{"title":"Planning Complex Projects for Value Creation: A Discussion Guide for Decision Makers","authors":"Alessandro Paravano;Giorgio Locatelli;Paolo Trucco","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2025.3628802","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2025.3628802","url":null,"abstract":"Planning complex projects with a long-term value perspective is crucial in today's rapidly evolving landscape. This is even more true in capital-intensive, high-tech sectors, such as space, quantum, cloud, and artificial intelligence, where complex projects create value for actors initially not even considered as stakeholders. Recent literature calls for planning projects taking a “value-based perspective.” Although intellectually compelling, this perspective lacks an actionable discussion guide for identifying key items in planning complex projects, hindering the operationalization of value-based complex project planning. To this end, we conducted 12 interviews with senior experts to gather insights on value-based complex project planning, using complex space projects as the empirical context. We developed a discussion guide, named “PACTO,” to support and facilitate value-based planning of complex projects. PACTO is structured around five key items: 1) purpose: shifting from project outcomes to project value; 2) actors: expanding from primary project stakeholders to a broader actor ecosystem; 3) costs and benefits: transitioning from purely economic value to encompassing social and environmental value; 4) time: moving from a single-project phase perspective to a whole project lifecycle approach; and 5) oversight: evolving from closed project governance to open project governance.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"35-52"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Frugal Meets Circular: A Transformative Approach Toward Sustainability","authors":"Hareem Arshad;Muhammad Ibrahim Khakwani;Femi Olan","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2025.3645686","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2025.3645686","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainability is a holistic notion that encompasses environmental, social, and economic factors as its core components. Approaches attempting to balance the three pillars of sustainability have faced criticism due to the challenge of comparing values, such as biodiversity, landscape beauty, costs, profitability, equity, health, and cultural values, which are not clearly commensurable. The concepts of frugal innovation and circular economy have made significant contributions to advance sustainability and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Frugal innovation refers to developing affordable solutions with limited resources while maintaining quality. Circular economy refers to closing the material loop while minimizing waste and maximizing resource use. Scholars have discussed the role of frugal innovation and circular economy independently in achieving sustainability; however, studies integrating these two concepts together are limited. This article explores the interaction among frugal innovation, circular economy, and sustainability. To advance this knowledge, a systematic literature review supported by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses review methodology has been conducted from the year 2014 to 2024. Our results indicate the synergistic effect of frugal innovation and circular economy in advancing sustainability. Both concepts support each other by increasing efficiency, producing sustainable, affordable solutions and scalability. From a policy level, there is a need to develop a conceptual framework integrated with the United Nation SDGs that are mostly targeted by the circular economy and frugal innovation. Overall, it is particularly important that all stakeholders, including government, industry, and academia, collaborate to promote an integrated circular economy and frugal innovation strategies through aligned policies and joint initiatives.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"136-162"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Namra Mubarak;Babatunde Abiodun Salami;Shaista Noor
{"title":"The Curse to Project Innovation: Role of Passive Leadership","authors":"Namra Mubarak;Babatunde Abiodun Salami;Shaista Noor","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2025.3633929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2025.3633929","url":null,"abstract":"Passive leadership is a crucial yet understudied factor affecting innovative work behavior (IWB) in project-based organizations. This study investigates its impact on IWB, focusing on the mediating role of job involvement and the moderating role of intrinsic motivation. Data were collected from 307 professionals engaged in development projects in Pakistan using a cross-lagged design and analyzed with SmartPLS. The findings reveal that passive leadership significantly diminishes IWB (<italic>β</i> = −0.22, p < 0.01), primarily by reducing job involvement (<italic>β</i> = −0.35, p < 0.01). While intrinsic motivation was expected to mitigate these effects, it does not directly moderate the relationship between passive leadership and job involvement. However, it strengthens the link between job involvement and IWB. These results underscore the negative impact of passive leadership on development projects, as it lowers job involvement and hampers employee innovation. The study highlights the importance of proactive leadership and suggests practical measures such as leadership development programs and strategies to cultivate intrinsic motivation, ultimately counteracting the adverse effects of passive leadership and improving project outcomes.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"53-70"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Determinants of Success for Technology Business Incubators in India","authors":"Mohd Tabrej Alam;Rudra Prakash Pradhan","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2025.3649625","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2025.3649625","url":null,"abstract":"Technology business incubators have emerged as essential tools for fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and start-ups, particularly in developing countries like India. Although previous studies focused on targeting individual factors in the incubators, the systematic analysis of multiple factors is only marginally covered due to a lack of national-level data. We have used a multidimensional theoretically driven framework focuses on the evaluation of how different variables such as human capital, mentorship, funding access, technological innovation, and institutional infrastructure determine incubator performance, which is established and empirically evaluated. Using data from 300 incubators across six Indian regions (2013–2023), we applied factor analysis followed by panel count regressions (fixed-effects negative binomial and zero-inflated negative binomial) that support overdispersion and structural zeros in incubation graduation. Findings demonstrate that scientific capability (e.g., patents), educational intensity, and mentoring are important factors for fostering incubator success. Our proposed model considers science and mentorship, two interconnected pillars upon which startup ecosystems should be developed, which should not only promote theoretical progress but also provide insights relevant to policymakers and practitioners working on the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems in developing countries. This study enhances ecosystem theory by amalgamating mentorship and scientific proficiency, providing evidence-based recommendations for incubator design, regional policy coherence, and globally scalable innovation results.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"176-197"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andreas Schroeder;Jekaterina Katja Dmitrijeva;Johannes Matschewsky;Tomohiko Sakao;Mattias Lindahl
