Companies developing new technologies in the innovation phase, before commercial introduction, face a Technological Innovation System that is simultaneously incomplete across multiple conditions. Several building blocks required for diffusion may be missing at once, and niche introduction strategies that circumvent individual barriers are unavailable when no version of the product can yet be brought to market.

Under these conditions, the firm's task shifts from introducing a product to building up the system conditions that would make introduction possible.
This thesis extends an existing Technological Innovation System building-blocks framework for the innovation phase, adapting its output to system-building actions for companies. The extension consists of two steps; a cross-block interaction analysis traces how weakness in one building block conditions the status of others, revealing the system's internal architecture and enabling constraint prioritization. An action-mode typology then classifies what kind of system-building action each prioritized constraint requires, distinguishing direct action, collaborative action, intermediary action, advocacy and engagement, and wait and monitor. The extended framework is applied to the case of small modular reactor-powered hydrogen production in the Netherlands.

The thesis concludes that the binding constraints are institutional and financial, and the most consequential near-term work is to influence the public decisions that determine whether a market for its product can exist at all. The efficacy of which, depends on the (SMR) developer's engineering credibility. ... Read more

The increasing complexity of high-tech products and growing pressure to improve quality, development speed, and cost efficiency have intensified interest in Early Verification and Validation (Early V&V), often referred to as a shift-left approach. Early V&V aims to identify design issues earlier in the product development lifecycle, reducing dependence on late-stage integration and physical testing. Despite growing academic and industrial attention, limited empirical research has examined how a transition toward Early V&V affects established verification and validation practices in complex high-tech environments.

This study investigates how a transition toward Early V&V affects existing verification and validation activities across the product development lifecycle. A qualitative case study was conducted at ASML, a leading manufacturer of advanced lithography systems. The research combined a literature review, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews to examine the current V&V approach, identify prerequisites for Early V&V, explore implementation opportunities, and assess the role of ongoing organizational initiatives.

The findings show that ASML currently operates a mature document-centric implementation of the V-model within its Product Generation Process (PGP). While the process provides a structured framework for requirements management, reviews, and decision-making, engineering information, simulation results, and design knowledge remain distributed across multiple tools, databases, and organizational units. This creates challenges related to traceability, knowledge reuse, and lifecycle-wide visibility.

Four key prerequisites for Early V&V were identified: the availability of verification and validation methods that can be applied earlier in the lifecycle, sufficiently mature and traceable requirements engineering, a continuous digital thread linking lifecycle information, and organizational readiness to adopt and trust new ways of working. The study further demonstrates that initiatives related to Model-Based Systems Engineering, Digital Twins, simulation management, and virtual integration provide important enabling capabilities. However, the primary challenge is not the absence of technology, but the integration of existing initiatives into a coherent lifecycle-wide capability.

The research concludes that Early V&V should be understood as a socio-technical transformation of the product development lifecycle rather than a tooling upgrade. Successful adoption requires both a shift toward traceable and reusable digital evidence and the relocation of selected V&V activities earlier in development. The study contributes empirical insights into the technical and organizational conditions required for Early V&V in complex high-tech product development environments ... Read more

Research on the development and commercialization of hybrid protein, a combination of cultivated and plant-based protein, in the alternative protein transition has been increasing over the past few decades. This transition is increasingly urgent due to environmental impact and ethical issues around animal protein, as well as issues around food security and health impacts. Hybrid protein is argued to be a promising innovation to accelerate this transition as it helps overcome limitations that both cultivated protein and plant-based protein are facing.

The Netherlands is at the forefront of this development, however, the current regulations have not allowed the selling of hybrid protein yet in the European Union. At this moment, large-scale market introduction is unfeasible due to limited customer acceptance, insufficient knowledge of large-scale production, the high costs, the absence of a network that coordinates regulations and stakeholders and most importantly the absence of the regulations to allow it.

The aim of this master thesis research is to look into how to systematically integrate responsibility in the design of market entry and diffusion strategies for emerging innovations, using hybrid protein as a case study. By combining the meta-responsibility framework by Sonck et al. (2019) with the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework for large-scale diffusion strategies by Ortt and Kamp (2022), a combined framework called the Responsible Market Development (RMD) framework is developed that serves as a tool to design responsible market entry and diffusion strategies. Where responsibilities of market actors are not incorporated in the TIS framework, a more sustainable framework is designed that does not only look at economic, but also social and environmental sustainability.

By applying the RMD framework, the barriers to market-introduction or large-scale diffusion are identified, strategies to overcome these barriers are proposed, conflicts and synergies between responsibilities are identified and combining these insights results in an output of the framework of responsible market-introduction strategies.

For the case of hybrid protein, the following barriers have been identified: ‘production system’, ‘network formation and coordination’, ‘product price’, ‘customers’ and ‘innovation-specific institutions’. The identified influencing conditions include ‘knowledge and awareness of technology’, ‘knowledge and awareness of application’, ‘macro-economic and strategic aspects’, ‘socio-cultural aspects’ and ‘accidents and events’. Based on these findings, the “top
niche strategy”, “subsidized niche strategy”, “redesign niche strategy” and “geographic niche strategy” are proposed as most suitable pathways to market-introduction. Also the “redesign niche strategy” and “demo, experiment and develop strategy” are being applied already.

