Network4Value

Motivation: In the beginning of the 21st century innovation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) such as the increased maturity of broadband technologies, ubiquitous/ambient computing are providing advanced opportunities for an emerging generation of networked working environments (NWEs). The new generation of NWEs has the potential to substantially change working processes at the individual, office, team, and (inter-)company level. Furthermore, NWEs are expected to increase innovation and productivity and to open new opportunities with respect to inclusion of rural and less-developed regions. In light of global competition, a superior management of NWEs can improve the positioning of European businesses in the short- and long-run.
Research questions: Despite their potential, next generation NWEs have so far not been subject of research in an integrated manner. Questions such as: 1) Which technology will develop and mature at which pace; 2) Which form of NWEs will prevail and with which speed will they be adopted; 3) What are potential obstacles for diffusion and adoption in practice; 4) What will be the contribution of NWEs for sustainable value creation; 5) How can impacts of NWEs on sustainable value creation, as knowledge creation, innovation and productivity improvement of (knowledge) work be measured and assessed ex-ante; need to be answered; 6) What are the indicators for worker centricity, sensing and reacting environment, and solutions supporting mobility and collaboration based solutions; 7) How surrounding context and physical environment contribute to connectivity; 8) Economic drivers as well as relationships with human and social capital plus implications of NWE's on company and societal level.