IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i4p515-d94358.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Early Front-End Innovation Decisions for Self-Organized Industrial Symbiosis Dynamics—A Case Study on Lignin Utilization

Author

Listed:
  • Magdalena Gabriel

    (Institute of Industrial Management, University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM, Kapfenberg 8605, Austria)

  • Josef-Peter Schöggl

    (Institute of Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Graz 8010, Austria)

  • Alfred Posch

    (Institute of Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Graz 8010, Austria)

Abstract

The emergence of self-organized industrial symbiosis (IS) is based on the expectations of industrial actors regarding financial and/or environmental benefits through symbiotic inter-company linkages. One such linkage is the exchange of by-products as substitutes for primary raw materials. However, the company generating the by-product may even not be aware of potential application fields in other industries. In cases where the by-product triggers an innovation, the very early phase of the innovation process (“early front-end”—EFE) is extremely important, as it is here that a first rough picture of future application fields must be defined. In contrast to traditional market innovations of industries, the EFE of IS innovations is triggered by the existence of a certain by-product. As conventional innovation models are not very helpful in supporting the EFE decisions in IS innovations, our paper aims to establish a link between self-organized IS and innovation by creating a specific theoretical framework for the support of EFE decisions. We thus introduce the “stage-gate model of self-organized IS innovations” and place a particular emphasis on the early phases within this model. Subsequently, we illustrate the application of the early phases of the model in a case study on lignin utilization in the Austrian paper and pulp industry (P&P industry). In this way, the study contributes to a better understanding of the peculiarities and conditions of EFE decisions in IS innovations and their significance in the emergence of self-organized IS networks.

Suggested Citation

  • Magdalena Gabriel & Josef-Peter Schöggl & Alfred Posch, 2017. "Early Front-End Innovation Decisions for Self-Organized Industrial Symbiosis Dynamics—A Case Study on Lignin Utilization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-17, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:4:p:515-:d:94358
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/4/515/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/4/515/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cooper, Robert G., 1990. "Stage-gate systems: A new tool for managing new products," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 44-54.
    2. Cornelius Herstatt & Christoph Stockstrom & Birgit Verworn & Akio Nagahira, 2006. ""Fuzzy Front End" Practices In Innovating Japanese Companies," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 3(01), pages 43-60.
    3. John Ehrenfeld & Nicholas Gertler, 1997. "Industrial Ecology in Practice: The Evolution of Interdependence at Kalundborg," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 1(1), pages 67-79, January.
    4. Pi-Cheng Chen & Hwong-wen Ma, 2015. "Using an Industrial Waste Account to Facilitate National Level Industrial Symbioses by Uncovering the Waste Exchange Potential," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 19(6), pages 950-962, December.
    5. Herstatt, Cornelius & Verworn, Birgit, 2001. "The "fuzzy front end" of innovation," Working Papers 4, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    6. Park, Joo Young, 2014. "The evolution of waste into a resource: Examining innovation in technologies reusing coal combustion by-products using patent data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(10), pages 1816-1826.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cristina Feniser & Gheorghe Burz & Marian Mocan & Larisa Ivascu & Vasile Gherhes & Calin Ciprian Otel, 2017. "The Evaluation and Application of the TRIZ Method for Increasing Eco-Innovative Levels in SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Karmen Fifer Bizjak & Barbara Likar & Stanislav Lenart, 2021. "Using Recycled Material from the Paper Industry as a Backfill Material for Retaining Walls near Railway Lines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Peschl, Markus F. & Bottaro, Gloria & Hartner-Tiefenthaler, Martina & Rötzer, Katharina, 2014. "Learning how to innovate as a socio-epistemological process of co-creation. Towards a constructivist teaching strategy for innovation," MPRA Paper 66539, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Fabio Magnacca & Riccardo Giannetti, 2024. "Management accounting and new product development: a systematic literature review and future research directions," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 651-685, June.
    3. Colton Brehm & Astrid Layton, 2021. "Nestedness of eco‐industrial networks: Exploring linkage distribution to promote sustainable industrial growth," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(1), pages 205-218, February.
    4. Pearce, Joshua M. & Johnson, Sara J. & Grant, Gabriel B., 2007. "3D-mapping optimization of embodied energy of transportation," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 435-453.
    5. Bookhagen, Andrea & Sperber, Sonja, 2017. "Kundenintegration in den Entwicklungsprozess von Produktinnovationen durch Crowdsourcing," PraxisWISSEN Marketing: German Journal of Marketing, AfM – Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Marketing, vol. 2(01/2017), pages 21-37.
    6. Dziallas, Marisa & Blind, Knut, 2019. "Innovation indicators throughout the innovation process: An extensive literature analysis," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 80, pages 3-29.
    7. Pravee Kruachottikul & Pinnaree Tea-makorn & Poomsiri Dumrongvute & Solaphat Hemrungrojn & Natawut Nupairoj & Ornsiree Junchaya & Sukrit Vinayavekhin, 2024. "MediGate: a MedTech product innovation development process from university research to successful commercialization within emerging markets," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-43, December.
    8. Diwekar, Urmila, 2005. "Green process design, industrial ecology, and sustainability: A systems analysis perspective," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 215-235.
    9. Deishin Lee, 2012. "Turning Waste into By-Product," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 14(1), pages 115-127, January.
    10. Korhonen, Jouni & Snakin, Juha-Pekka, 2005. "Analysing the evolution of industrial ecosystems: concepts and application," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 169-186, January.
    11. Sophie Hooge & Milena Klasing Chen & Dominique Laousse, 2019. "Managing the emergence of concepts in fuzzy front end: a framework of strategic performance and emerging process of innovation briefs," Post-Print hal-02167857, HAL.
    12. Ghodeswar, Archana & Oliver, Matthew E., 2022. "Trading one waste for another? Unintended consequences of fly ash reuse in the Indian electric power sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    13. Andreas Kallmuenzer & Andreas Strobl & Mike Peters, 2018. "Tweaking the entrepreneurial orientation–performance relationship in family firms: the effect of control mechanisms and family-related goals," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 855-883, October.
    14. Takey, Silvia Mayumi & Carvalho, Marly M., 2016. "Fuzzy front end of systemic innovations: A conceptual framework based on a systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 97-109.
    15. Da Mota de Pina E Cunha, A.M., 1998. "Determinants of Product Innovation in Organizations : Practices and Performance in the Portugese Financial Sector," Other publications TiSEM e6e4e56e-b72a-4392-8d79-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Tiu, Bryan Timothy C. & Cruz, Dennis E., 2017. "An MILP model for optimizing water exchanges in eco-industrial parks considering water quality," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 89-96.
    17. Arkadiusz Bauerek & Jean Diatta & Łukasz Pierzchała & Angelika Więckol-Ryk & Alicja Krzemień, 2022. "Development of Soil Substitutes for the Sustainable Land Reclamation of Coal Mine-Affected Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    18. Stanislav Shmelev & Harrison Roger Brook, 2021. "Macro Sustainability across Countries: Key Sector Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-46, October.
    19. Jan Mattsson & Helge Helmersson & Katarina Stetler, 2016. "Motivation Fatigue As A Threat To Innovation: Bypassing The Productivity Dilemma In R&D By Cyclic Production," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(02), pages 1-23, February.
    20. Edgar Battand Towa Kouokam & Vanessa Zeller & Wouter Achten, 2019. "Input-output models and waste management analysis: A critical review," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/359535, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:4:p:515-:d:94358. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.