Corporate collaborative innovation spaces and exploration of new business models: the case of engineering and technology consulting companies

Thesis defended on the 8th of november 2019 at 2pm at Association AX (Ecole polytechnique Alumni) 5, rue Descartes, 75005 PARIS

Abstract:

Innovation and public policies can help trigger and monitor sustainability transitions. This implies transformation processes that go beyond mere technological innovation. Such transition dynamics are still to be thoroughly analyzed. We chose to study two innovation cases within the recycling industry. We use the Multilevel Perspective (Geels, 2002, 2011) to shed light upon ongoing processes and dynamics. This literature makes links between three analytical levels: landscape, sociotechnical regime, and sociotechnical niche. The sociotechnical niche is a locus for emerging transformations and a space to shelter innovation development. Concrete projects can appear and strengthen while protected from regime selection. We focus on niche diffusion processes and regime transformation triggered by the niche. We discuss some notions upon empirical analysis and propose to draw a distinction between transition intermediaries and their contributions to the niche-regime link.

Keywords: : innovation; collaborative spaces ; business model ; value proposition ; R&D services ; consulting company

Jury: