Tuomo Kässi

Views on the international market for energy biomass in 2020: results from a scenario study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to clarify the alternative future scenarios for the international biomass market until the year 2020 and identify underlying steps needed toward a vital working and sustainable biomass market for energy purposes.Design/methodology/approach – Two scenario processes were conducted for the study. A heuristic, semi‐structured approach, including the use of preliminary questionnaires as well as manual and computerised group support systems (GSS), was applied in the scenario processes.Findings – The scenarios estimated that the biomass market will develop and grow rapidly as well as diversify in the future. The scenario analysis shows the key issues in the field: global economic growth including the growing need for energy, environmental forces in the global evolution, the potential of technological development in solving the global problems, capabilities of the international community to find solutions for the global issues, and the complex interdependencies of all these ...

BUILD-UP OF UNDERSTANDING OF TECHNOLOGICAL CONVERGENCE: EVIDENCE FROM PRINTED INTELLIGENCE INDUSTRY

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the dynamics between traditional and emerging new industries in converging industry environments. The paper identifies different convergence types and utilizes the framework to analyze the evolution of printed intelligence and RFID markets. The primary source of information is based on the main RFID industry players, patents, and 12 semistructured interviews conducted by the research group. The results reveal that the emerging industry is in the early stages of evolution where market dynamics are driven by complementary technological convergence and the previously distinct technological trajectories of industries have started to overlap. In parallel with convergence, a restructuring of industries is taking place in the near future.

Flexible Investment Planning and Collaborative Maintenance Management

In this paper we aim to bring forth the significance of managing the planning, design and development stages in the life cycle of the physical assets and related services. In these early phases of asset life cycle we may influence on the efficiency of the later phases, such as operations and maintenance, and have viewpoints on optimizing the future cash flows in a firm, which is crucial for managing the increasing number of uncertainties in turbulent business environments. The approaches, methods and tools to cope with these issues are described based on the main competences, projects and specific case studies conducted by the research groups of cost management as well as innovation and technology management at the department of Industrial Management at Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland.

Technological innovation strategies in converging industries

The objective of this paper is to analyse how industry convergence and technological trajectories affect the evolution of industries. The paper identifies different convergence types and utilises the framework to analyse the evolution of RFID markets. Research material is based on the patents and financial data of the main RFID industry players. RFID companies were characterised into four different clusters under the following headings: vertically integrated players, upstream focused players, downstream players, and paper and printing companies. The results reveal that the emerging industry is in the early stages of evolution where market dynamics are driven by complementary technological convergence. Patent and market data analysis also reveals that the previously distinct technological trajectories of the industries have started to overlap and merge to form new products based on integrated technologies. In parallel with convergence a restructuring of industries is taking place in the near future.

Characterization of Innovation Situation in a Remote Rural Region

Innovation debates dealing with regional economic development have generally focused on densely populated, technologically advanced areas and areas around university cities, undervaluing rural regions and their integration in national innovation systems. However, some statistics indicate that remote and rural regions may also have good innovation potential. This study examines more closely the innovation situation of the firms located in a remote rural region in Finland. The study is based on a structured survey including four main questions describing the innovation situation in the firms. The study outlines the most important features regarding the innovation, correlations between the main results and differences between the firm size categories and sectors. In general, the results indicate, e.g., high importance of a firms own innovation activities, and reveal some marketing goals of innovation and financial barriers. A correlation analysis reveals several significant correlations between the main results of the survey.

Enablers and barriers of cooperative bioenergy production in the countryside: a case study

The paper clarifies the possibilities of cooperation and networking for small actors in the field of bioenergy production. The paper focuses on factors at three different environmental levels which may act either as enablers or barriers for the seizing of energy production opportunities and through the formation of partnerships and networks around them. The paper examines these aspects with a case of livestock breeders in Parikkala, a traditional rural municipality in Eastern Finland.

The Delphi Method As A Tool For Analyzing Technology Evolution: Case Open Source Thin Computing

The main goal of this paper is to show how the Delphi method works as a management tool when analyzing technology evolution. The paper also provides insights on how thin computing and open source can affect the future IT infrastructure development. The primary data was collected in a three round Delphi study consisting of the following interest groups: (1) Developers of open source thin computing, (2) Industrial experts, (3) Representatives of academic institutes. The Delphi method represents a workable research tool in technology management field to capture multifaceted and enriched view about industry evolution.

Patent citations as determinants of grant and opposition: case of European wind power industry

ABSTRACT The grant of a patent and filing of an opposition are important events in the lifecycle of a patent. This paper tests the influence of backward citations on the likelihood of a patent grant and, if any, an opposition. Since all citations are not alike, detailed analysis is done by assessing type, nature and origin of citations in European search reports and, where needed, international search reports. The nature of citations, blocking or non-blocking, is found to have a significant impact on the likelihood of a patent being granted. The effect of citations originating during different stages of patent pendency is also explored in this study. For practitioners, the study provides a landscape of the European wind industry that is characterised by popularity of the PCT route, dearth of non-patent citations and dominance of bigger actors. For academics, the study offers novel opportunities to utilise citation based indicators.

Product Knowledge and Lifecycle Management in Project-Based Manufacturing

Changes taking place in project-based manufacturing emphasize the importance of agile manufacturing, product knowledge management and product lifecycle information. The paper describes dependencies between product definition and production strategy covering also other potential areas of research i.e. growth of industrial service business and development of manufacturing and supply networks. As an outcome it can be argued that more research is needed to align product lifecycle management in project-based manufacturing, as well as to cover the evolving information needs of internal and external stakeholders. Due to the increase of industrial services, also services should be included as a part of product definition; the extended product description introduces a new set of requirements that need to be taken into account as a part of product and production strategy definition.

Major factors contributing to wind power diffusion

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to evaluate the linkages between the technological, market and political environment in the wind power industry and their contribution to market diffusion. Design/methodology/approach – The evaluation is based on a literature review of the wind power industry and policy issues in selected countries, patent and financial analyses of leading European firms and semi-structured interviews of energy experts. Findings – The results reveal that the industry is policy-driven and appropriate energy politics are crucial in continuing the rapid wind power market diffusion during the next decades. Wind power technologies are in an accelerating stage of evolution, and competitive technologies contribute to market diffusion and firms’ financial performance. However, without adequate energy subsidies and emission trading schemes, the industry will not be competitive in the energy markets, where other energy sources, including fossil fuels, are also subsidized. Research limitations/...