Results from the RMD proposed framework as well as expert interviews suggest that there is an order to which the strategies can most effective be applied as the barriers have a sequence. Advised is to first start with the “top niche strategy” or the “redesign niche strategy”, followed by the “subsidized niche strategy” if price is still a barrier. These proposed strategies have been adapted in a way that responsibilities are taken into account to make the innovation not only economically viable, but also socially and environmentally sustainable. ... Read more

Research on the development and commercialization of hybrid protein, a combination of cultivated and plant-based protein, in the alternative protein transition has been increasing over the past few decades. This transition is increasingly urgent due to environmental impact and ethical issues around animal protein, as well as issues around food security and health impacts. Hybrid protein is argued to be a promising innovation to accelerate this transition as it helps overcome limitations that both cultivated protein and plant-based protein are facing.

The Netherlands is at the forefront of this development, however, the current regulations have not allowed the selling of hybrid protein yet in the European Union. At this moment, large-scale market introduction is unfeasible due to limited customer acceptance, insufficient knowledge of large-scale production, the high costs, the absence of a network that coordinates regulations and stakeholders and most importantly the absence of the regulations to allow it.

The aim of this master thesis research is to look into how to systematically integrate responsibility in the design of market entry and diffusion strategies for emerging innovations, using hybrid protein as a case study. By combining the meta-responsibility framework by Sonck et al. (2019) with the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework for large-scale diffusion strategies by Ortt and Kamp (2022), a combined framework called the Responsible Market Development (RMD) framework is developed that serves as a tool to design responsible market entry and diffusion strategies. Where responsibilities of market actors are not incorporated in the TIS framework, a more sustainable framework is designed that does not only look at economic, but also social and environmental sustainability.

By applying the RMD framework, the barriers to market-introduction or large-scale diffusion are identified, strategies to overcome these barriers are proposed, conflicts and synergies between responsibilities are identified and combining these insights results in an output of the framework of responsible market-introduction strategies.

For the case of hybrid protein, the following barriers have been identified: ‘production system’, ‘network formation and coordination’, ‘product price’, ‘customers’ and ‘innovation-specific institutions’. The identified influencing conditions include ‘knowledge and awareness of technology’, ‘knowledge and awareness of application’, ‘macro-economic and strategic aspects’, ‘socio-cultural aspects’ and ‘accidents and events’. Based on these findings, the “top niche strategy”, “subsidized niche strategy”, “redesign niche strategy” and “geographic niche strategy” are proposed as most suitable pathways to market-introduction. Also the “redesign niche strategy” and “demo, experiment and develop strategy” are being applied already.

Results from the RMD proposed framework as well as expert interviews suggest that there is an order to which the strategies can most effective be applied as the barriers have a sequence. Advised is to first start with the “top niche strategy” or the “redesign niche strategy”, followed by the “subsidized niche strategy” if price is still a barrier. These proposed strategies have been adapted in a way that responsibilities are taken into account to make the innovation not only economically viable, but also socially and environmentally sustainable. ... Read more

This thesis investigates the socio-technical barriers to the diffusion of medical-grade caffeine for neonatal care in Malawi, and proposes a strategic framework for overcoming them. Despite its long-standing inclusion in the World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines, caffeine citrate remains absent from Malawi’s Essential Medicines List and unregistered by the Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority. As a result, the medicine is structurally excluded from national procurement systems, leaving neonatal units dependent on less effective alternatives such as aminophylline. The case is emblematic of a broader paradox in global health: therapies that are well established and endorsed internationally may still fail to diffuse in low-resource settings when institutional and systemic preconditions are missing.

The research applies the Technological Innovation System framework to diagnose the functional weaknesses of Malawi’s neonatal pharmaceutical innovation system. This diagnosis reveals several incomplete or misaligned building blocks: (i) absent innovation-specific institutions (notably Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority registration and Malawi Essential Medicines List inclusion), (ii) weak network formation between clinical actors and policymakers, (iii) insufficient resource mobilisation for small-volume neonatal medicines, and (iv) limited knowledge diffusion across professional and institutional boundaries. These weaknesses are compounded by broader influencing conditions typical of low-resource health systems, such as donor-driven priorities, budget ceilings, foreign exchange constraints, and sociocultural preferences in neonatal care. Together, these factors explain why caffeine—despite robust global endorsement—has not been adopted in Malawi.

To translate the Technological Innovation System diagnosis into actionable insights, two complementary lenses were added. A pharmaceutical supply chain analysis localised barriers within Malawi’s procurement and distribution architecture, mapping how donors, manufacturers, and domestic institutions interact through the Central Medical Stores Trust, the Christian Health Association of Malawi, and parallel donor-financed channels. This perspective highlighted concrete entry routes for caffeine, such as (i) integration into the Central Medical Stores framework contracts once registered, (ii) donor-financed neonatal commodity lines, and (iii) semi-autonomous Christian Health Association of Malawi procurement. A power–interest analysis then mapped the feasibility of activating these routes, showing that high-power but low-interest actors (Ministry of Health on Malawi, Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority, Central Medical Stores Trust) act as critical gatekeepers, while international organisations (World Health Organisation, UNICEF, Global Fund, Clinton Health Access Initiative, M´edecins Sans Fronti`eres, IDA Foundation) combine both power and interest to drive change. By contrast, clinicians, Christian Health Association of Malawi facilities, and patient groups are highly interested but lack structural power, underscoring the need for coalition-building and advocacy.

The study concludes that Malawi’s innovation system does not currently provide the conditions required for a classical niche introduction strategy, as outlined by Ortt (2013). Instead, a preparatory stage is needed, where systemic capacity is gradually built to enable future diffusion. Four priority interventions emerge: (1) mobilising clinical champions and professional associations to advocate for inclusion in the Malawi Essential Medicines List and Malawi Standard Treatment Guideline, (2) engaging regulatory and technical authorities—including Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority and Health Technical Support Services—in targeted reliance-based dialogues to reduce transaction costs of registration, (3) securing donor alignment by positioning caffeine within maternal and newborn health financing envelopes, and (4) exploring pooled or regional procurement arrangements to overcome minimum order quantity and affordability constraints.

