The digitalization of products stimulates service innovation and new business opportunities for industrial manufacturing firms. These opportunities are driven by generativity, which denotes digital technology's capacity in enabling organizations to innovate. While generativity on the one hand provides opportunities for digital service innovation, on the other hand, it challenges the traditional business logic of industrial manufacturing firms. The traditional stable product-centric businesses where resources of a product platform are controlled by industrial manufacturing firms become destabilized and driven towards a flexible service innovation. The aim of this research is to explore the implications of generativity for service innovation in digitalized product platforms. We show the paradoxical relationship between generativity and control by following a bus manufacturer's endeavor in service innovation with digitalized public transport buses. We contribute with empirical illustrations of the implications for service innovation with three different degrees of control in digitalized product platforms. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd.

Att drabbas av en svår eller kronisk sjukdom under barndomen kan bidra till fysiska och psykosociala svårigheter senare i livet. Kamratstöd mellan individer som delar samma erfarenhet är en viktig främjande faktor till hälsa och välbefinnande och kan verka som en buffert mot stress och motgångar. Empirisk evidens som kan vägleda utveckling av digitala och interaktiva lösningar för kamratstöd mellan barn som drabbas av sjukdom i skolåldern är idag begränsad. Den process som presenteras här är fokuserad på att etablera metodologi för barns delaktighet i innovationsprocesser och att fånga barns bakomliggande beteenden och mål relaterat till kamratstödjande processer och hälsa. Intervjuer i fokusgrupper är en teknik som främjar barns deltagande och fångar barns perspektiv, förståelse och erfarenhet relaterat till deras hälsa. Friska barn (8-12 år) rekryterades från en lokal grundskola till fyra fokusgrupper med fyra barn i varje grupp. Barnen träffades två gånger med en intervall på 1-2 veckor. Förändringar gjordes mellan varje fokusgrupp för att anpassa strukturen på träffarna till en nivå motsvarande barnens erfarenheter, ålder och förmåga och för att fokusera diskussionerna på innovationsprocessen. En blandning av informativa och kreativa tekniker som öppna frågor, brainstorming, rita och måla och fotografering användes för att underlätta för barnen att uttrycka sig. Barnen framförde efter deltagandet att de tyckte om att delta och ville träffas igen i den här formen av grupp. Vår anpassade struktur på fokusgrupper används idag med barn med erfarenhet av svår sjukdom (cancer) för att ta fram typanvändare (Personas) i innovationsprocessen. Barnen rekryterades från Barnonkologiskt centra i Lund och Hallands sjukhus i Halmstad till fem fokusgrupper med tre barn i varje grupp. Barns delaktighet genom vår metod har förbättrat förutsättningarna att fånga barns mål och beteende och tillfört unikt material till den fortsatta designprocessen.

Att drabbas av en svår eller kronisk sjukdom under barndomen kan bidra till fysiska och psykosociala svårigheter senare i livet. Kamratstöd mellan individer som delar samma erfarenhet är en viktig främjande faktor till hälsa och välbefinnande och kan verka som en buffert mot stress och motgångar. Empirisk evidens som kan vägleda utveckling av digitala och interaktiva lösningar för kamratstöd mellan barn som drabbas av sjukdom i skolåldern är idag begränsad. Den process som presenteras här är fokuserad på att etablera metodologi för barns delaktighet i innovationsprocesser och att fånga barns bakomliggande beteenden och mål relaterat till kamratstödjande processer och hälsa. Intervjuer i fokusgrupper är en teknik som främjar barns deltagande och fångar barns perspektiv, förståelse och erfarenhet relaterat till deras hälsa. Friska barn (8-12 år) rekryterades från en lokal grundskola till fyra fokusgrupper med fyra barn i varje grupp. Barnen träffades två gånger med en intervall på 1-2 veckor. Förändringar gjordes mellan varje fokusgrupp för att anpassa strukturen på träffarna till en nivå motsvarande barnens erfarenheter, ålder och förmåga och för att fokusera diskussionerna på innovationsprocessen. En blandning av informativa och kreativa tekniker som öppna frågor, brainstorming, rita och måla och fotografering användes för att underlätta för barnen att uttrycka sig. Barnen framförde efter deltagandet att de tyckte om att delta och ville träffas igen i den här formen av grupp. Vår anpassade struktur på fokusgrupper används idag med barn med erfarenhet av svår sjukdom (cancer) för att ta fram typanvändare (Personas) i innovationsprocessen. Barnen rekryterades från Barnonkologiskt centra i Lund och Hallands sjukhus i Halmstad till fem fokusgrupper med tre barn i varje grupp. Barns delaktighet genom vår metod har förbättrat förutsättningarna att fånga barns mål och beteende och tillfört unikt material till den fortsatta designprocessen.

