The main objective of the paper is to gain understanding and overview of how knowledge management practices are understood and approached in the current academic research of circular economy with the focus on business life. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify knowledge management concepts, implemented knowledge management methods, tools or models as well as the areas of knowledge management theory applications and the contexts of applications in the existing academic papers. The aim of the paper behind the main objective is not only to summarize existing evidence but also to draw attention of business practice to the role of knowledge management and complex knowledge ecosystems for meeting the circular economy challenges and overcoming the circular economy barriers. For this paper peer-reviewed journals articles included in the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases were analysed within the systematic literature review. The main findings show that most of the current body of knowledge management theory is ignored in circular economy and circular business literature and the interest is focused mainly on knowledge sharing, knowledge acquisition and lack of knowledge while other important themes are not elaborated at all or only marginally.

In the article, the circular economy is elaborated form the reverse flows perspective, as these flows are the essence of the circular economy. The link between these two areas is straightforward as both focus on transition from liner to circular business environment: To make reverse logistics effective, companies need more than (just) the refinement of reuse/repair/recycle activities, but a more thorough redesign of the production system including product design and the whole business model redefinition is often necessary. In particular, the analysis uncovers managerial characteristics typical for companies that include their first-tier supply chain members in their knowledge ecosystem. The paper utilises the data collected in structured interviews among representatives of companies operating of the Czech market. The interviews covered multiple topics ranging from general management issues to circularity-specific areas such as general business views and motivation, and diverse aspects of management system For this exploratory research aim, the inferential statistics were employed: besides frequencies, the Mann-Whitney tests and bivariate correlations were calculated for scales and dichotomies variables. The analysis revealed managerial attitudes and practices, which are related to the intensity of knowledge sharing with the business partners; with the first-tier supply chain members. In other words, based on the perceived level of knowledge diffusion across a company, its customers, and suppliers, we identified typical features of management systems in companies that put effort into boosting their knowledge ecosystem. First, these companies are more integrated (internally and externally). The multiple indicators suggest that companies boosting the knowledge diffusion in the supply chain also take slightly different actions in tactical and operational level as expressed by planning activities. The ambitions for circularity (as expressed by the motivation for reverse logistics) are not so much solely focussed on marketing motives such as customers loyalty, satisfaction, or image, but their aim is more shifted towards value creation (out of reverse flows) and (environmental) legislation compliance. These companies often believe that reverse flows are useful/necessary to deal with, which is not always the case in companies in general. Finally, the statistic calculations identified that knowledge sharing has no apparent link to company size, manufacturing/service affiliation, but it is more intensive in companies that are closer to end customers, i.e. in downstream supply chain members. The findings of exploratory nature provide insight into relationships and mechanisms in companies that share their circular economy related knowledge with their suppliers and direct customers. Based on perceived company performance, it provides support for the economic rationality of knowledge sharing in the area of reverse flows.

The shifting to a circular economy (CE) demands the understanding of how companies can introduce circularity into their business models, that is, how companies develop and implement circular business models. In this process networks assume a critical role. This paper contributes to the theoretical grounding of the role of network forms of organization for Circular Economy, by providing an analysis on how networks have been integrated into the CE literature. For that, it draws on bibliometrics to map and analyze the evolution of the literature on Circular Economy that mentions networks. Moreover, it conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) considering five analytical dimensions: 1) research method used; 2) level of analysis of the study; 3) type of actors in the analysis/network; 4) purpose of the network; 5) network building strategies and challenges. The results show that the integration of networks in the CE is being accomplished using a diverse set of methodologies, with an underrepresentation of social network analysis and covering several levels of analysis (micro, meso and macro). Studies tend to stress relations inside the value-chain established to manage physical and energy flows. The CE literature also tackles the main challenges in network management, namely coordination, trust and alignment.

Remanufacturing plays an important role in the transition towards the circular economy. Since many companies have already begun to implement remanufacturing strategies, consumer’s adoption of already used products (e.g., remanufactured products) are highly essential. Hence, the consumer’s acceptance of the remanufactured product is now receiving more researcher’s attention. The findings of recent studies, however, indicate that consumers have a poor opinion on remanufactured products and thus remain reluctant to buy them. Moreover, these studies focus only on the adult generation and overlook the young generation which will become a new purchase power in the near future. Therefore, the main objective of the presented study is to deeply investigate how product-related knowledge influences the young generation’s purchase intention towards remanufactured white goods. The author uses the theory of planned behaviour as a theoretical framework and for data collection questionnaire survey. Furthermore, the proposed model is empirically tested, using Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, based on the responses from 234 university students. The results indicate that consumer’s intention to purchase remanufactured products is positively and significantly influenced by consumer attitude, social norm and perceived behavioural control. Moreover, the presented study also demonstrates that consumer’s product-related knowledge is positively associated with both consumer’s attitude and consumers’ intention to purchase remanufactured products. Thus, based on the presented findings, the study not only brings new insight into the purchase behaviour of the young generation towards remanufactured products but also several theoretical and practical implications.

