Open innovation and public administration: transformational typologies and business model impacts

Extant research demonstrates that e-Government initiatives often fall short of achieving innovative forms of government and governance due to a techno-centric focus that limits such initiatives to minor improvements in service delivery. While it is evident that innovation is central to modernising and transforming governmental organisations, and that the co-creation of services by public authorities and community groups is an essential component of realising the benefits of investment in information and communication technology, there is little research focusing on the nature of innovation in transforming governmental organisations and services. Addressing this gap in the literature, this paper explores how open innovation strategies can transform public administration by examining how a network of municipalities in Sweden transforms value creation and service delivery by collaborating with each other and with external parties to accelerate the creation and exploitation of innovation. Using a case study with embedded units of analysis, four emerging typologies of governmental transformation based on open innovation are identified. The paper illustrates how these open innovation typologies (i) transform the organisation of the municipalities and (ii) help them deliver high quality co-created services to citizens. By examining the strategic and operational aspects that facilitate such activities, the analysis reveals the impact of open innovation on the business models of public authorities. The paper concludes that open innovation practices represent a more radical manifestation of transformational government than previously envisaged; signalling not only fundamental change in the nature of value creation and service delivery by public authorities, but potentially in the nature of their organisation.     

Explicit improved vertex control for uncertain,time‐varying linear discrete‐time systems with state and control constraints

A technique is presented to compute an explicit state feedback solution to the regulation problem for uncertain and/or time‐varying linear discrete‐time systems with state and control constraints. A piecewise affine control law is provided that not only guarantees recursive feasibility and robust asymptotic stability but is also optimal for a region of the state space containing the origin. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical defense in birch. Platyphylloside: A phenol fromBetula pendula inhibiting digestibility

Extracts of Scandinavian birch (Betula pendula Roth) buds and internodes of varying twig diameters have been investigated for their inhibitory effect on ruminant digestibility in vitro. The predominant inhibitory effect was observed in extracts containing the phenol platyphylloside, 5-hydroxy-1,7-bis-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-3-heptan-one-3-O--d-glucopyranoside. Isolation of the pure compound and incubation with rumen inocula showed that digestibility was negatively related to the concentration. Significant effect was measured below the concentration naturally occurring in birch (0.8% of dry matter). Another isolated compound, the closely related rhododendrin, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol-2-O--d-glucopyranoside, did not depress digestibility within the concentrations found in birch. An important phenol of buds, apigenin-4,7-dimethylether, did not have any measurable effect on digestibility, while a nonphenolic fraction of bud extract had a slight inhibitory effect on digestibility. Implications for browsers feeding on birch are briefly discussed.     

A robust protein host for anchoring chelating ligands and organocatalysts

In order to put the previously proposed concept of directed evolution of hybrid catalysts (proteins that harbor synthetic transition-metal catalysts or organocatalysts) into practice, several prerequisites must be met. The availability of a robust host protein that can be expressed in sufficiently large amounts, and that can be purified in a simple manner is crucial. The thermostable enzyme tHisF from Thermotoga maritima, which constitutes the synthase subunit of a bi-enzyme complex that is instrumental in the biosynthesis of histidine, fulfills these requirements. In the present study, fermentation has been miniaturized and parallelized, as has purification of the protein by simple heat treatment. Several mutants with strategically placed cysteines for subsequent bioconjugation have been produced. One of the tHisF mutants, Cys9Ala/Asp11Cys, was subjected to bioconjugation by the introduction of a variety of ligands for potential metal ligation, of a ligand/metal moiety, and of several organocatalytic entities that comprise a flavin or thiazolium salts. Characterization by mass spectrometry and tryptic digestion was achieved. As a result of this study, a platform for performing future directed evolution of these hybrid catalysts is now available.     

Effects of separate carrier generation on the emission properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

Individual quantum dots have been studied by means of microphotoluminescence with dual-laser excitation. The additional infrared laser influences the dot charge configuration and increases the dot luminescence intensity. This is explained in terms of separate generation of excess electrons and holes into the dot from the two lasers. With increasing dot density and/or sample temperature, the increase of the luminescence intensity vanishes progressively, while the possibility to control the dot charge remains.     

Treatment of wood pulp with nitrogen dioxide before oxygen bleaching

Summary Pretreatment of kraft pulp with nitrogen dioxide and oxygen before conventional oxygen bleaching with magnesium sulfate as protector leads to markedly decreased lignin contents after a given duration of the oxygen bleaching. An increased temperature during the pretreatment favours the delignification. The most striking effect of the pretreatment is that it leads to a suppressed rate of depolymerization of the cellulose during the oxygen bleaching.     

Mechanische Probenahme von Eisenerzen–Vergleich mit Normen und Ergebnisse von Kontrollprobenahmen

Beschreibung der Probenahme in Luleå und Kala (Narvik). Vergleich zu ISO-Normen in Hinsicht auf Inkrementgewichte und Zahl der Inkremente. Beschreibung der Entnahme der Nässeprobe. Prinzip der Probenentnahme bei der automatischen Teilung im Vergleich zu ISO-Normen. Bericht über eine Kontrollprobenahme in Luleå im Jahre 1972.     

Limitations of the Swedish network coordination of oil spill preparedness

The management of extreme crisis situations in Sweden has shown delays in decisive actions at higher levels during emergencies, such as oil spills. This has been blamed on unclear responsibilities that undermine the decision‐making process. Confusing, conflicting, or delayed orders impede response effectiveness. This article uses network analysis and survey responses to examine the Swedish oil spill crisis management network and show the Swedish Coast Guard, Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and Oil Spill Advisory Service as central organizations. However, the roles of these organizations need to be clarified and communicated better to other organizations. In order to improve coordination of Swedish oil spill preparedness, it is suggested to formalize and strengthen the roles of these central organizations. Weak connections between municipalities in different counties were also observed. This weakness could be overcome by more frequent exercises across counties to improve familiarity.