Introduction

Severe or chronic illness in childhood may contribute to physical and psychosocial problems later in life. Peer support among individuals who share the same experience is an important factor in promoting health and wellbeing and can act as a buffer against stress and adversities. Empirical evidence that could guide development of digital and interactive solutions for peer support between school-aged children affected by illness is limited.

Purpose/Methods

The process presented here is focused on establishing method- ology for children's participation in innovation processes and to capture the child's underlying behaviors and goals related to peer support processes and health. Focus group interview is a child-friendly method that promotes participation and access to children's perspectives, insights and experiences related to their health. Healthy children were recruited from a local elementary school. Focus groups were carried out in two sessions for each group with an interval of 1-2 weeks.

Results

Adjustments were made between each focus group to adapt the meeting structure to a level commensurate with the chil- dren's experience, age and abilities and to focus discussions on innovation incentives related to a digital peer support service. A mixture of informative and creative techniques such as open questions, brainstorming, drawing and painting and photog- raphy were used to assist the children to express themselves. The children were pleased to participate and wanted to meet again in this form of group.

Conclusions

Our adapted focus group structure are now being used with children with experience of severe illness (cancer) to develop Personas (fictitious characters of users) in the innovation pro- cess. Children's participation through our method has improved the chances of capturing children's goals and behavior, and added unique material for the continuing design process. 

Purpose: Surviving cancer during childhood imposes a number of difficulties later in life. Peer support has been recognised as an important contributor to health and well-being but empirical evidence that could guide development of peer support programs for school aged children is scarce. The process presented here is focused on generic exploration of children’s needs and expectations related to peer support innovations to promote health and wellbeing of children with cancer. The purpose of this study is to establish a participatory innovation process that grasps the underlying behaviours and goals of children that will affect the design of a digital peer support service.

Methods: Focus group interview is a child-friendly technique that promotes participation and access to children’s perspectives, insights and experiences related to their health. Healthy children 8–12 years of age were recruited from a local elementary school. Focus groups (n = 5 groups) were carried out in two sessions for each group (n = 4 children per group) with an interval of 1–2 weeks. Adjustments were made between each focus group to adapt the meeting structure to a level commensurate with the children’s experience, age and abilities and to focus discussions on innovation incentives related to a digital peer support service.

Results: The adaptation process involved adjustments of the focus group structure to match children in the selected age group and to the aims of the innovation process. A mixture of informative and creative techniques (open questions, brainstorming, drawing, photography) assisted the children in talking and expressing themselves. The children were pleased to participate and wanted to meet again in this kind of study group. The adapted focus group sessions are now being used in the research and innovation process with children (8–12 yrs) with experience of cancer treatment.

Conclusion: The final focus group structure capture children’s perspectives for the design of a digital peer support service.

Digital transformation in education is expected to progress teaching and learning. To meet this expectation, new types of classrooms called flexible learning environments are designed where digital resources such as learning management systems (LMS) are integrated. This raises the question of how LMS are experienced by teachers in flexible learning environments and how their teaching practice and competence development is supported by the LMS. In this study, ten teachers working in flexible working environments have been interviewed about their experiences with LMS. The study resulted in four themes of experiences (1) Lack of adoption, (2) Control within the system, (3) Collaboration and competence development, (4) Direct feedback and interactions. The insights of the study contributes with implications for choosing and integrating LMS in flexible learning environments. © 2023, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.

Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to highlight problems and opportunities for introducing digital automation in public administration (PA) and to propose implications for public value creation of robotic process automation (RPA) through the perspective of good bureaucracy as a guiding framework.

Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper addresses the purpose by applying three normative ideal types: Weber’s ideal type for a bureaucracy, new public management and public value management. This paper synthesizes an analytical framework in conducting case studies of the implementation of RPA systems in municipal administration.