The transition to a more circular society has been adopted as a guiding principle in several countries’ policies. The present paper reviews the international definitional and theoretical approaches to the circular economy originating in the Anglo-Saxon environment with a view to assessing their applicability in the (post-) transitional context of CEE and identifying the elements of their integrative conceptual core. The main finding is that scientific research of circular economy and circular business thinking takes two relatively independent directions (normative/positive), as it is grounded in two different methodological approaches. The paper shows that it is possible to use a starting point for further research on circularity that would not be based on dichotomous approaches but on integrity (holistic approach).

Healthcare is a knowledge driven process (Shahmoradi et al 2017) and the effective exploitation of knowledge in building decision-making tools (Patel et al, 2009) is gaining attention. To this respect, both artificial intelligence and the use of specific algorithms may play a key-role. The present paper aims at discussing the potential use of fuzzy logic algorithm, to be a supportive tool in the clinical decision-making process, in particular with regard to patients with renal impairment. After a literature review, which enable to make allowance for the principal factors involved in a clinical decision-making process led by artificial intelligence, and by fuzzy logic approach specifically, two questionnaires were administered to clinicians, working in an Italian Hospital. Two algorithms were built. Algorithm 1 (ALG 1) was implemented to perform “conservative” decision-making whilst the Algorithm 2 (ALG 2) was thought to simulate a less cautious decision-making process. Inferential analyses were performed: i) the existence of correlations among variables were investigated; ii) a regression model was implemented in order to test the hypotheses and reveal the predictors of the dependent variable (i.e. degree of diagnostic accuracy). Both algorithms showed that only information quality (algorithm 1: β=0.389; p<0.001; algorithm 2: β=0.370; p<0.001) was required to approximate the diagnostic accuracy of a decision-making process supported by artificial intelligence tools (Algorithm 1: Adjusted R2 = 0.346; Algorithm 2: Adjusted R2 = 0.407).

In Italy, the healthcare sector is the one that absorbs the largest economic resources, immediately after Social Security, and, hence, it has been coping with an enduring reforming process. The latest health reform, namely DM 70/2015, suggested the adoption of the Hub & Spoke model for the redesign of regional hospital networks. The aim of this intervention was to have a capillary presence of less specialized disciplines, concentrated at the Spokes, in order to improve users’ accessibility conditions. In this paper, we deal with a particular case study concerning the STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) network of the province of Naples, in Southern Italy. In particular, we perform a spatial analysis in order to assess the impact on users’ accessibility determined by the occurred reconfiguration. Moreover, we also propose a mathematical programming model aiming at producing alternative reorganization scenarios to improve spatial accessibility. Our results confirm that users effectively benefit from the reorganization process but also that further, and significant improvements, are possible. In particular, our computational experiments reveal that a strategic intervention oriented at redistributing capacities, i.e. the supply of hospital beds, among the existing facilities could lead to averagely better and even more equitable accessibility conditions.

This work reports preliminary outcomes from the project LINFA, whose aim is to develop a technological, information and organizational system to support the procurement process of medicines and medical devices within healthcare organizations. Such system integrates simulation and optimization algorithms and forecasting models along with advanced logistic practices and traceability technologies by exploiting the increasing availability of historical information about drugs and patients. Accordingly, the paper presents a real case study within an Italian Hospital where the project team has gone through-out the phases of process discovery, use-cases identification and analysis to devise an integrated tool for supporting logistic operation. Results provide a complete identification and formalization of the drug management process, primary process users and functional requirements of such tool for supporting pharmaceutical last-mile logistic including simulation utilities within a hospital or hospital network setting. Final expected benefits from the project include the minimization of stocks and the effective and efficient management of medicines, with a consequent reduction in healthcare expenditure.

In the present paper we show the potentiality of the Stochastic Multicriteria Acceptability Analysis (SMAA-2) in evaluating 31 general hospital structures across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 2017. The method allows for a global evaluation of each hospital beginning with a set of 41 key performance indicators (KPIs) that are computed monthly by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MoH). The paper clearly shows the importance of this multi-criteria technique in supporting decision makers (DM).

