Article: The Finnish road weather business ecosystem - structure, potentials and implications for demand-driven innovation policy Journal: International Journal of Services Sciences (IJSSCI) 2017 Vol.6 No.3/4 pp.179 - 200 Abstract: This study analyses the Finnish road weather and maintenance business ecosystem and its development potential. The ecosystem proposes value by combining complementary expertise through which the participating companies can achieve competitive advantages. In order to facilitate value co-creation, public authorities must support and stimulate these ecosystems. The bottlenecks and obstacles identified by the companies and public authorities in value creation clearly indicate that there is significant potential to be realised in the future. In sum, the main challenges are related to rigid procurement models, lack of collaboration, and finding the right people and organisations to work together. In the end, a list of recommendations on how to tackle the constraints for new innovations is presented, e.g., innovative procurement methods, long-term committed collaboration, mutually set objectives supporting shared benefits and risks, and agile piloting on a larger scale. Basically, the same recommendations can be considered for more general innovation strategies. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: The Finnish road weather business ecosystem - structure, potentials and implications for demand-driven innovation policy

Authors: Aki Aapaoja; Pekka Leviäkangas; Raine Hautala; Heikki Mantsinen; Ville Hinkka

Addresses: Transport, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1100, FI-90571 Oulu, Finland ' Transport, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1100, FI-90571 Oulu, Finland ' Transport, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1100, FI-90571 Oulu, Finland ' Transport, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1100, FI-90571 Oulu, Finland ' Transport, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1100, FI-90571 Oulu, Finland

Abstract: This study analyses the Finnish road weather and maintenance business ecosystem and its development potential. The ecosystem proposes value by combining complementary expertise through which the participating companies can achieve competitive advantages. In order to facilitate value co-creation, public authorities must support and stimulate these ecosystems. The bottlenecks and obstacles identified by the companies and public authorities in value creation clearly indicate that there is significant potential to be realised in the future. In sum, the main challenges are related to rigid procurement models, lack of collaboration, and finding the right people and organisations to work together. In the end, a list of recommendations on how to tackle the constraints for new innovations is presented, e.g., innovative procurement methods, long-term committed collaboration, mutually set objectives supporting shared benefits and risks, and agile piloting on a larger scale. Basically, the same recommendations can be considered for more general innovation strategies.

Keywords: business ecosystems; road maintenance; service; innovation; public-private procurement; value; development; collaboration; management; marketing; services sciences; winter road maintenance; Finland.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSCI.2017.091809

International Journal of Services Sciences, 2017 Vol.6 No.3/4, pp.179 - 200

Accepted: 03 Jan 2017
Published online: 18 May 2018 *

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Title: The Finnish road weather business ecosystem - structure, potentials and implications for demand-driven innovation policy

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