User:Tagtheworld/ Digital Hubs:

what is a digital innovation hub

the Github-Page: https://fsj-digital.github.io/DigitalHub/

in a nutshell: a coordinated group of organisations with complementary expertise and a public benefit objective, offering a set of services and activities to companies to support their digital transformation and innovation through a one stop shop

... cf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohOOoGpfYgc

Putting Digital Innovation Hubs into Regional Context - A European survey Authors: Johan Miörner, Gabriel Rissola, Jens Sörvik, Joakim  Wernberg

Editors: Gabriel Rissola, Annita Kalpaka 2019

Link; https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC117910/jrc117910_dihs_survey_jrc_report_pubsy_online.pdf

This publication is a Technical report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policymaking process. The scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use that might be made of this publication.

Contact information Name: Gabriel Rissola Address: Edificio Expo, c/Inca Garcilaso 3, 41092, Seville, Spain Email: gabriel.rissola@ec.europa.eu; JRC-DIR-B-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu

Tel.: +344.954.488.423; +34.954.488.289 EU Science Hub https://ec.europa.eu/jrc JRC117910 EUR 29845 EN PDF ISBN 978-92-76-10951-8 ISSN 1831-9424 doi:10.2760/339108 Print ISBN 978-92-76-10952-5 ISSN 1018-5593 doi:10.2760/898433

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019 © European Union, 2019

The reuse policy of the European Commission is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). Reuse is authorised, provided the source of the document is acknowledged and its original meaning or message is not distorted. The European Commission shall not be liable for any consequence stemming from the reuse. For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not owned by the EU, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. All content © European Union, 2019, except: Cover page, tawanlubfah, image #128645562, 2019. Source: stock.adobe.com How to cite this report: Miörner, J., Rissola, G., Sörvik, J. and Wernberg, J., Putting Digital Innovation Hubs into Regional Context. A European survey, Rissola, G and Kalpaka, A. (Eds.), EUR 29845 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019, ISBN

978-92-76-10951-8, doi:10.2760/339108, JRC117910

Abstract: While digitalisation is oftentimes thought of as a global megatrend and something that transcends national borders and geographical distances, it is at the same time a very tangible process exhibiting considerable regional and sectoral variation. Against this backdrop, Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) (a policy initiative in the context of the Digitising European Industry (DEI) strategy of the EU) constitute an important complementary and regionally anchored policy, whose impact can be boosted if combined with other EU-wide innovation supporting initiatives (i.e. regional/national innovation strategies). After three years of the launch and successful deployment of the DIHs initiative, a survey has been conducted among DIH managers and regional policy managers working with Smart Specialisation Strategies all over the EU28. The survey provided a useful insight of the digital maturity level of the regional contexts in which DIHs operate and what role they have undertaken in their respective regions, as well as the DIHs' characteristics and activities in their regional context and other important aspects such as collaboration, strategies and funding. This report consists of a thorough analysis of the collected answers. Delivered together with a case study analysis of six (6) regional DIHs in different socio-economic contexts (separate report), they aim at providing useful evidence on current strengths, weaknesses and variations of DIHs also in view of the planning for the upcoming Digital Europe Programme (DEP) and its funding priorities Executive Summary While digitalisation is oftentimes thought of as a global megatrend and something that transcends national borders and geographical distances, it is at the same time a very tangible process that exhibits considerable regional and sectoral variation. Against this backdrop, Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) constitute an important complementary and regionally anchored policy instrument to match other EU-wide initiatives such as those associated with the Digital Europe Programme planned by the European Commission to start in 2021. Such a regional take on digitalisation also coincides with other policy instruments focused on territorial development such as Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3), thereby creating potential synergies and interactions between policy initiatives. The aim and scope of this report is to provide an overview of the current state of DIHs registered in the Online Catalogue tool1 (yellow pages of DIHs) with respect to variations in regional digitalisation as well as to other regional policy initiatives and in particular Smart Specialisation Strategies. The report is based on a survey sent out primarily to DIH managers but also to regional policy managers working with Smart Specialisation Strategies. Because of its general nature, the survey does not give causal interpretations of the DIHs impact on regional development, or of how regional variations impact the development of individual DIHs. Instead, results should first and foremost be interpreted in terms of variation and of correlation, providing a picture of what role DIHs have taken in their respective regions.