In the healthcare setting, real-world data (RWD) could be a useful support to measure the impact of disease-management interventions, in order to create a knowledge base, for the design of effective, efficient and satisfactory healthcare pathways. The present paper aims at investigating the factors affecting patient rehabilitative pathway. Such factors make up the knowledge assets that might influence the design of a patient rehabilitative pathway (in terms of clinical outcomes, patients’ satisfaction and economic resources’ absorption), after the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture, assuming the hospital wards perspective. For the achievement of the above mentioned objective, a review on the topic is performed for revealing the principal rehabilitative pathway factors, impacting on clinical outcomes, patients’ satisfaction and economic resources’ absorption. An observational study was developed, in two private rehabilitative hospitals in Italy, in order to retrieve RWD with regard to the rehabilitative pathway, thus collecting information from 59 patients, on the factors determined by literature analysis. Patients’ data were analysed considering three methodological approaches. i) Relationships between variables, were investigated to test the existence of correlations among them. ii) A hierarchical sequential linear regression model was implemented to define the predictors of the three dependent variables (clinical outcomes, patients’ satisfaction and economic resources’ absorption). iii) A Qualitative Comparative Analysis – QCA, was implemented, in order to complement previous statistical approaches with a comparative-configurational one. Results of the study would be useful for the optimization of economic resources, as well as for the achievement of an adequate rehabilitative effectiveness, guaranteeing a personalisation of the process, thus becoming more efficient and effective, consistent with cost-containment strategies.

Recent advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have exploded the potential for value creation in a variety of innovation ecosystems(Vilhelmson, 2006). The vast increase in potential can be attributed to two distinct underlying factors. First, ICT has extended the reach of more possible actors to the point where nearly any actor can be connected to any other and, as a result, geographic proximity is becoming less and less relevant (Boschma, 2005). Second, the responsiveness of one party in a relationship (to the needs of existing parties or the opportunities from a nearly limitless number of other possible parties) has become almost instantaneous to the point where time has become compress and essentially (a less differentiating factor( Nachira 2002, Boschma 2007). However, despite the vast size of the potential value that, ICT enables, we argue that it is likely that only a tiny fraction of this potential may be realized, unless and until relevant risks are anticipated and effectively managed(Fransman 2010). In this paper, we consider risk at two levels of a prototypical digital ecosystem: First is the level of possible interacting actors. Second is the level of those actors who contribute to the design, organization and maintenance of the ecosystem (Doloreux 2002, Asheim 2002). In each case, extended reach and quicker responsiveness enhances opportunities for greater utilization and better experience of any asset among the parties it also exposes various parties to greater risk. ( Adner 2006, Graca P. and Camarinha-Matos 2017). Accordingly, we apply a value creation-appropriation theoretical framework to consider the managerial challenges that risks pose. We develop a number of scenarios to illustrate how various risk mitigation strategies can influence not only who wins and who loses but also the amount of value that is likely to be created by the digitalized ecosystem(Basole 2015). Some prominent features of the relative dynamics, that our theoretical framework highlights will be illustrated by an agent-based simulation model. This model will comprise multiple agents that can interact according to their level of reach and responsiveness(Leavy and Adner 2012). By manipulating the extent of reach and the degree of responsiveness afforded to agents (a proxy of the level of digitalization) The study seeks to contribute to innovation ecosystems by focusing on the risks that the digitalization of ecosystems (Baldassar 2016) gives rise to (as a direct result of the value potential that it enables) and the inherent managerial challenges that may require a rethinking of the role of eco-system actors and even of non-actors that could be positively or negatively impacted.

Although the innovation phenomenon has been receiving increasing attention in the tourism and hospitality domain, it remain a buzzword extremely fragmented and ignored. Tourism research build on traditional form of innovation emphasizes the key role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in innovative process. However the technology-driven approach in innovation remains limited neglecting the nature of destination, as a complex system of relationships between diverse public and private actors generating knowledge and innovation. The interpretation of the destination as a continuous process of innovation-based knowledge considers the innovation as a pervasive and holistic results of the interaction between destination public and private actors facilitated by the complementary role of ICT infrastructures and social capital. This paper aims to contribute to the debate on innovation in destination overcoming the isolated technology-driven innovation and introducing the role of social capital and ICT infrastructures in nurturing diverse pervasive and holistic forms of innovations in destination. An initially exploratory multiple-case study was used to investigate six drivers and two forms of innovations, selecting Italian and international destination. The discussion and conclusion design some preliminary theoretical implications and outline some managerial recommendations.

This study aims to explore the emergence of an innovation ecosystem as a complex network of entities involved in innovation. After reviewing three ecosystem-based perspectives in the literature, we conduct a participatory and longitudinal action research study based on the analysis of a High Technology District for Cultural Heritage. Our analysis reveals three milestones in the establishment of an innovation ecosystem, which we identify as setting the context, establishing interdependence, and giving continuity. The study contributes to the scholarly debate in that we analyse the dynamics through which an innovation ecosystem emerges as a co-created and co-evolutionary context that shapes actions, interests and rules among a multiplicity of actors and collectively fosters innovation. We further identify different salient tensions between opposing forces that characterize the relationships and interdependencies among actors. The appropriate structures, flexible institutions and negotiation opportunities are necessary for the design and development of the workability and viability of an innovation ecosystem.

The present research aims to propose a Knowledge Management Model for the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, seeking, from its structure, to characterize its importance to support the innovation process both in the Institution and in Organizations of Science, Technology and Innovation in Health, due to its similar characteristics. In the development of the work, it is sought to understand if there is a relationship between knowledge management (KM) and innovation management (IM), what the difference is among data, information, knowledge and intelligence, if the implementation of a knowledge management model can help achieving the organizational innovation objectives and some existing KM models. At the end, it is proposed to identify the main critical success factors, benefits and challenges for a KM implementation in public institutions of Science, Technology and Innovation and the main steps of a model that meets the requirements of the ISO Norm 30401: 2018 that supports an Innovation Policy.

The study seeks to investigate the impact of explicit and implicit knowledge sharing on business model innovation of IT Companies in Lahore (Wu et al., 2013), Pakistan through intervention of innovation speed and innovation quality. Based on the tentative deductions derived from Knowledge Based View (KBV) of information technology companies, this paper employs Partial Least Square for Structured Equation Modeling in order to investigate these hypotheses. Sample in the intended cross-sectional study contains empirical analysis performed on primary data collected from knowledge workers employed in IT companies. This envisioned investigation highlights the vivacious role of knowledge sharing within IT based firms that with the sharing of both implicit and explicit knowledge capital entrenched in the form of hidden intangible experiences, perceptions, behaviors, attitudes and as well as coded information in the documents and systems promote the strengthening of innovation capability of their existing business models. Thus, it has been found that business model innovation of IT companies can only be achieved when these firms quickly and more effectively come up with novel and breakthrough ideas, develop and launch new products & services, design and adopt new business processes and solve business problems as compared to their competitors supported by critical knowledge sharing comprising of explicit and implicit knowledge. This study has significant practical implications for the knowledge workers working in IT based firms committed to increase the innovation capacity of their business model and process through common perspectives of shared experiences and information platforms. Knowledge sharing will thus help them utilize the integrated and collective information capital in order to produce effective, efficient, high speed and superior quality driven innovation in their IT services to reach and equally meet their customers’ demands. Thus through resultant innovation in their firms’ business model, IT managers can help their organizations gain sustained edge ahead of their competitors. Customer satisfaction and long-standing competitive advantage can be evidently achieved through sharing of innovation building explicit and implicit critical knowledge throughout the organization.