Beyond Malawi, this thesis makes three contributions. First, it demonstrates the value of the Technological Innovation System framework for diagnosing pharmaceutical diffusion challenges in low-resource health systems, highlighting how gaps in innovation-specific institutions—rather than product performance—can be decisive bottlenecks. Second, it integrates supply chain and stakeholder analyses into the Technological Innovation System perspective, creating a meta-analytical pathway that links structural diagnosis to operational entry points and political feasibility. Third, it offers a transferable strategic framework that can guide the introduction of other underutilised neonatal medicines in Sub-Saharan Africa.

By combining socio-technical systems analysis with operational and governance perspectives, this thesis shows that the diffusion of caffeine citrate for neonatal care cannot rely on regulatory endorsement alone. It requires coordinated interventions across institutions, supply chains, and actor coalitions. The framework developed here provides both a concrete pathway for introducing caffeine in Malawi and broader insights into strengthening pharmaceutical innovation systems in comparable low-resource contexts. ... Read more

This thesis investigates how digital technologies shape business models in high-tech renewable energy firms. Using five firm cases and a systematic literature review, both coded independently with the Gioia methodology and then compared, the study maps the technologies discussed across sources, analyses their effects on value creation, delivery, and capture, and relates these component-level patterns to business model change types: adaptation (BMA), evolution (BME), and innovation (BMI). Technologies are organised into a functional grouping conceptualised as a layered stack from data capture to system-level orchestration, which clarifies roles and enables cross-dataset comparison. The thesis also develops digital integration depth, defined as the extent to which technologies are structurally embedded across components. Findings indicate that deeper and coherent embedding aligns with more extensive reconfiguration, whereas context-driven constraints commonly coincide with adaptation. Together, the functional grouping and integration-depth lens provide a testable framework for analysing and guiding digital transformation in renewable energy. ... Read more

Sustainable energy new-age ventures are driving the global energy transition towards cleaner and resilient energy systems. While the development of this sector looks positive and successful from the outside, the companies face tremendous external impacts to sustain their competitiveness and survival. The industry lies at the crux of environmental, economical and social constructs given the nature of their business, that involves having focus and consideration for product, people and planet. This involves operating in an ecosystem driven by continual impacts, requirements and changes from all three constructs, and tactically reacting to those pressures. To understand the impact of these external triggers, this research examines how Dutch sustainable energy-tech startups and scale-ups perceive the triggers and respond accordingly. With having a particular focus on ’pivots’ - i.e., deliberate change in the course of action of business model (Ries, 2011) - an attempt to explore the understanding between trigger and subsequent pivot action has been made. Drawing upon conceptual understanding of dynamic business models, we further probe into cascade of internal changes within business models of companies as a result of these external triggers and pivots. ... Read more

This thesis explored what factors can aid in determining the suitability for organizations to make the switch from Systems Engineering (SE) to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). While MBSE offers many benefits, such as better traceability, improved collaboration between disciplines, and fewer late-stage design errors, many companies still struggle with deciding whether the switch is the right move for them. Although several tools exist to help assess how far an organization is in its MBSE journey, there is little support available for making the initial decision of whether MBSE is suitable in the first place. This research aimed to fill that gap by identifying key factors that influence the suitability of MBSE adoption within organizations and by developing a factor-based assessment tool.

The research focused on five main questions: (1) What factors determine when MBSE implementation is recommended? (2) How do these factors interrelate? (3) Which factors are most critical in the decision-making process? (4) What are the expected benefits and drawbacks of MBSE compared to SE? (5) What types of models and roles are involved in MBSE? Due to limited time being available for this thesis, the emphasis of the research was mainly on the first and third questions.

The research started with a literature review to explore the definitions of SE and MBSE. This was followed by a brainstorm to explore which factors could be relevant and provide a focus for the further literature review. Then the factors found in the brainstorm and literature review were compared to one another and the factors were refined and categorized to be used as a factor list as input for expert interviews. A preliminary factor list was created based on both theoretical knowledge and practical expectations. These included project characteristics, organizational capabilities, and cost considerations among other factors. The factors were then grouped based on the phase of adoption, distinguishing between those relevant before implementation, during implementation, and those influencing long-term sustainability.

In the second phase, interviews were conducted with MBSE experts from The Collective, a consultancy firm with experience in implementing MBSE in various organizations. Interviewees were asked to come up with factors themselves and assess the importance thereof. Later they were asked to reflect on the predefined list, decide whether or not they believed the factor was relevant and give their opinion about the importance of the factor. The participants clustered the factors and provided their view on the order in which they should be addressed.
The interviews followed a structured format and were designed to allow both open discussion and targeted evaluation of the factor list. Interviewees had experience in various sectors, including infrastructure and water management, and represented different roles, such as systems engineers and project managers. Their feedback provided valuable insights into practical experiences, challenges faced during implementation, and lessons learned from both successful and lesser successful MBSE transitions.

The interviews confirmed most of the factors that were identified during the literature review phase, and added new ones. Four factors stood out as most relevant to look at first when deciding whether or not to adopt MBSE: project complexity, whether the system is new and needs to be designed or it being an existing system combined with the amount of (expected) documentation, the organization's maturity with SE, and the risk associated with making design mistakes.
These four factors can serve as boundary conditions. If they are not addressed or present, the potential success of MBSE implementation is likely to be limited.