Findings – This paper contributes to new insights into public value creation and digital automation. The following four implications are proposed: the deployment of RPA in municipal administration should emphasize that organizing administrative tasks is essentially a political issue; include considerations based on a wellgrounded analysis in which policy areas that are suitable for RPA; to pay attention to issues on legal certainty, personal integrity, transparency and opportunities to influence automated decisions; and that the introduction of RPA indicates a need to develop resources concerning learning and knowledge in the municipal administration.

Originality/value – This paper is innovative, as it relates normative, descriptive and prescriptive issues on the developing of digital automation in PA. The conceptual approach is unusual in studies of digitalization in public activities. © 2022, Jörgen Johansson, Michel Thomsen and Maria Åkesson.

Social support is essential for a person's capacity to live with a disease. For children, who do not have the same ability as adults to understand and deal with their disease, contact with other children with similar experiences can help them understand their own situation. In this paper we present an ongoing research project with a participatory approach. The challenge is to design online peer support (OPS) for children who have been diagnosed with cancer. The aim of this paper is to identify and shed light on ethical implications and related research considerations when designing a research approach for this sensitive context. Our literature review indicates that there is an apparent lack of research on OPS for supporting children with cancer. It also shows that there is knowledge on considerations to make when designing with children. However, the children in this category are suffering from physical and psychological consequences of their illness. Finally we discuss relevant ethical considerations, of which we highlight sensitivity and respect as most important and comprehensive.

Innovative design targets new user groups and application areas. One example is health promoting digital services. In such design contexts it is essential to take social and ethical challenges into consideration. In this paper we report from an on-going design research project aimed at designing digital peer support (DPS) for children cured from cancer. Peer support can meet the children’s imperative need for social support. However, the design context is sensitive and gives rise to ethical challenges and considerations. We illustrate how participatory design (PD) activities can be designed to handle ethical challenges when designing for and with children. We present lessons learned, including using familiar activities, using personas and including healthy children when possible. Further, we reflect on the need to proactively design an ethical perspective into the entire design process, introducing the concept Ethics in Design. Copyright 2014 ACM.

Automation of internal administrative processes tied to the delivery of public services is outlined as a continuation of the development toward a more digital, efficient, and effective local government. However, this development is often based on unrealistic expectations of the transformative power of digital technologies. It is therefore important to further understand automation as a driver of digital transformation of local government organizations. Automation, in this chapter, is understood as a change from a function previously carried out by a human to being performed by a machine agent (e.g., robotic process automation). We explore and compare how initiatives to implement robotic process automation (RPA) are organized in two Swedish municipalities. Our analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with employees working in the two municipalities. The analysis shows interesting patterns across the cases concerning dissonances and disconnects between stakeholders on different levels in the organizations, making this kind of development difficult. Our results contribute with (a) empirical illustrations that show how general policies on process automation promoted by policymakers are influencing the organization of IT and work in local government practice; (b) challenges that affect the implementation of RPA in local government; and (c) point to a set of observations that require further research. © 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The implications of digital automation for knowledge work have sparked intense discussions in society and amongst scholars. This paper provides an overview of information systems (IS) literature on digital automation, knowledge work and work environment implications. We explore digital automation’s implications through a systematic literature review, identifying 179 papers of which 18 were selected as core research studies relevant by inclusion criteria. We provide an overview of IS literature relating to digital automation of knowledge work and the implications for work environment. We show how digital automation is represented and outline positive and negative implications for knowledge workers and organizations. The literature review concludes by pointing out research opportunities that are particularly relevant in progressing IS research on digital automation. 

Ever since IT started to become important and strategic assets in organizational practices, systems acquisitions have been a challenging and complex endeavor. There are seemingly never ending reports of unsuccessful IT acquisitions and lack of systems acquisition competence (beställarkompetens in Swedish). The aim of this thesis is to shed deeper light on what systems acquisition competence is about, and to present a framework for understanding its nature and premises in IT-projects. This thesis is grounded on three concurring problem areas. First, IT projects are notoriously prone to problems. This despite of decades of IS and ISD research on methods, project management, etc. While there is extensive knowledge about the development process, methods, techniques, tools, developers' skills and competence requirements, less is known about systems acquisition competence. Second, and following from the first, there are few established or generally agreed upon definitions, or substantial theories, of this distinct competency. Third, there is still a limited understanding of systems development from a learning or knowledge work point of view. This thesis deals with the concept of “beställarkompetens”, and theorizes the underlying empirical phenomena; knowledge work in IT project practices. Drawing on exploratory empirical work in an interpretive multiple case study, this thesis investigates 10 governmental IT projects, their outcomes and stakeholders perceptions of acquisition competency. This investigation was supported by theories of individual and organizational perspectives on learning, as well as knowledge theory, competence theory and systems development theory. This thesis presents a theoretical perspective suggesting that acquisition competence can be understood as an emergent quality of the system development process, that is, as dynamic rather than static knowledge. Further, it suggests that key stakeholders interaction, collaboration, situated learning and competence renewal are prime mechanisms to ensure sufficient systems acquisition competence and project performance. One important practical implication from this research is the identification of fragmentation of knowledge as a main threat to successful outcome of IT projects. The contribution is a theoretical framework useful for understanding “beställarkompetens” in systems development contexts, and a tentative theory of emergent competence.