This paper is part of a series of papers aimed at creating knowledge about Multi Business Model Innovation (MBMI) Process Management in a special designed Business Lab with the purpose to develop a framework for facilitating university students (and Businesses) in doing Multi Business Model Innovation according to the MBMI concept developed by professor Peter Lindgren (Lindgren & Jørgensen, 2012); (Lindgren & Rasmussen, 2013); (Lindgren, 2016, 2017, 2018). The research includes Master Engineering students at Aarhus University Herning doing MBMI in three Business Labs during a business case competition. Twenty students worked in three mixed teams with their business cases for three days in the Labs and were observed by 360-degreee cameras to explore what kind of interpersonal verbally and non-verbally communication processes appear and could be relevant for a Process Manager. The Process Managers seem to facilitate the MBMI processes and the students team work in a three-dimensional guidance continuum by communicating through different types of comments, e.g. comments regarding their work processes, provocative comments, and investigating, praising and guiding comments. Yet mostly through open and investigative questions. Moreover, the Process Managers use body language in an active, smiling and happy way that creates a positive, comfortable atmosphere with positive emotions in the Labs. Finally, the Process Managers use the MBMI B-Lab and tools to show the students how the infrastructure and the tools can help them structure, analyse and create knowledge (new BM’s) through the BMI case work.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how positive emotions might influence on innovative competencies in the Multi Business Model Innovation (MBMI). Strengthening of the participating individuals’ positive emotions such as happiness, gratitude, joy, love, optimism, hope, mindfulness seems to be important to higher the level of creativity during the business model innovation process in the MBMI conceptualization phase. The paper is based on a combination of the MBMI cube process conceptualization (Lindgren, 2018), and the positive psychology’s stressing of positive emotions (Garland et al, 2010; Fredrickson, 2001, 2004a, 2004b, 2009, 2013; Fredrickson & Losada, 2005; Flarup & Wivel, 2013, 2018, Flarup et al, 2017, Lyubormirsky, 2007; Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2007); and how this wellbeing influences on the will to create and the will to learn (Seligman, the PERMA Model, 2014; Knoop, the Wellbeing Model in Education, 2013, 2017) in the business model (Valter, 2018). The evidences of the paper is based on a research project on 41 mechanical engineering students at the Aarhus School of Engineering, Aarhus University, which for the first examine whether it is possible to strengthen positive emotions and how. Secondly, whether this strengthening of positive emotions influences on the students’ positive experience of teamwork; thirdly, how these results can be transferred on MBMI processes. Findings from this research project illustrate that 1) it is possible to strengthen positive emotions by simple individual exercises. The choice of gratitude and mindfulness techniques points out that in particular gratitude exercises seem to have a stronger impact on positivity in comparison to mindfulness exercises. 2) Positivity leads to several positive emotions (joy, happiness, creativity, gratitude, mindfulness, love etc.), which finally has an impact on the students’ positive experience of a challenging teamwork. 3) There are highly relevant implications for MBMI innovative processes, since they draw on positive emotional competencies such as creativity, hope, optimism, courage and others. Thus, the paper suggests that further research has to be elaborated in the field of positivity and creativity as individual competencies, together with gratitude exercises, and in the framework of MBMI.

This paper presents the results of an exploratory literature review on Knowledge governance. Looking at the literature this concept was starting be located at firm level and has evolving towards ontological multilevel integration. The challenge is to build a conceptual framework by using the lens defined by article´s objectives: a) Identify Knowledge Governance definition(s); b) Identify main concepts; and c) Identify the main background theories. This article add theoretical contributions to value existing knowledge, as well as understanding and shaping the knowledge base of the Education, Science, Innovation, Ecosystem and Policy ecosystem, which range from different financial to non-financial types of impacts.

Antecedents of Business Model Innovation (BMI) may be many, different in nature, placed at several levels, and they can be internal or external to the firm. The current debate has barely connected such antecedents to the type of innovation of the Business Model (BM), if modular or architectural. To fill this gap, our study draws on an exploratory case study of an innovative firm operating in the Space Industry that over time developed various BMs capable of creating value by exploiting Earth Observation big data. The Copernicus Programme has in fact opened a vast amount of Earth Observation daily data to the world, giving firms the opportunity to compete in new ways and allowing the development of an ever-increasing number of downstream products and services. As a result, Big Data from Space has changed considerably the Space Industry and firms are now in need to reconsider their BMs configurations. On the premises that big data in the Space Industry joins the incomplete conversation about the antecedents of BMIs, our study builds on complexity theory and innovation theory as interpretative theoretical lenses, with the aim of developing a research agenda directed towards the development of a theoretical framework for BMI by mean of explorative multiple case study from firms mainly operating in the Space Industry. Our findings, show the relevance of external antecedents to the BMI. These findings are then organized around a set of propositions, which enforce the up to now scant literature about antecedents and BMI.

We are living the era of the ecosystem, a concept whose use in management studies has grown exponentially in recent years. On the other hand, the ecosystem is becoming a fuzzy concept. In particular, following Teece (2007), many scholars define the business ecosystem in a rather generic way as an environment that includes the subjects that have some impact on the firm’s competitive advantage. Others scholars associate the concept of business ecosystem with the strategy that leads to the creation of a new market space through an (ecosystem) platform. In this paper, we compare this platformation strategy with two other disruptive strategies meant as strategies that create an uncontestable market space: exaptation and brokerage. We conclude that the (ecological) niche construction offers a particularly appropriate metaphor (rather than ecosystem) for the three strategies discussed in the paper.