This thesis concludes with discussing limitations of the research and potential biases, combined with recommendations for future research. Some limitations include the relatively small number of interview participants, the focus on a single consultancy firm, and the qualitative nature of the study. Future research could validate the factor list through quantitative surveys or case studies in other sectors. ... Read more

Since 1990, global CO2 emissions have risen by nearly 50%, with energy-intensive industries playing a major role in this upward trend. In response, the 2015 Paris Agreement mobilized international efforts to limit global warming to a maximum of 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C. This has spurred ambitious climate policies worldwide. At the European level, the Green Deal and the “Fit for 55” package set binding goals: climate neutrality by 2050 and at least a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030. These targets place significant pressure on heavy industries such as steel, cement, chemicals, and refining to fundamentally transform their operations. These sectors are not only responsible for a large share of global emissions, but also face unique challenges in de-carbonization due to their reliance on fossil fuels, high-temperature processes, and capital-intensive infrastructure. While technological solutions like electrification, carbon capture, and green hydrogen are being developed, their successful deployment requires more than innovation alone. It demands deep changes in how these industries are organized, operated, and maintained on a day-to-day basis.
Among these sectors, steelmaking is especially critical, both for its economic importance and its high carbon footprint. This thesis examines how such a transformation can unfold in practice by focusing on a leading case: Tata Steel IJmuiden. While much public and academic attention is given to breakthrough technologies and national policies, this research shifts focus to the practical dimension of transition. Specifically, it explores how de-carbonization strategies are translated into organizational routines, systems, and responsibilities at the micro plant level while considering the meso- and macro- contextual factors in which the transition takes place. Using Tata Steel’s Green Steel plan as a case study, the research investigates what Operations & Maintenance shifts are needed to ensure that de-carbonization efforts are not only technologically possible but also organizationally sustainable and safe.
To address this, the study poses the following main research question:
“How can large energy-intensive industries transition towards de-carbonization in practice?"
Although the main research question focuses on large energy-intensive industries in general, all sub-questions specifically examine Tata Steel IJmuiden as the case on which the results are based:
Sub-question 1: “What does the de-carbonization strategy of the Tata Steel plant in IJmuiden entail?"
Sub-question 2: "What contextual factors influence Tata Steel’s de-carbonization strategy, and how do they shape the feasibility and implementation of this transformation?"
Sub-question 3: “How do stakeholders organize and strategize Operations & Maintenance in Tata Steel’s de-carbonized production process?”
Sub-question 4: "What changes in Operations & Maintenance are required to support Tata Steel’s de-carbonization transition?"
To explore these questions, the study used a qualitative narrative case study design, combining a literature review with semi-structured expert interviews and thematic analysis through a hybrid coding approach. Data was triangulated across academic sources, technical documentation, and first-hand perspectives from within the organization. In addition, expert knowledge synthesis and integration played a role in the analysis of the data. This involved synthesizing the tacit, experience-based insights of academic and industry supervisors into the interpretive process through reflective dialogue and supervision. Furthermore, the case was studied through a strategy-as-practice lens, which allowed close attention to how strategic transformation unfolds through everyday operational decisions and practices.
The case study research revealed that Tata Steel’s de-carbonization strategy is centered around the substitution of old technologies by phasing out blast furnaces and introducing hydrogen-based Direct Reducation Plant (DRP) and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) technologies. The strategy consists of two phases: by 2030, one DRP and EAF unit will be installed, allowing the shutdown of a major blast furnace and coking plant, and by 2037, a second unit will complete the transition. This transformation at the micro plant level, expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 8.8 million tonnes annually, is deeply influenced by meso- and macro-level conditions such as the availability and cost of green hydrogen and electricity, regulatory frameworks, financial support, spatial constraints, and environmental requirements. These meso and macro drivers significantly shape the technical, operational, and organizational design of the transition.
The study highlights that O&M is not a passive function supporting technology change, but a core enabler that ensures the new green infrastructure operates reliably, safely, and efficiently. In the future hydrogen-based plant, O&M practices will be built around Reliability Availability Maintainability Safety Health Environment (RAMSHE) principles. Time- and condition-based maintenance will replace legacy routines, and a closer integration between \ac{om} teams will be required, especially as systems are less automated and more reliant on real-time human interventions. Safety becomes a dominant concern, particularly with the introduction of hydrogen. New protocols, extensive retraining, and strict oversight through specialized hydrogen safety bodies will be necessary. The study also outlines key organizational changes, including new partnerships with OEM, a new hydrogen committee, restructured maintenance contracts, and an expanded role for digital asset management systems to accommodate tens of thousands of new equipment components. A shift in operator roles, from passive monitoring to active process control, marks a major transformation in how labor is structured, trained, and managed.
Importantly, the analysis shows that industrial transformation cannot proceed through isolated or linear actions. Instead, it depends on the careful coordination of multiple interdependent strategies. Substitution of old technologies, while not a de-carbonization strategy in itself, plays a critical enabling role. By reshaping the technical, operational, and digital foundations of the industrial system, it allows for the integration of other low-carbon pathways such as hydrogen use, electrification, and carbon capture. In doing so, it initiates a series of ripple effects across organizational domains, triggering new safety risks, operational routines, skill demands, and digital infrastructures that must be actively managed through adapted O&M.
In sum, the thesis identifies three pillars essential to the success of this de-carbonization transition in practice: (1) technical adaptation and digitalization to accommodate new technologies, (2) workforce safety and competency transformation to operate and maintain high-risk systems, and (3) organizational restructuring and stakeholder integration to align the complexity of the transition across internal and external actors. These findings suggest that achieving climate neutrality in heavy industry is not only a matter of technological readiness but also of deep operational transformation. By examining the steel industry’s transition at the plant level through a narrative case study, this research offers insights that can guide other energy-intensive sectors pursuing similar de-carbonization strategies. It highlights that success depends not only on what technologies are adopted but on how Operations & Maintenance adapt to make those technologies work, safely, reliably, and sustainably. Future experiments in industrial de-carbonization would benefit from early integration of O&M considerations into the planning and implementation of green transitions.

