The Organization Studies (OS) & SAGE Student Paper Impact Award is awarded annually to reward papers (from post graduate students or based on a dissertation) that have generated considerable societal impact. The award grants $1,000 to research that generated beneficial, demonstrable, material, and substantive effects on the wider society and the environment with the ultimate goal of creating a better world.
The paper by Lukas Falcke (KIN Center for Digital Innovation, Vrije Universiteit), Ann-Kristin Zobel (Institute of Management & Strategy, University of St. Gallen) and Stephen D. Comello (Stanford Graduate School of Business) focuses on the GC of climate change that requires a transformation of the electricity sector. The researchers investigate collaborative pilot projects between 10 international electric utilities and 57 clean-tech startups. In these pilots, incumbents (established companies) and new entrants (startups) introduce low-carbon value propositions through novel technological interfaces and strategic relations.
The study identifies three configurations of ecosystem realignment — the collaborative process to transform the existing industry structure — with high climate impact:
- Incumbent-led digital platform realignment: This strategy involves established companies creating new digital platforms that enable other companies to join and utilize them. By leveraging digital technology and infrastructure, these platforms enhance resource efficiency and contribute to climate impact.
- Device complementor and customer-enabling realignment: In this strategy, new companies develop devices that work in conjunction with existing technologies, allowing customers to interact with the infrastructure more efficiently. By improving resilience and flexibility, this realignment generates climate impact.
- New orchestrator realignment: This strategy involves disruptive new entrants introducing digital platforms that facilitate customer connections. By enabling resource and information sharing, this realignment leads to climate impact.
The study helps understand how firms can address the complexities and uncertainties of GCs — critical unsolved problems with broad societal implications — and offers practical guidance for managers of incumbents, startups, and policymakers.