Key conclusions

According to the results of the first survey between DIHs managers and policy managers, the emphasis in the studied regions is put on digitalisation in manufacturing industries and production processes. Respondents consider that digital competitiveness is higher among larger companies than among smaller firms, while the public sector is perceived to have the lowest degree of digital maturity. There are significant variations across hardware, software and digital services, as well as concerning the technology focuses of Digital Europe programme, which provide important insights  to future policy initiatives. DIHs activities typically cover several of its expected missions (testing and experimentation, financing, skills, and ecosystem-building), targeting a wide variety of different sectors. However,

most DIHs act within their usual stakeholder environment and do not seem to have the appropriate capabilities to reach out to a much larger number of (traditional) SMEs. A risk that existing testbeds are underutilised or that they only act as showrooms rather than platforms for experimentation was identified. DIHs bring together actors and funding from a wider variety of sources, signalling that it is becoming an institution in its own right. The background role of education, training and skill development raise some concerns in terms of reaching those not engaged yet in policy initiatives stimulating the former. Finally, while DIHs do collaborate with other ecosystem players like regional authorities, universities and clusters, they still fail to perform as proper multi-sided platforms, which may undermine their expected brokerage role. If one considers that DIHs as a policy initiative were born only three years ago, they have made great progress to define their profile and conquer their own space as digital transformation agents in their territories, but still there is room for maturing their capacities and serving more SMEs across Europe

Digital Innovation Hubs in Smart Specialisation Strategies Early lessons from European regions Gabriel Rissola, Jens Sörvik 2018 This publication is a Technical report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policymaking process. The scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use that might be made of this publication. Contact information Name: Gabriel Rissola Address: Edificio Expo, c/Inca Garcilaso 3, 41092, Seville, Spain Email: gabriel.rissola@ec.europa.eu; JRC-DIR-B-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu Tel.: +344.954.488.423; +34.954.488.289 EU Science Hub https://ec.europa.eu/jrc JRC113111 EUR 29374 EN

Link; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328530001_Digital_Innovation_Hubs_in_Smart_Specialisation_Strategies

Abstract This report examines the synergetic place-based relationships of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) and Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) in selected European regions, with DIHs being the policy outcome of a S3 process or an active actor participating in S3 entrepreneurial discovery processes (EDP) and implementing parts of a S3. By supporting the digitisation of the local industry DIHs also enhance the regional innovation ecosystem, either with the provision of horizontal digitalisation support or by leading a S3 priority area. One clear role of DIHs is to make available support easier to find for local SMEs and industry. DIHs work according to different business models and a targeted funding mix plus a matrix of different funding instruments for the digital transformation of SMEs are required for their sustainability. The report compiles 7 relevant examples (1 national and 6 regional).

Foreword The digital revolution brings opportunities for big and small companies across Europe, but many of them, especially SMEs, still find it difficult to make the most out of it. On average in the EU, only about 1 out of 5 companies is highly digitised, and there are still large disparities between regions in the take-up of ICT technologies. To address these differences, it is important that every region responds to the specific needs of their industry to go digital. Regions should build on the strengths identified in their smart specialisation strategies, and align their efforts with the capabilities of companies to use digital innovations, the sectors where they are strong, and the support structures they have available. At the same time, aligning smart specialisation strategies with the overall policies of the European Union is crucial to increase impact. The European Commission launched the Digitising European Industry (DEI) initiative in 20161, coordinating with Member States and regions towards common goals. One of key elements of the DEI initiative are Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs). DIHs act as one-stop-shops where SMEs and mid-caps can test the latest digital technologies and get training, financing advice, market intelligence and networking opportunities to improve their business through digital innovations. Digital Innovation Hubs are rooted in their regional ecosystem and can be orchestrators of digital transformation. However, collaboration and networking between the different DIHs are also essential to ensure best practices can be exported to other regions, and missing expertise can be imported, ensuring an efficient innovation ecosystem. The EU is supporting that networking with €100 million per year from 2016 to 2020. A very practical result is the DIHs catalogue established under the S3 Platform2, which aims to help, on the one hand, DIHs to exchange best practices, and, on the other hand, companies to find DIHs that offer the services they need. The catalogue is also a good proof of how DIHs are flourishing across Europe (currently mapping more than 170 operational hubs) and how we are progressing towards the goal of having one DIH in every region by 2020. With initiatives like the network of DIHs we are therefore setting the basis for European industry to succeed in its digital transformation. Now is the time to keep working together with national authorities, regional actors, and industry to ensure that every company - whichever the sector, wherever the location, whatever the size - can draw full benefits of digital opportunities. This report presents best practices coming from regions investing in Digital Innovation Hubs. I hope other regions that want to invest in Digital Innovation Hubs will find it inspiring, and will find their way to set up Digital Innovation Hubs in their regions.

The digital transformation of SMEs – a new knowledge broker called the digital innovation hub Antonio Crupi, Nicola Del Sarto, Alberto Di Minin, Gian Luca Gregori, Dominique Lepore, Luca Marinelli and Francesca Spigarelli

Abstract Purpose – This study aims to understand if and how European digital innovation hubs (DIHs) filling the role of knowledge brokers (KBs) can support the digital transformation (DX) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by triggering open innovation (OI) practices. Design/methodology/approach – After presenting a conceptual model of reference, a survey and a subsequent in-depth interview were conducted to capture evidence from Italian DIHs. These structures were selected for their growing importance, as confirmed by the National Plan for Industry 4.0. Findings – The findings highlight that Italian DIHs act not only as KBs but also as knowledge sources that give rise to a digital imprinting process that is able to shape the DX of SMEs. Originality/value – Research on knowledge sharing and OI has mainly focused on large firms. The study covers the gaps identified in the literature by considering the role of KBs in enabling SMEs to embrace DX. Keywords Digital transformation, SMEs, Knowledge sharing, Knowledge brokers, Digital innovation hubs Paper type Research pape

Link; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342131261_The_digital_transformation_of_SMEs_-a_new_knowledge_broker_called_the_digital_innovation_hub

1. Introduction

The sum of the knowledge acquired by firms (Voelpel et al., 2005) represents a key resource for the achievement of a sustainable competitive advantage (Caloghirou et al.,2004; Miller and Shamsie, 1996). By leveraging external knowledge sources, firms may expand their knowledge base (Gronum et al., 2012) and increase their innovative performance (Laursen and Salter, 2006). For this reason, firms must adopt a knowledge driven approach, as this is considered one of the strongest determinants of innovation (Scuotto et al., 2017a, 2017b, 2017c). Within the stream of knowledge management (KM) literature (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995), knowledge sharing (KS) is defined as the process through which firms or individuals exchange knowledge informally, without specific compensation (Tallman et al., 2004). According to Allameh (2018), KS practices can enhance organizational innovation capabilities as they may increase innovation through a positive effect on social capital dimensions. Moreover, KS practices have been analyzed by Bogers (2012) within the open innovation (OI) paradigm, as scholars consider such practices to be a way of accessing external knowledge for achieving collaborative innovation (Bogers, 2011; Zhou and Li, 2012). Openness to external knowledge becomes even more relevant in the context of the digital transformation (DX), which is recognized as a new strategic imperative that is changing the basis of firms’ competitive advantage (Fitzgerald et al., 2014) DX is defined as the process of using digital technologies to create new business processes and customer experiences that can meet the changing business and market requirements. DX processes can provide access and means to share the knowledge that is created and transferred (Urbinati et al., 2018). Although digital technologies may play a pivotal role in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (EC, 2015), such firms remain cautious in adopting the solutions offered by these emerging technologies (Schro¨der, 2016). Considering that SMEs are the cornerstones of the economic growth of national economies (OECD, 2017), how SMEs may adopt digital technologies is an interesting topic to investigate. Extant research on the ways that SMEs can effectively participate in DX is limited (Barann et al., 2019). At the same time, as underlined by Simao and Franco (2018), there is still a lack of attention on how relations with external partners can deliver knowledge that can be exploited by firms, especially SMEs. We attempt to fill this gap by exploring the following research questions:

RQ1. Can DIHs be considered knowledge brokers (KBs)? If so, how are DIHs supporting the DX processes of SMEs? To answer these questions, we explore the role of KBs in supporting the sharing of knowledge for the DX of SMEs. Indeed, KBs, defined as individuals or organizations that mediate interactions between a pair of unconnected actors (Burt, 2007), may help SMEs in their DX. The study is based on the case of digital innovation hubs (DIHs), defined as one stop shops that can help companies become more competitive with regard to their business/production processes, products or services by using digital technologies. The study aims to understand if and how DIHs can be conceived as KBs to facilitate the introduction of digital technologies in SMEs by triggering OI practices. The research draws upon the Italian case due to the importance of these DIHs in driving the DX of SMEs as a result of the Industry 4.0 National Plan, “Piano Nazionale Industria 4.0,” implemented by the Italian Government in 2017. Our findings show that Italian DIHs act not only as KBs but also as knowledge sources that support the exchange and integration of knowledge between SMEs and the DIHs partners, who are chosen as digital technology providers for the SMEs. Overall, the Italian sample of DIHs provides evidence of a process that, according to our findings, we name digital imprinting. This is a process by which the inner characteristics of a KB impact the DX process of SMEs. The article is structured as follows. In Sections 1 and 2, the literature on KS and KBs is reviewed and links with the OI paradigm are considered. Then, in Section 3, after presenting the conceptual model, the methodology and context of the study are explained. In Sections 4 and 5, the findings are discussed, and then conclusions are drawn and suggestions for future research are presented.

A Quality Innovation Strategy for an Inter-regional Digital Innovation Hub Jonas Queiroza , Paulo Leitãoa , Joseane Pontesb , André Chavesa , Javier Parra-Domínguezc and María E. Perez-Ponsc a Research Centre in Digitalization and Intelligent Robotics (CeDRI), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. b Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brasil. c BISITE Research Group, University of Salamanca, Edificio Multiusos I+D+i, 37007 Salamanca, Spain. {jpqueiroz, pleitao, a.chaves}@ipb.pt; joseane@utfpr.edu.br; Link; https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-Quality-Innovation-Strategy-for-an-Inter-regional-Queiroz-Leit%C3%A3o/f8035d200033a18d32df4db921fae660bfdc3324

Abstract: Industry 4.0 is reshaping the way all the economic sectors are working. The complete adoption and understanding by the companies, large or small, of the digital transformation opportunities and benefits, requires the existence of effective instruments. Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) are an important instrument, strongly promoted by the European Commission, to help companies to take advantage of digital opportunities. Aiming to boost and create synergies between several DIHs and research centers located in the northern region of Portugal and Spain, and considering the disruptive ICT technologies, the establishment of an inter-regional DIH that results from the cooperation between these entities assumes a crucial importance to transform this region into an innovative pole of reference. This paper aims to describe the strategy for the management and improvement of the quality of the innovation being developed by this inter-regional DIH under the scope of the DISRUPTIVE project. Besides considering the individual strategies of the associated members, it includes cooperative aspects, regarding the sharing of knowledge, technology, and skills, aiming to improve the quality of innovation, as well as the adoption of digitization by the companies in this region 1. Introduction In the context of the 4th industrial revolution, we are noticing the digital transformation of all economic sectors, allowing to increase productivity and competitiveness. This digital revolution introduces opportunities for large and small companies, but many of them still have a long way to implement the digital transformation, also having difficulties in understanding the true dimension of this transformation and which technologies will bring benefits to their business processes. A recent survey focusing on companies from various industrial production sectors predicts an increase in the level of digitization and networking in industries by 2020 from 33% to 72% (Geissbauer et al., 2016), while other reports, e.g., (Blanchet and Rinn, 2016), point out an adoption rate of around 50% of the Industry 4.0 concepts, principles and technologies by 2035 for Western European countries. According to European Commission reports related to the “Shaping Europe’s digital future” program (European Commision, 2020), only 20% of European companies are highly digitized, with 60% of large industries and over 90% of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) being late in the adoption of the digital innovation. In this context, Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) are an instrument that can help all companies, small or large, high-tech or not, to take advantage of digital opportunities. A DIH can be defined as a  support service for companies to become more competitive in the context of digital transformation, allowing them to improve their production processes, through the automation or incorporation of disruptive and digital technologies. DIHs serve companies, taking into account their regional proximity, allowing the easier access to the latest knowledge, experience, technology, and innovation, as well as  providing commercial and financial support to implement innovation in terms of business, production process, product or service, within the scope of digital transformation. Also, according to the “Shaping Europe’s digital future” program, a DIH has 4 main functions: promote an innovation and networking ecosystem, provide skills and training, provide environments for prototyping and testing, and provide support to find investments (European Commision, 2020).

Business Intelligence & Innovation: A Digital Innovation Hub as Intermediate for Service Interaction and System Innovation for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Florian Maurer To cite this version: Florian Maurer. Business Intelligence & Innovation: A Digital Innovation Hub as Intermediate for Service Interaction and System Innovation for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. 22nd IFIP WG 5.5 Working Conference on VIRTUAL ENTERPRISES, PRO-VE 2021, Nov 2021, Saint-Etienne, France. 12p, ff10.1007/978-3-030-85969-5_42ff. ffemse-03346103 Link; HAL Id: emse-03346103 https://hal-emse.ccsd.cnrs.fr/emse-03346103 Submitted on 25 Nov 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

Abstract. Digital Innovation Hubs are a policy instrument of the European Commission to keep with the speed of the digital transformation within the European economy (especially small- and medium-sized enterprises, mid-caps). Within this article, the Digital Innovation Hub on Business Intelligence & Innovation within the region of the Federal State of Vorarlberg is presented and a possible network of collaborators and co-creators get introduced. In doing so, the academic discipline of Service Science – Service-Dominant Logic – is presented as theoretical manifestation. The contextual embedment of this article at hand is in the European Commission’s Digitising European Industry Strategy (2016) and European Industrial & Digital Strategies (2020). Based on these, a collaborative network of collaborators and co-creators for the Digital Innovation Hub on Business Intelligence & Innovation to increase service interaction and system innovation get introduced. Keywords: Digital Innovation Hub, Business Intelligence & Innovation, Service Science, Network Collaboration,