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Latin America faces significant environmental and socio-economic challenges due to its predominant "extract, transform, and dispose" economic model. The Circular Economy (CE) offers a crucial alternative by focusing on sustainability through rethinking and redesigning production processes to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. Within this framework, Circular Innovations (CIs) play a vital role in promoting sustainable practices. This research seeks to adapt the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework to better identify and overcome barriers to CIs in Latin America. The study began with a comprehensive literature review, which provided a foundation for adapting the TIS framework to both the principles of circularity and the specific context of Latin America. This adapted framework was then applied through case studies in the region, offering a practical examination of the challenges and opportunities for CE in Latin America. The research synthesized insights from literature, case studies, and expert interviews to develop definitions of CE and CIs that are tailored to the Latin American context. The Circular Economy in Latin America is defined as the process of rethinking and redesigning production and consumption systems to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. This approach emphasizes waste management, recycling, and the transformation of waste into valuable resources throughout the entire lifecycle of products and services, aiming to achieve sustainability through regulatory alignment, technological innovation, and societal engagement. Circular Innovations are defined as innovations that align with these principles, focusing on waste minimization, resource efficiency, and sustainability. The application of the adapted TIS framework revealed several significant barriers to the diffusion of CIs in Latin America. These include challenges in scaling up circular production processes efficiently, inefficiencies in transportation and distribution networks, and a significant lack of customer awareness and understanding of circular economy products. Additionally, there is a low willingness to pay for sustainable products, exacerbated by the lack of alignment in regulatory frameworks and inconsistent environmental laws. The framework also highlighted issues such as unclear and overly stringent regulatory requirements, the absence of standardized norms, competitive pricing challenges, and a lack of supportive infrastructure and incentives for circular economy initiatives. To address these barriers, the research developed a series of niche strategies tailored to the specific challenges identified in the Latin American context. These strategies include the Demo, Experiment, and Develop Niche Strategy, which focuses on creating experimental spaces for innovation; the Subsidized Niche Strategy, aimed at providing financial support to emerging circular innovations; and the Geographic Niche Strategy, which targets specific regions with unique challenges and opportunities. Other strategies include the Educate Niche Strategy, which emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and knowledge among consumers and policymakers; the Top Niche Strategy, which focuses on leveraging high-impact innovations; and the Policy Advocacy Strategy, which involves engaging with regulatory bodies to align policies with circular economy goals. These strategies were derived from the adapted TIS framework by systematically analyzing how various influencing conditions affect the framework’s building blocks. The connection between these influencing conditions and the identified barriers provided a clear pathway for developing strategies that are both targeted and effective. The study highlights the critical role of niche strategies in promoting circularity in Latin America, ensuring that circular innovations can achieve large-scale impact and contribute significantly to sustainable development in the region. ... Read more

Blockchain consortia uphold value-addition through collaboration between organizations, by exploring, prototyping and innovating together. Blockchain technology presented itself as a new solution to the sharing of data proofs since 2008, with certain components such as smart contracts and privacy-enhancing components currently at different maturity levels. Blockchain consortia do not only navigate these technical factors, but also non-technical factors of decision-criteria are employed, and if development of a blockchain-based application fails, alternative data sharing technologies are explored. With the main research question ‘which guidelines can aid consortium managers in their decision-making process of developing blockchain-based applications?’, this study had the goal of contributing guidelines of decision-making processes, for aiding in the development of blockchain-applications in a rigorous manner. In order to tackle this problem, this research project performed case studies.
This study makes use of a combined analytical framework, by merging the Resource-based View and Consortium Capabilities frameworks, the latter being a blockchain-specific framework. A multiple-case study approach is followed, by which four most-different cases of Dutch blockchain consortia are analysed. This is done by firstly scoping the consortium with desk research, followed by interviewing consortium managers, with interview questions based on the combined analytical framework. Thereafter, a hybrid coding approach, and thematic analysis are applied to investigate the challenges, potential benefits and risks in the decision-making process. The inductive part of the hybrid coding approach is the exploration of groups and factors of the deductively identified challenges, potential benefits and risks, which led to the creation of the Blockchain Consortia Guidelines, that presents guidelines on the inductively identified factors: Knowledge Transfer, Technology and use-case, Security, Funding and Economic Considerations, Organization and Vision. The guidelines were validated by interviewing managers of two additional blockchain cases, yielding a high level of recognition of the guidelines provided. Adaptation of certain guidelines was necessary, and implemented with the critique provided from partial recognition and non-recognition of guideline elements. This increased the external validity of the observed factors and decision-making guidelines. The scientific contribution of this research lies in providing top-level factors, the corresponding groups on the middle level, and guidelines on the bottom-level. The resulting factors and groups when compared to the existing literature (Consortium Capabilities framework), show that Knowledge Transfer, Funding and Economic Considerations, and Organizational, are additional aspects on the factor level that are given insufficient attention in the Consortium Capabilities framework.
A limitation is that the interview data did not allow for yielding a (blockchain consortia-oriented) process-based framework as a final deliverable due to insufficient relationships between decision-making and factors in the combined analytical framework. Nonetheless, the rich qualitative data allowed for practical guidelines to be developed. Another limitation is a skew in the data towards potential benefits mentioned by managers, which is an indication that a self-serving bias, social-desirability bias, or a combination of these is present. Addressing these limitations is proposed when undertaking future research. ... Read more

This study takes initial steps to understand why 47% of companies creating Radically New Technological Innovations fail before reaching large scale diffusion and how to prevent such failures. This was achieved by integrating Ortt’s (2010) evolution model—which states that an innovation passes through a development and adaptation phase before reaching large-scale diffusion—with the Technological Innovation System framework, which emphasizes that an innovation encompasses more than just its technical features. These combined theories were then analyzed using the System Dynamics Modelling approach. The main question in this process was: “How can we develop a System Dynamics Model that accurately portrays the interactions among elements within the Technical Innovation System, shedding
light on the system’s behavior across different phases and identifying factors hindering the progression of the adaptation into the diffusion phase?"

