Preliminary results confirm the therapeutic conversations to support families' coping. This renders the FSCU a setting for ethically sensitive research. This program will not only support the health and well-being of families, but also contribute to relieving the financial and workforce burdens in the health and social care system. DERR1-10.2196/53090.

Leisure planning process: systematic adhocracy

ABSTRACT Research Question Guided by literature, a leisure planning typology was developed with four phases to identify how ARCs were planned. The typology guided the deductive analysis to address our research question, How is a leisure planning process applied in ARC planning? Methodology A qualitative multiple-case study design was applied. Data from document analysis (n = 264) and semi-structured interviews (n = 19) were deductively analyzed based on a leisure planning typology. Findings A lack of adherence to specific planning models was evident. Instead, an ad hoc planning approach was applied, where planners relied on data collected to assist how an ARC should be planned. The characteristics associated with ad hoc planning led to this approach termed “systemic adhocracy”. Practical implications Planning, guided by a structured framework is crucial for maximising community benefits and addressing needs. Our study provides insight to the ARC planning process and the opportunity to apply the leisure planning typology to guide future investments, optimise planning, and enhance community outcomes.

Understanding Family Resilience in Young-Onset Dementia: A Multiple Case Study.

Through the lens of family resilience, exploring the experiences of families in adapting to young-onset dementia. Qualitative multiple case study. This study examined the family as a single unit of analysis, focusing on a triad including a person with young-onset dementia, their spouse and their adult child. Three family triads were included. Data collection took place between April 20 and July 4, 2023, in South Korea. Data analysis involved a two-stage process, consisting of a directed content analysis based on the family resilience framework within cases, followed by a cross-case analysis to identify themes and unique patterns across cases. The study identified six key themes: (1) Stressors due to a young-onset dementia diagnosis, (2) perception of the young-onset dementia diagnosis, (3) degree of emotional connection, (4) coping approach to young-onset dementia, (5) availability and utilisation of external resources and (6) patterns of adaptation. Furthermore, our research uncovered the interplay between themes, and how adaptations patterns of families formed either resilient or non-resilient. Our triadic approach uncovered hidden family dynamics, emphasising family-centred care. This study provides insights into unique challenges and diverse adaptation processes, suggesting tailored interventions. This study emphasises the importance of family-centred care in young-onset dementia, recognising all family members as crucial clients. Also, we suggest that healthcare professionals should develop tailored treatment plans that reflect the unique needs of each family. This study presents the unique experiences of young-onset dementia families, laying the foundation for developing effective support strategies that reflect these insights. Additionally, we emphasise the utilisation of external resources and their existence, providing a comprehensive research direction. Our research follows the EQUATOR guidelines, specifically adhering to the COREQ guidelines. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Can't Contracting Be Relational? Comment on "Alignment in the Hospital-Physician Relationship: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study of Medical Specialist Enterprises in the Netherlands".

Ubels and van Raaij provide a valuable account of the operation of novel hospital/medical specialist enterprise (MSE) contracts in a Dutch healthcare system shaped by market reform. However, their analytical distinction between the separate domains of contractual and relational governance frames the contractual domain more narrowly than does the relational contract theory widely deployed in socio-legal studies. The authors' conclusion that contract plays little or no part in governing relations between hospitals and MSEs leads them to underplay a wider realm of contractual practices that develop in the shadow of the written contract. Apparent non-use of contracts in favour of shared planning, compromise and extra-legal solutions only takes the form it does because of the potential application of the available legal framework. Larger qualitative field studies involving a more extensive combination of interviews and observations may be needed to gain fuller insights into the relational dimensions of the contracting process.

The Exercise of Nurses' Clinical Leadership in Hospital Care Units: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study.

This study aims to describe the exercise of clinical leadership by nurses within hospital care units, identify the factors influencing it and explore how nurses perceive its impact. Qualitative multiple case study. The study involved 36 interviews, 120 h of observation and documentary analyses with nurses across various roles within three nursing teams to capture collective leadership. Thematic and cross-case analyses were also conducted. Nurses' clinical leadership was manifested in five distinct forms, irrespective of their role: (1) initiating actions involving reflective thinking and intervention, (2) influencing others through coaching, (3) actively participating in and mobilising efforts to enhance the quality of care, (4) fostering optimal synergy and team cohesion, and (5) leveraging personal and collaborative capacities. Factors influencing this leadership included clinical, human and material resources, time, a work environment that promotes autonomy and a positive work climate. Nurses perceived their leadership as having a positive impact on patients, themselves, the interdisciplinary team and the organisation. These findings were integrated into a modellisation of the exercise of nurses' clinical leadership based on Le Moigne's (La Théorie du Système Général. Théorie de la Modélisation. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2006) philosophical approach. This study provides a perspective on nurses' collective clinical leadership in hospital care units, emphasising its leverage effect and the achievement of positive impacts. The proposed model serves as a valuable tool for nurse managers to better understand and support the exercise of clinical leadership. The model can guide nurse managers in supporting clinical leadership within teams, assist individual nurses in associating clinical leadership with their practice and assist with mobilising their leadership skills. This study explores how nurses across various roles within a hospital care unit exercise clinical leadership. The findings reveal five active forms of nurses' clinical leadership, perceived by nurses to positively impact patients, the interdisciplinary team and the organisation. Nurses and managers can use these five forms to foster a collective approach to clinical leadership. None. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER CONTRIBUTE TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY?: This study introduces an innovative model for understanding and promoting nurses' clinical leadership. It provides insights into the positive impact of this leadership approach and the significance of promoting it. Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research [SRQR] (O'Brien etal. Academic Medicine, 89, 2014 and 1245). Not registered.

Drivers and barriers for open innovation for sustainability in a shared semiconductor infrastructure

A shared-use semiconductor research infrastructure can be studied as a local innovation ecosystem consisting of the infrastructure operating company and the user companies. The level of open innovation for sustainability activities possible to initiate in the infrastructure is affected by the operating company and the user companies. This study focuses on developing a conceptual framework for analysing the drivers and barriers for open innovation for sustainability in the research infrastructure. The research is done as a qualitative multiple case-study in the local semiconductor ecosystem in Otaniemi, Finland. We find out that the level of understanding and ambitions related to sustainability are diverse in the different user companies. Many factors can be considered both as drivers and barriers for open innovation for sustainability depending on the context and the companies’ ambition levels. The sustainability of a shared-use infrastructure is a complex topic that requires further research to better understand how open innovation for sustainability related activities can be brought forward in such an ecosystem. The study contributes to the current understanding of open innovation for sustainability by recognising the role of shared-used research infrastructure in innovation processes within the local ecosystem.