related to health, the environment, societal safety and economy. In short, we live in a society that is in need of innovation and new ways of thinking. In this context, information technology (IT) and digital service innovation have important roles to play. This is reflected in the work done with national and international agendas for digitalization as a path to offer citizens new types of services. This includes digital services that make the work of health professionals easier, raise patient safety, improve health care, make vehicles safer, lower maintenance costs and the impact on the environment. To meet the challenges of the future with innovation, there is an increased need for expertise in sustainable digital service development.

In this talk we report from the work of designing a curriculum for an international master program “Digital Service Innovation”. The program addresses the need for digital competence in tomorrow’s society. The curriculum fronts digital innovation and digital services as fundamental concepts (Fichman et al., 2014). In short, a digital service innovation, for example, can lead to new experiences, distribution methods, business models, types of interaction, and digital services that enhance the value of physical products. The meaning of digital service innovation in this context is the design of new, significantly improved or previously untested combinations of digital services; services that create new and sustainable values. Thus, there is an emphasis on value creation (Henfridsson et al., 2018) meaning that the proposed education draws on sustainability (economic, social and environmental) as a framework for value creation and progression of critical thinking (Ågerfalk et al., 2017).

For students, formal higher education is a valuable investment for a career in the IT labor market (Setor and Joseph, 2016). The curriculum is designed, through the introduction of new pedagogical approaches, and through sustainability as a perspective on digital service innovation, to contribute to future competence provision. Digitalization is an important driver companies’ competiveness. The developments in digital technology alter the labor market’s competence requirements and causes a complex and multifaceted services sector. In Europe, it is at present estimated that one million people with IT skills are missing in the European labor market. The curriculum is designed in collaboration with companies, engaging in the planning, development and implementation of the curriculum, in order to help to ensure its relevance to the students and the industry.

Information Systems (IS) education deals with increasingly abstract and complex design challenges. Through digital innovation, the field continuously expands to new application areas. To develop design competence, students need to build up a repertoire of experiences enabling in-depth understanding of use context and design settings. Most students are young and have limited workplace experience.  These circumstances are challenging to IS education and teaching. In this paper we share experiences from teaching and designing IS education to be adapted to this situation. We propose three teaching strategies for bringing authenticity and contextual relevance to IS education; (1) teaching by doing together, (2) enable authentic experiences, and (3) critical formative dialogue.

Information systems development (ISD) and innovation is a complex and challenging endeavor. In this paper we inquire into the process of ISD andinnovation to shed light on the ambiguous nature of such processes. This was done in an interpretive study of 10 governmental ISD projects where 14 interviews with key persons were conducted. In addition 11 interviews with senior IT consultants were conducted. Based on this study we propose an analytical lens to understand ISD and innovation. This lens is based on a metaphor grounded in the empirical material. This metaphor, fragmentation, mediates a deeper understanding of ISD and innovation regarding three aspects of complexity: knowledge, culture and discourse, and time and space.

Digital automation based on technologies that learn, reason, and act is changing work life. This will inevitably and specifically have implications for knowledge workers and their interplay with "digital technologies." In this paper, we report from a review of IS literature on the implications of digital technology for knowledge work and knowledge workers' competence. We take the knowledge worker's perspective and provide an overview of research and knowledge in the field. The paper is motivated by the need to analyse and relevantly understand the implications of digital automation on work and professions. The contribution is twofold. First, the paper provides an overview of previous research and knowledge on digital automation and knowledge work. Second, it contributes to the conceptualisation/understanding of the challenges and opportunities that digital automation brings to human competence and knowledge work.