To answer this question, we developed a method, a model depicting the interactions between the TIS-factors, a theory on transitions between phases, and a simulation model demonstrating the influence of certain factors on these transitions. The developed method is based on synthesis, in which theories on the factors within the TIS, namely customers, price, performance, production, networks, institutions, and complementary products and services, are combined into one coherent framework. This framework acts as a hypothesis, outlining the variables that make up the factors and defining their interrelations. From this hypothesis, a conceptual and a simulation model can be built which can be validated using expert interviews and experimentation. Using this method, we built a conceptual model that maps the variables and their relationships, while also clearly stating its assumptions. Through evaluating this model, we identified customers, production, networks, and complementary products and services as potential drivers in the system.

Additionally, we found that growth in legitimacy and R&D can have both positive and negative influences on the system, depending on how other factors develop. To understand how the TIS is first adapted and then reaches large scale diffusion, a theory on market transitions was designed. Here we hypothesized that the adaptation and diffusion phases are really a series of heterogeneous markets that are characterized by different demand preferences. Initially, during the adaptation phase, these are niche markets, while in the diffusion phase, the innovation can enter larger and more demanding main markets. Additionally, we proposed three pathways for an innovation to transition from one market to another: first, by evolving its TIS to align with the market’s demand preferences, which is often essential in main markets; second, when demand preferences shift to match with the TIS, typically seen in smaller niche markets; and third, when both demand and the TIS evolve to better align.

Lastly, our goal was to begin to identify which elements are crucial in market transitions. To achieve this, we constructed a simulation model that illustrated the interaction between standardization and potential shifts in demand preferences. The variable Standardization is grounded in the assumption derived from the conceptual model that, given enough time, all TISs will produce a standardized product. Our findings indicate that when entering a market, having a high level of standardization is essential to achieve high-level diffusion, particularly in markets focused on a developed TIS. Conversely, to prevent low diffusion levels, it is important to enter the market only when the product is favored by consumers, especially in markets determined by external demand preferences; additionally, low standardization should also be avoided.

In conclusion, the synthesis method created here can be used to indicate what elements are essential in enabling or hindering the progression from the adaptation to the diffusion phase. Initial conclusions indicate that there are several drivers and potential hindrances within the system and that both standardization and shifting demand preferences can greatly impact possible transitions, depending on the specific characteristics of the market.
As these are the first steps in a long line of research, there is so much more to be done. For this it might seem obvious to only look to the future and aim to design more specialized conceptual models, or a simulation model that encompasses all elements. However, I also want to invite you to look to the past and see how this study can be used to clarify the theories and methods that form its foundation. ... Read more

The study embarks on a comprehensive investigation into the domain of circular innovation within Dutch high-tech firms, probing the dynamics of drivers, barriers, and the strategic impact of niche strategies. The research methodology builds upon the adaptable foundation of the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework, adapting it to the unique contours of circular innovation. This framework guides the research objectives, which encompass discerning the propulsive forces driving circular innovation, unraveling the contextual intricacies, and critically evaluating the applicability of the adapted TIS framework.

Guided by this framework, the research addresses three pivotal sub-questions that delve into the nuances of drivers, barriers and the strategic potency of niche strategies within the circular innovation landscape. The methodology seamlessly interweaves an expansive literature review with in-depth case studies of four distinct Dutch circular high-tech firms. Through rigorous qualitative analysis, recurrent drivers emerge, including the catalytic influence of emerging regulations, collaborative partnerships, strategic product design and value proposition, and intrinsic motivation. On the flip side, barriers encompass the complexities of production systems, complementary products and services, network formation and coordination, and the intricate maze of customer engagement challenges.

Embedded within the empirical insights are four distinct niche strategies, meticulously tailored to specific contexts: the Redesign Niche Strategy, the Decentralization Niche Strategy, the Turnkey Product-Service System (PSS) Niche Strategy, and the Compliance-Driven Stepping-Stone Niche Strategy. These strategies come to light as potent tools in surmounting the entrenched barriers, underscoring the significance of strategic alignment with regulatory shifts, the formation of collaborative networks, and the innovation-driven approach to product design in propelling circular innovation.

The strategic adaptation of the TIS framework to circular innovation not only enriches analytical depth but also highlights its pragmatic relevance. Consultations with experts from HollandCircularHotspot - a platform driving the advancement of the circular economy by facilitating collaboration, knowledge sharing, and representing Dutch circular companies on an international stage, serve to validate the framework's utility, affirming its efficacy in dissecting the ever-evolving landscape of circular innovation. Acknowledging its limitations, such as the limited scope of case studies and the geographical focus on Dutch high-tech companies, the study sets the stage for future research endeavors.