1 Introduction European economy run the risk to lack the digitization of its systems [1]. As highlighted by the European Commission (2021), around 60% of large industries and more than 90% of small- and medium-sized enterprises lag behind in digital innovation [2]. The willingness of the managers and organizational decision makers to go with the digital transformation, as explored empirically, is high. But also, due to limited resources and missing interorganizational system interaction and service innovation, the organizations run the risk to miss the implementation of the Industry 4.0 technologies into systems [3]. No organization can innovate in isolation and (European) Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH), a policy instrument of the European Commission, play an important role Maurer F. (2021) Business Intelligence and Innovation: A Digital Innovation Hub as Intermediate for Service Interaction and System Innovation for Small and MediumSized Enterprises. In: Camarinha-Matos L.M., Boucher X., Afsarmanesh H. (eds) Smart and Sustainable Collaborative Networks 4.0. PRO-VE 2021. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 629. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85969-5_42 436 F. Maurer within this field of collaborative innovation. DIHs are designed to build up of structured relationships with, for example, regional authorities, industrial clusters, SME associations, incubators, accelerators, chambers of commerce, etc. Their task is to bring together the stakeholders among the supply- and value-chain for open and collaborative innovation, incl. co-creation of value, testing and experimentation

Exploring heterogeneous Digital Innovation Hubs in their context - a comparative case study of six (6) DIHs with links to S3, innovation systems and digitalisation on a regional scale September 2019 DOI:10.2760/19710 Report number: EUR 29851Affiliation: European Commission Project: Smart Specialisation Platform Authors: Johan Miörner Eawag: Das Wasserforschungs-Institut des ETH-Bereichs Annita Kalpaka Jens Sörvik Region Skåne Joakim Wernberg Lund University

Link; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336115378_Exploring_heterogeneous_Digital_Innovation_Hubs_in_their_context_-_a_comparative_case_study_of_six_6_DIHs_with_links_to_S3_innovation_systems_and_digitalisation_on_a_regional_scale

Abstract This report explores the regional variation in organisation and implementation of DIHs across six (6) different EU regions: Saxony-Anhalt (Germany), Wielkopolska (Poland), Northern Ostrobothnia (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Andalusia (Spain) and Central Macedonia (Greece). The case studies were conducted in conjunction with a wider survey among DIH managers and regional policy managers (RIS3) whose results are presented in a separate JRC Technical Report. While the survey covers a wider scope of questions, this report follows a comparative approach in order to identify common denominators, strengths and challenges concerning 1) how the DIHs are set-up; 2) how DIHs are fitted to the regional policy- and economic context, with particular attention given to the connection between DIHs and the regional/national smart specialisation strategy (RIS3); 3) how regions could better benefit by DIHs; 4) what are the funding sources and how they are coordinated. The report aims to contribute to our understanding of different models of DIHs registered in the DIH Catalogue (yellow pages) across regions and their respective interactions with the regional/national innovation ecosystems and specifically the smart specialisation strategies. The selected approach has also helped to highlight current good practices and suggest alternative ideas on how to set up future DIHs (e.g. multi-sided platforms model) also in view of the upcoming Digital Europe Programme (DEP).

Roundtable on Digitising European Industry Working Group 1 Digital Innovation Hubs: Mainstreaming Digital Innovation Across All Sectors Final version June 201 Executive Summary: Digital Innovation Hubs within the DEI DEI Working Group 1 focuses on Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) as a means of supporting businesses, and notably SMEs and non-tech industry, in their digital transformation under the  Digitising European Industry (DEI) initiative. It brings together stakeholders with interests in running and operating Digital Innovation Hubs as well as potential beneficiaries in industry.  To date, the WG1 has held two meetings in Brussels, together with a series of phone conferences. A further meeting was organised within the context of the DEI Stakeholder Forum in Essen. The discussion at these workshops has focused on four key issues:

 What are the needs of industry with respect to digital transformation? What are the characteristics of a Digital Innovation Hub?  How to develop a network of Digital Innovation Hubs in Europe that reflects these needs? Which investments are necessary to successfully build the network of DIHs?

The WG1 meetings have also showcased a number of ongoing initiatives and projects at EU and national level and facilitated networking between practitioners ‘on the ground’. The DEI Strategy aims to ensure that any business in Europe should have access to a Digital Innovation Hub at ‘a working distance’ (i.e. within a form and location convenient for their day-to-day business). Hubs should also play a key role in assessing skills needs and in skills delivery, and foster synergies between digital and other key enabling technologies.

Link: https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/system/files/ged/dei_working_group1_report_june2017_0.pdf

Cora Digital Hub guide: Be Bold. Be innovative. Be a digital Hub. A guide to seeting up and running a rural digital hub Digital hubs are physical spaces with access to superfast broadband alongside community and business focussed services. They provide digital connectivity, support the development of digital skills and encourage the use of emergent digital technologies. Digital hubs aim to enhance the local digital environment and can be available to the public, businesses, or local authorities, or a combination. Digital hubs can target digital awareness, help tackle digital competency gaps or simply provide a much needed superfast broadband connection in rural areas. In this guide we’ll demonstrate why digital hubs are important and how you can design a digital hub that fits the needs of your local area. We will show you: „ What a digital hub can do for your community or region„ The types of digital hubs you could develop„ 10 steps to consider when setting up and running a digital hub Throughout this Guide examples of digital hubs that are currently in operation have been provided, to give you ideas and motivation as you embark on your journey of hub development. This Guide has been put together following a study of digital hubs across Northern Europe. If you would like further information, including an extended version of this Guide and an

e-learning module about digital hubs, visit www.coraproject.eu.