{"title":"Visioning to Support Early-Stage Sustainable Servitization","authors":"Andreas Schroeder;Jekaterina Katja Dmitrijeva;Johannes Matschewsky;Tomohiko Sakao;Mattias Lindahl","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2026.3653173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2026.3653173","url":null,"abstract":"Servitization—the process by which manufacturers integrate services into their product offerings—presents significant opportunities to advance sustainability objectives for both producers and customers. However, the early-stage visioning process, during which initial ideas for future service offerings are developed, still remains underexplored. This gap is critical, as an unclear early vision can undermine the servitization efforts and limit their sustainability impact. This article presents the case of a multinational machine manufacturer developing a sustainability-oriented servitization strategy to explore the central question: How can early-stage visioning for sustainability-driven servitization be practically facilitated? Employing a single case study methodology, the research follows a four-step process grounded in sensemaking theory to examine how manufacturers can identify and shape environmentally focused service offerings. The four steps include: 1) opportunity mapping, which identifies potential service-based sustainability initiatives; 2) value proposition design, where these opportunities are transformed into a coherent service vision; 3) an outside-in perspective, incorporating insights from peer manufacturers to build ambition and confidence; and 4) force-field analysis, used to translate the emerging vision into an actionable implementation plan. Data were collected through interviews and workshop observations and examined using a thematic analysis process. Our findings highlight key challenges manufacturers face during early-stage visioning, including limited customer insights, a lack of shared vocabulary, and uncertainty about market viability. We also show how targeted interventions can overcome these challenges, thereby advancing opportunities for driving sustainable innovation. The findings contribute to servitization theory by examining early-stage visioning, particularly in the context of sustainability. They also extend the application of sensemaking theory, not just as a lens for interpretation but as a structured guide for research and action. The study further demonstrates how targeted interventions can help overcome common barriers, facilitating sustainable innovation through servitization.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"198-221"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging Analytics and Interoperability: A Standardized Digital Twin Solution for Enhanced Enterprise Resource Planning","authors":"Suman De;Pabitra Mitra","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2025.3641993","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2025.3641993","url":null,"abstract":"Manufacturing industry relies on software systems for better optimization of core processes via digitally representing equipment data. The rapid development of Industry 4.0 has accelerated demand for interoperable systems, where seamless exchange of equipment data between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems is critical. This article explores the standardization of digital twins, addressing a key research gap in their uniform representation identified through an expert survey. The primary research question addressed in this article is how standardized Industrial digital twin supports decentralized analytics for predictive maintenance while improving interoperability with ERP systems. The research presented here presents a solution to this issue by using the industry standard of Asset Administration Shell and enhancing its functionalities for ERP integration. It presents an innovative plugin to enhance digital twin representation in ERP systems, web browsers, and other pertinent platforms while maintaining uniform data formats that promote analytics. This technology improves OEMs’ capacity to disseminate real-time equipment information across stakeholders, facilitating more actionable insights and enhanced operational efficiency. The survey results emphasize the significance of standardized digital twins as a basis for strong analytical frameworks, fostering transparency, interoperability, and innovation across industrial ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"108-118"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: Vibe Coding and AI: The New Frontier of User Innovation","authors":"Volker Bilgram;Alexander Brem","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2026.3719567","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2026.3719567","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"6-10"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11658530","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Service Innovation of Platform Ecosystem: A Case Study of Smart Campus in China","authors":"Mengfei Zhou;Ping Gao","doi":"10.1109/EMR.2026.3674150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2026.3674150","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents a case study of service innovation within the smart campus of a Chinese public university. We first propose the service-dominant platform ecosystem (SDPE) model, which integrates service-dominant logic, platform ecosystem components, and a lifecycle model. We then employ the SDPE model to examine the process that SDPE components, including actors, activities, resources, platform technologies, and institutions, collaborate to drive smart campus service innovation by four stages—self-renewal, birth, expansion, and leadership. Our study identifies the distinct challenges associated with each SDPE component and offers actionable insights for overcoming these challenges. This article provides valuable guidance for public sector organizations seeking to leverage platform ecosystems for promoting service innovation and enhancing operational efficiency.","PeriodicalId":35585,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Engineering Management Review","volume":"54 4","pages":"222-239"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148781295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}