In summation, this thesis offers a substantial contribution to comprehending the dynamics of circular innovation within Dutch high-tech enterprises. It underscores the pivotal role of specific strategies and reaffirms the pertinence of the adapted TIS framework. With its blend of empirical insights and theoretical foundations, the study illuminates potential pathways for circumventing barriers to circular innovation, paving the way for transformative change within the high-tech circular landscape. ... Read more

PURPOSE
Addressing the issue of gender inequality in Dutch energy organisations has become increasingly important, but understanding the complex interplay of personal factors and various aspects of gender inequality that contribute to the perception of this wicked problem remains a challenge. This study aims to explore the refracted reflections of gender inequality among employees in Dutch energy organisations by examining the metaphorical prisms formed by societal, organisational, and individualistic aspects. This multi-dimensional analysis seeks to identify aspects contributing to gender inequality, to show the interdependencies of the issue, and to highlight potential intervention points for implementing change while considering the dynamic interaction between the prisms and personal factors.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
A qualitative transdisciplinary case study approach was used to explore perceptions of gender inequality within Dutch energy organisations. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews with gender experts and employees, an employee survey, conversations with researchers, and observations at relevant events. The research design incorporated theoretical frameworks such as problem framing and process-based decision making to guide the study. Content analysis was used to identify patterns, relationships and trends in the data collected, providing a comprehensive understanding of the societal, organisational, and individualistic aspects that contribute to gender inequality.

FINDINGS
The study resulted in the development of a novel, comprehensive framework that presents the interplay of wicked problem perceptions through the metaphorical prisms formed by societal, organisational, and individualistic aspects. The framework suggests that mental representations of experienced problem situations, informed by the personal factors of environment, knowledge, and intersectionality, influence cognitive processes such as assumptions and awareness. These mental representations shape the perceptions of the issue, which then determines prioritisation of certain aspects. The framework acknowledges the existence of causal loops between assumptions, awareness, and prioritisation, as well as the dynamic interaction with personal factors.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The comprehensive framework derived from this study provides valuable insights for Dutch energy organisations and other industries seeking to address gender inequality by understanding and addressing the underlying aspects and personal factors that shape employees’ perceptions. This knowledge can be used to design targeted interventions, organisational policies and practices that promote a more inclusive and equitable work environment.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE
This thesis presents an original approach to understanding gender inequality in Dutch energy organisations, a representative case for other male-dominated technical sectors. It offers a novel, comprehensive framework that captures the interplay of societal, organisational, and individualistic aspects with personal factors to show how perceptions of gender inequality emerge. The value of this research lies in its transdisciplinary approach and its applicability in facilitating real-world interventions and strategies to mitigate gender inequality ... Read more

If we are to avert Climate Change, the world must reduce its net carbon footprint to zero in the coming decades. This will require an unprecedented shift in the technologies relied on in almost every part of the economy. Venture Capital can play a pivotal role in hastening the adoption of new technologies, but for investors to pursue a technology, certain conditions must be met. This research uses the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework to qualitatively explore the nature of these conditions. It does this through a double case study of two technologies at the forefront of the “Climate Tech” investor movement: Electric Cars and Plant-Based Meat Alternatives. Combining literature research with interviews of both investors and people closely involved with these technologies, the research identifies several key building blocks as likely to affect investor interest. These building blocks include Product Quality (the product needs to be competitive on grounds other than its sustainability), Product Price (the product must be able to be sold at an initially significant premium), Production System (product components or materials as well as production capacity should be commoditized), and Customers (the product must be interesting to the mass-market). In both case studies, the ultimately successful companies showed that the existing niche fundamentally misunderstood the market. Through the lens of the TIS, this could be considered an Accident or Event, where a visionary founder challenges existing Knowledge of Application and Market. There is a significant level of overlap between the case studies, suggesting that this might be a key strategy to developing sustainable B2C innovations. ... Read more

Technologies for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) need to take
into account local cost, usability and maintenance challenges, and ‘modular’
device designs can be one way of overcoming these challenges. However,
despite research into the design advantages of these devices, the adoption
challenges have not yet been investigated.
This research aims to make the adoption of modular laparoscopic instruments possible in LMICs, starting in India with four types of local hospitals. It aims to find the various actors and factors, including stakeholders that play a role in making this technology successfully adopted in India. The study involves desktop research to analyse LMIC markets with respect to surgical instruments, followed by qualitative research to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of these instruments in the Indian context. For this, we will conduct interviews and observations with experts and practitioners developing and using laparoscopic instruments in Indian hospitals. All findings will result in a case study that combines all findings and concludes with a framework that covers all aspects related to the successful adoption of modular steerable laparoscopic instruments with
interchangeable end-effectors ... Read more

This research identifies opportunities to accelerate the SET towards a 100% RE based on Aruba. This thesis is structured in three parts: 1) a literature review to assess the main relevant theories. 2) A conceptual framework combining the Strategic Niche Management and the Multi-level Perspective is developed to analyse and compare case studies of RE technologies (Solar PV Rooftops, Electric Vehicle and Wind Turbines), including the external factors enabling or constraining this SET. 3) Finally, a roadmap is provided to accelerate the SET on the island of Aruba. Data collection is through literature review, desk research and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in the actors’ group (government, market and society).