S3Hubs in CE Project Digital  Innovation  Hubs Link; https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/S3HubsinCE.html

Regional Digital Innovation Hubs in Central Europe build their competences through S3HubsinCE: a project for exchanging experience and good practices between project partners operating in business, research and science, and regional authorities. S3HubsinCE project has started on 01.03.2019. Partners from Austria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Slovenia have come together to join forces and create a transnational support structure based on regional DIHs. This publication is the second one created under the S3HubsinCE project and focuses on regional DIHs from Central Europe. Each of the 10 project partners established a regional DIH: a complex services hub, where businesses, especially SMEs and start-ups, can improve their competences in streamlining production processes, products, and services by implementing digital technologies. The regional DIHs support the Navigation Crews expert groups in the implementation of joint strategies for the support of the technology priority areas for Central Europe. To showcase learning and exchange, transfer, and cooperation to develop closer-to-market activities across Central Europe, the partners created a Digital Innovation Hub Network. It represents a Central European network of organisations which champion research and innovation – enterprises, and higher education and research organisations who embody best-in-class principles of promoting central European competitiveness. These “RIS3 Champions” undertake joint pilot projects and support actions thanks to the support of Digital Innovation Hub Exploring heterogeneous Digital Innovation Hubs in their context - a comparative case study of six (6) DIHs with links to S3, innovation systems and digitalisation on a regional scale September 2019 DOI:10.2760/19710 Report number: EUR 29851 Affiliation: European Commission Project: Smart Specialisation Platform

Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336115378_Exploring_heterogeneous_Digital_Innovation_Hubs_in_their_context_-_a_comparative_case_study_of_six_6_DIHs_with_links_to_S3_innovation_systems_and_digitalisation_on_a_regional_scale

Industry 4.0 HUB: A Collaborative Knowledge Transfer Platform for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises by Alberto Cotrino *ORCID, Miguel A. Sebastián ORCID and Cristina González-Gaya ORCID https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/12/5548/htm Industry 4.0 brings opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but SMEs are lacking Industry 4.0 knowledge, and this might result in a challenge to support SMEs’ competitiveness and productivity. During recent years, the European Commission and some government initiatives have been fostering the transition toward Industry 4.0 for SMEs through the creation of Digital Innovation Hubs, the Plattform Industrie 4.0, and some other initiatives. Nonetheless, the authors consider that the lack of knowledge is still a risk toward Industry 4.0 transformation for SMEs. New ways to improve Industry 4.0 knowledge management and especially the knowledge transfer must be developed. When SMEs start the transition to Industry 4.0, first of all, they do not want to start from scratch, and secondly, it can be easy to get lost in the multitude of technologies and tools that are available in today’s market. There is a gap in which to provide a collaborative Industry 4.0 knowledge transfer platform or hub designed for SMEs. Therefore, this research aims to enhance Industry 4.0 knowledge transfer through the development of a collaborative, web-based knowledge transfer Industry 4.0 platform. The outcome of this research is a developed platform that will be referred to as Industry 4.0 HUB. Keywords: Industry 4.0; knowledge transfer; hub; platform.

Debating Digital Innovation: A Literature Review on Realizing Value from Digital Innovation March 2020 DOI:10.30844/wi_2020_h3-frey In book: WI2020 Zentrale Tracks (pp.812-827) Authors:Julian Frey; Friedrich Holotiuk Frankfurt School of Finance & Management Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339797645_Debating_Digital_Innovation_A_Literature_Review_on_Realizing_Value_from_Digital_Innovation Digital innovation has developed into an intensely discussed area of research in the information systems field. While there is much research that focuses on the description of the phenomenon, the evidence for value creation that digital innovation can enable for organizations is less synthesized and visi-ble. With this in mind, we conduct a literature review to identify innova-tions based on information technology and to answer the research question of where digital innovation can create economic value for organizations. Our synthesis depicts existing value dimensions of digital innovation with the help of five value loci. Moreover, we derive a set of white spots and research directions that surface three potential avenues for future research. We con-tribute to digital innovation research in that we (1) analyze and synthesize the existing digital innovation value literature and (2) propose avenues for future digital innovation value research.

