Successful collaboration in the face of industry convergence
“The success of an organization is based on its ability to anticipate convergence, predict the future direction of technology and market trends and build collaborations to enable successful innovation,” says Andrei Rikkiev.The findings of Rikkiev's doctoral dissertation offer valuable insights to managers who are engaged in daily collaboration activities and provide the link between different types of industry convergence and mechanisms of the collaborations.
Convergence between various technologies, products and industries is one of the megatrends affecting the current business environment. The trend is especially significant in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, where telecommunication, information technology, consumer electronics and media sectors are merging. Increasing product complexity results in technology convergence, when new complex products incorporate more technologies and features. In addition, the changes in customers’ needs and preferences lead to modifications in the product, when products substitutes or complement each other.
Convergence has a transformative effect on industries, business models, and innovation, and requires new strategies for companies operating in this environment. Convergence forces companies to collaborate with partners outside their own industries and makes open innovation models and external collaboration an integral part of a successful organizational culture. However, industry differences between the partners may pose challenges to collaboration managers and make the issue of successful collaboration implementation of critical importance. In addition, different types of industry convergence bring different requirements for collaboration competencies.
Developing and maintaining effective cross-industry partnerships in the face of convergence is not yet common knowledge, and managers have limited guidelines for operating in a convergent environment.
Public defence of a doctoral dissertation on Monday, 18 June
The doctoral dissertation of MSc Andrei Rikkiev "Critical Success Factors of Collaboration for Different Types of Industry Convergence" will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Business and Technology Management of Tampere University of Technology (TUT) in room Pieni Sali 1 in the Festia building (Korkeakoulunkatu 10, Tampere, Finland) on Monday, 18 June 2012 at 12:00.
The opponent will be doctor Fredrik Hacklin (ETH Zürich). Professor Saku Mäkinen from TUT’s Department of Industrial Management will act as Chairman.
Further Information: Andrei Rikkiev, phone: +358 504860703, e-mail: Andrei.Rikkiev@tut.fi