Thesis work is challenging to both students and supervisors. The traditional model of supervision is that one supervisor individually supervises thesis work. In higher education this model has been challenged with new approaches such as blended group supervision to make the process more interactive and to provide support for students to complete the thesis work on time. In this paper we report from an effort to design a model for blended group supervision with the aim to provide structure and support for students as well as supervisors. The model is discussed in relation to the theoretical concepts zone of proximal development and scaffolding. 

Incumbent content providers such as newspapers experience radical changes in their business environment. Digital platforms are becoming increasingly important to innovate digital media services and business. The generativity of digital platforms afforded by digital technology offers new opportunities, but also new challenges. Digital platforms exist in an ecosystem of complex networks of actorsand resources. In this paper we shed light on the challenges for incumbent content providers to adapt to and realize business opportunities in digital platforms. We do this from the viewpoints of newspaper management, platform provider and analysts of media business.

This paper presents the design of an international master’s curriculum in Digital Service Innovation. Digitalization and the rapid development in information technology (IT) are fundamentally reshaping society. This development brings with it an increasing need for mastery of digital service innovation. The international master's program Digital Service Innovation addresses this need by studying digitalization, digital resources for value creation, and educating students in how to design innovative digital services. Digital Service Innovation is a two-year master’s program focused on sustainable value creation. Year one focuses on the concept of innovation and design driven problems solving. Year two focuses on conceptualization, design of digital services. The final degree project gives students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a design study, interacting with companies and public authorities. This is expected to improve the students' ability to understand how digital service innovation is connected to business requirements, and identify new digital services or applications. All to prepare students for working professionally in the field of digital service innovation.

Digital innovation is rapidly reshaping society, affecting fundamental aspects of our everyday activities and lives. This development is accompanied with benefits as well as social dilemmas. In this paper we approach this class of challenges in IS digital innovation research. We investigate how social challenges are attended in research agendas, and reflect upon social challenges emerging from a digital service innovation project. Based on the empirical case, we present a scenario that illustrates how social challenges can unfold in digital service innovation. The case exemplifies three conflicts of interest that are used to discuss implications for the research agendas for digital innovation. We propose that explicit attention is paid to social and ethical challenges, taking a large scale and interdisciplinary approach on social and ethical challenges in digital ecosystems.

In higher education work place practice through work placement or internships can be integrated as part of the education, especially when educating for professions such as teachers, medical professionals or law practitioners. The overall purpose of integrating work placement in the higher education is for students to experience and learn through engaging in practice with those already educated and experienced within the respective work domain. However, on masters level in higher education we seldom allow students the same opportunity related to the researcher profession. Students are commonly invited to do project or thesis work in research projects or relating to research work. Less common is to actually invite students to participate in research professional practice as a work placement. With work placement we here refer to the student being engaged during a period of time, in full working days, together with research professionals in their everyday practice. Learning to become a researcher through work experience has been described in a case study of a Ph.D. student by e.g. Eames (2003). The study showed that work placement can provide significant learning opportunities. The learning through research everyday work was different form being educated about research, and provided a view of what it means to practice in a research profession. We propose that the same opportunity for learning can be provided in masters education.

In this paper we report from an initiative of integrating research work practice in an informatics master program. At Halmstad University we are starting a new international master program in Digital Service Innovation (starting September 2018). The master program educates students to design sustainable digital services through design research. With the aim to inspire students for future careers as researchers we offer the students the opportunity for 8 full weeks of “Research Placement” to visualize research as professional practice. The purpose is to provide hands-on experience of research to develop their awareness, skills and abilities to practice as design researchers. It also provides the opportunity to engage with research professionals and the stakeholders involved in the research. Moreover, the students are provided the opportunity to discuss their own career paths and the social and ethical implications of their work for society. The “Research Placement” can be in an academic institution, a research institute or a research and development department in an organization. The student examination assignment is a self-study and reflection of their “Research Placement” (see e.g. LaBoskey, 2004; Schön, 1983).

References:

1. Eames, C. (2003). Learning to Work: Becoming a Research Scientist Through Work Experience Placements. Education, 4(2), 7-15.
2. LaBoskey, V. K (2004). The Methodology of Self-Study and Its Theoretical Underpinnings. In International Handbook of Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices, Eds Loughran, J. J., Hamilton, M. L., LaBoskey, V. K. and Russell, T., Springer.
3. Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. Basic Books.