Digital Innovation Hubs supporting SMEs digital transformation Authors: Claudio Sassanelli, Sergio Terzi, Hervé Panetto, Guy Doumeingts Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2021, Jun 2021, Cardiff, United Kingdom. pp.1-8, 10.1109/ICE/ITMC52061.2021.9570273. hal-03270685 Link; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03270685/file/Sassanelli%20et%20al.pdf

Emerging regional innovation policies for industry 4.0: analyzing the digital innovation hub program in European regions Jose-Luis Hervas-Oliver Department of Management, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia and ESIC Business and Marketing School, Madrid, Spain Gregorio Gonzalez-Alcaide Department of History of Science and Documentation, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain Ronald Rojas-Alvarado Icesi University, Cali, Colombia and UNAD, Bogota, Colombia, and Silvia Monto-Mompo Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain Link: https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/66049413/CR2021_Hubs_Hervas-with-cover-page-v2.pdf?Expires=1666786140&Signature=MQwSB2Rl~-QzSAah5dcGcFewG41YQ5PhpsfS9r~doBI44tWGc7Uvkmi4D~bmSp~merQVYh7HJ-yOzZ631KSHoJqUQmFbJjt5cF-qLzTeKT~4YSZ3Em9g1Q0NcTJlrhlGC8s5jh80NtaWQq931Ht3-7S~TW2j3k1mhKofEzqfl03BqZnbNnGOrOEojmoMiJ9unWylud7OGR5PwJY7sxc73BEZUdRKyqX4UO9W5JejpVPfOzWXtSMPHtKTa-r8tbxLrwocTMy2McYHMvmovnzKvuc1ue7NXdwivMA6rjh~-nB34G8O22btkIoFh6JZ~p0ueGOhz8VURemH6XZdVUzo8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Digital Innovation Hubs—The Present Future of Collaborative Research, Business and Marketing Development Opportunities January 2021 DOI:10.1007/978-981-33-4183-8_29 In book: Marketing and Smart Technologies (pp.363-374) DOI:10.1007/978-981-33-4183-8_29 In book: Marketing and Smart Technologies (pp.363-374) Authors: Amalia Georgescu Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi; Silvia Avasilcai Marc K Peter University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerlan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349939460_Digital_Innovation_Hubs-The_Present_Future_of_Collaborative_Research_Business_and_Marketing_Development_Opportunities Exploring heterogeneous Digital Innovation Hubs in their context - a comparative case study of six (6) DIHs with links to S3, innovation systems and digitalisation on a regional scale September 2019 DOI:10.2760/19710 Report number: EUR 29851Affiliation: European Commission Project: Smart Specialisation Platform Authors: Johan Miörner Eawag: Das Wasserforschungs-Institut des ETH-Bereichs

https://scholar.google.de/scholar?hl=de&as_sdt=0%2C5&as_vis=1&q=digital+innovation+hub++actor+network+theory&btnG=

A Network Approach to the Digital Innovation Hub as an Ecosystem Supporting the Digital Transformation of Enterprises in a Region https://depot.ceon.pl/handle/123456789/21610

The study aims to examine the two-mode network of digital innovation hubs (DIH) operating in Poland, understood as ecosystems and competence centers, to support the digital transformation of enterprises in a region. Digital Innovation Hub is also one of the S3 Smart Specialization Platform mapping tools and identifying areas of economic specialization of regions, aimed at facilitating interregional cooperation and creating partnerships between different actors across Europe. While the functions and goals of DIH are more and more often presented in national and regional development documents, little is known about the network structure of DIHs operating in a given country (region) and in the European Union. The study used structured and secondary Smart Specialization Platform data, which allows the creation of two-mode relationship networks and shows how interrelated the studied DIHs and digital technologies they use are. Based on the social network analysis and network metrics (centrality, density, and network projection) integrated into programs such as UCINET and ORA-PRO, the visualization and measurement of the network structure of two-mode networks (actor x technology ATij) as well as its projection into actor x actor (AAij) and technology x technology (TTij) networks were created. The results show 15 DIHs or actors (A) and 29 technologies (T), each of which a given DIH offers to show primarily influential DIHs and digital technologies as well as the areas of cooperation. DIHs are a promising and still little explored area of interest for researchers worldwide. The article is the first attempt to investigate the network structure of DIHs operating in Poland and their relations to technologies. URI https://depot.ceon.pl/handle/123456789/21610