The main research question: What is constraining the SET on the island of Aruba, and how can this be accelerated?
To accelerate the SET: at the regime level, the government should introduce an independent entity and an energy policy where the network-related is aligned to support the targets and expectations. At the niche level, utility managers should implement energy storage and intelligent infrastructure to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and enable demand-side management to create more room for RE penetration. At the landscape level, raising awareness, organise town hall meetings with pilot projects and demonstrations is necessary for society. Due to the limited space and land on the island, environmental impact assessments are required to mitigate the impact during the development process and avoid social resistance.
The education system should be upgraded to create new experiences, knowledge and information for local society. Hence, introducing a technical university is required but generally to change the teaching practice locally. The government’s responsibility is to stimulate more research, create more RE demonstrations, and create funds.
The research conducted by the universities, local and international, could ultimately improve regulatory measures. Utility and RE companies’ managers should consider that new business models will be necessary to survive in the new RE business environment. Other RET should also be explored, primarily because the current RET outcomes are unknown. The SET can be accelerated towards a 100% RE-based island by adopting these measures.
... Read more

Sustainability transitions is a complex multi-dimensional research field. In this field, different frameworks exist that have grown as separate strands while they actually contain many similarities and in some cases can even complement each other. In general, these frameworks try to present and clarify the processes related to transitions of socio-technical systems and the emergence, diffusion and utilization of technological innovations. To do so, researchers carry out historical event analyses for specific cases. This means that they gather, process and analyse data about events that have happened in the past to build a narrative of how an innovation has developed or a transition took place over time. Although there are guidelines in literature on how this should be done for each framework, the case results as presented in academic papers are often varied and the clarification behind the results and the used data can be unclear.
In this research an attempt has been made to reduce this variance and unclarity by building a tool in which the data gathering, categorizing and processing of sustainability transitions research cases is done structurally and the data itself is systemically presented through visualisations. This tool is a software based digital platform, referred to as the Sustainability Transitions Platform (STP). In the first draft of the platform functionalities have been limited and the sustainability transitions theory has been focused on the Multi-Level Perspective and Technological Innovation Systems. These are two of the most frequently used frameworks in the field and a combination of both is already being experimented with taking advantage of their commonalities and complementarities.
The combined framework contains three elements that are deemed important to build the system of the case. These are i) the environment in which the technological innovation system resides; ii) the actors, networks and institutions of the system; iii) the functions analysis tool to determine how the parts of the system are functioning.
These elements have been translated to the platform as three separate visualization tools, which are:
1. Technology environment, which presents the technology being analysed within a graph together with other technologies relevant for the analysis as comparison and landscape factors that influence the system.
2. Structural components, which presents all the actors, in a structured way through predefined groups, and their networks in the same graph and also present the relevant institutions in an adjacent table.
3. TIS functions analysis, which presents how the system is functioning in a radar chart based on a set of functions and their corresponding indicators.
These visualization tools are intended to present the case data in a structured way in order to help users of the platform better understand the system development process and make it comparable between cases.
The platform template has been tested through a case for offshore wind energy technology in Brazil.
From this case we have seen that i) the data does indeed need to be implemented structurally; ii) the visualization tools in the platform present the system through the three required elements of the framework; and iii) the platform user is able to determine possible bottlenecks for further development of the system. Another advantage gained by carrying out the case in a platform instead of how they currently are in journals, is that the digital aspects of the platform allow users to interact with the visualization tools and the underlying data which can help clarify the reasoning behind the conclusions of analysis. From the case we have also learned that in the current version of the platform i) inputting the data can be very time consuming and should in the future be automated; and ii) some essential aspects of the case are still not presented in the visualization tools, for example, the power or influence specific actors have in a system, which should be taken into account in future versions.
The STP appears to have a positive effect on sustainability transitions case implementation and would be recommended to be further developed. Given its dynamic nature it should also be used as an experimentational tool to merge the strengths of other frameworks in sustainability transitions research to eventually generate a single more complete framework and act as a bridge between theory and practice. ... Read more

Climate change is triggering among others a larger demand for offshore wind energy. This leads to new developments of which larger next-generation Wind Turbine Generators is the most relevant. These next-generation WTGs create problems for the carrying capacity of current-day installation jack-up vessels that work according to the conventional installation method (shuttling). These installation vessels can carry less or even nil of these WTGs per trip compared to the current-day WTGs. Fewer turbines per trip would allow the larger current-day installation vessels to maintain their work. However, they have more sailing time since more trips are required. This could also be more inefficient since the Offshore Wind Farms are moving further offshore. The other option within the conventional method is to build larger installation vessels that would carry more WTGs per trip.

Another installation method in the literature called feedering is a potential substitute for the conventional method. Very limited research has been done for feedering as well the practical implementation whereas the conventional method has extensive research and is mostly used in practice. The models in the literature compared two different feeder methods, called, the base port feeder and feeder-ship method, to the conventional method. The models are generic and lack different strategies to find the best feeder solution. The feeder-ship method has the most potential to solve the aforementioned problems and is therefore further investigated to find the best installation strategy, being either the conventional or feeder method.

First of all, the feeder-ship method is evaluated based on practical knowledge and adapted so a base port is used to temporarily store all components that come from the production port. The feeder sails back and forth between the base port and the installation site to supply the installation vessel with WTG components. The installation vessel will stay at the installation site to be as efficient as possible (the least amount of sailing time). This research only looks at the feeder and installation side and leaves the port elements out of the problem. Feeder strategies (within this method) differ in the number of feeder vessels/types and transfer options using either barges or Platform Support Vessels and being indirect (transfer components onto the installation vessel) or direct (install components from the feeder). The installation vessel for feedering is also looked into as being either a current-day or a special feeder purpose installation vessel. Different carrying capacities of the installation vessels are used to create different strategies for the conventional method.

A stochastic Discrete Event Simulation model is created and used in this research to evaluate the strategies. The output of the DES simulation is the project duration per sailing distance and strategy. The costs for this duration is calculated in a costs model from the perspective of the contractor as well as the developer. Besides duration and costs (based on the European market), the strategies are also evaluated on emissions (fuel consumption) since this is an increasingly important element in the industry. A sensitivity analysis has been performed to get a better understanding of which critical parameters the feeder strategies are most sensitive to. The analysis is also used to find the best next-generation WTG installation strategy in Europe which is the main focus of this thesis.
... Read more