1. Introduction Network approach, in the sense of identifying, assessing and measuring relations, interdependencies and interactions between entities within technology parks (Martin-Rios, 2014; Padilla-Meléndez et al., 2013), industrial clusters (Biggeri et al., 2021), regional or national innovation systems (Arranz et al., 2020; Pinto et al., 2021) is one of the most interesting approaches to the functioning of enterprises1 in connection with the emerging network paradigm (Capello, 1996; Cooke and Morgan, 1993; Cravens et al., 1996 ). This paradigm distinguishes the applied research approach, including collecting and managing network data, features of network data, the level of analysis, and network variables taking the form of a matrix. The network approach allows you to look at entities from a multimodal (meta-network) perspective, including not only social actors (organizations, enterprises, institutions, research units, etc.) but also the acquisition and use of knowledge and skills, technologies, or resources that are decisive for their competitiveness (Ashworth and Carley, 2006; UjwaryGil, 2020). The meta-network allows for the simultaneous analysis of enterprises' heterogeneous and interrelated elements. However, this is not a commonly used approach because it requires the construction of the so-called two-mode networks and their projections (Borgatti and Everett, 1997; Everett and Borgatti, 2013). While the parks, as mentioned above, clusters and innovation systems have gained the interest of researchers, a relatively new concept - digital innovation hub (DIH) - is currently in the exploration phase. To the knowledge of the article’s authors, the network approach to study and measure DIHs of a given region has not been applied so far. The network is made up of a group of interconnected enterprises and their stakeholders based on formal and informal types of relationships between them within a defined network boundary. The boundary may be a technology park, an industrial cluster, or a region where DIHs operate. The network approach focuses on relationships, interaction patterns and not on the individual characteristics of individual enterprises (Barnes and Harary, 1983). The network approach allows you to model the structure of the network of inter-organizational relations, examine the impact of this structure on the functioning of enterprises and the possibilities or 1 In the article, enterprises will be referred to interchangeably as actors, digital innovation hubs, or DIHs.

Proceedings of the 17th European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ECIE 2022 Anna Ujwary-Gil and Anna Florek-Paszkowska limitations of individual activities in the network (Ujwary-Gil et al., 2022). The network understood in this way is one-mode. Two-mode networks called affiliation networks (Everett, 2016; Jasny, 2012; Ujwary-Gil, 2017) take place in the case of relationships between two different sets of nodes. The network theory should be seen as the basis for interpreting the behavior of social actors and understanding the interdependencies occurring in the network of relations (Borgatti and Halgin, 2011; Salancik, 1995). In line with the assumptions of network theory, the actor's position in the network determines its limitations and possibilities in terms of its achievements or behavior (Borgatti et al., 2013). The creation of technologies, key practices and processes, the services offered depend on the individual actions of social actors, however, conditioned by the actions of others in a given ecosystem. Thus, enterprises are embedded in relationships that influence the behavior of actors and their similarities or differences. The Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) is a relatively new area of research and a concept of the European Commission. It is designed to build an ecosystem of digital innovation by uniting different environments and sectors, exchanging knowledge, experiences, and technologies (Hervas-Oliver et al., 2021). The European Union dedicated the Digital Europe Program’s (DEP) financial perspective for 2021-2027 to the digital competences, making enterprises' digital transformation towards Industry 4.0 a reality (Florek-Paszkowska et al., 2021; Gancarczyk and Ujwary-Gil, 2021). The DEP intends to provide DIHs with access to technological knowledge and experiments to better assess digital transformation projects' viability. The testing and experiment services provided by DIHs may also include other enabling technologies contributing to the implementation of new solutions. The DEP focuses on several priorities: 1) building and strengthening EU capabilities in the field of HighPerformance Computing; 2) research and development of artificial intelligence; 3) strengthening cybersecurity due to its importance for European democracy and the EU economy; 4) developing digital competences so that the knowledge and skills to use the latest digital technologies become more and more common; 5) implementing interoperable solutions in areas of public interest and facilitating entrepreneurs, especially small and mediumsized enterprises, to access digital technologies and specialist knowledge (Mărcuț, 2020). The idea of DIH is to support and improve the competitiveness of enterprises using digital technologies dedicated to the digital development of activities, business models, production, services, and business processes. DIH's offer is addressed to enterprises where the level of digital technology applications is low and whose potential currently does not allow them to meet the challenges posed by the rapid technological development based on the use of microelectronics, photonics, and digitization (Georgescu et al., 2021; UjwaryGil and Potoczek, 2020). Therefore, the Digital Innovation Hub is a one-stop shop where start-ups can get help in improving their business, manufacturing processes, products, business models, and services through digital technologies. There is currently no systematic analysis of DIHs related to digital technologies. In this study, a two-mode social network model was used to examine the impact of enterprises (DIHs) operating in Poland on digital technologies that DIHs use in the products and services they provide. Analyzing the impact of DIHs acting through a network of relationships is crucial as it can differentiate the importance of DIHs in a given region. So far, no research has been conducted that would allow the identification of influential DIHs and technologies in the region. To establish effective collaboration, it is imperative to explore the power of DIHs in controlling the impact of technology.

Three research goals (RG) were formulated: RG1) Defining the network boundary, DIHs, and digital technologies. RG2) Developing a two-mode network describing the relationship of DIHs with digital technologies and its projections. RG3) Examining the DIHs network structure and digital technologies in the region. This research contributes to the management of digital technologies by identifying potential areas for collaboration, revealing the complex relationships between DIHs that are interconnected through technologies understood as a common area of activity.

Ecosystem Advantage: How to Successfully Harness the Power of Partners September 2012California Management Review 55(1):24-46 DOI:10.1525/cmr.2012.55.1.24 Project: Ecosystem Advantage Authors: Peter James Williamson; University of Cambridge Arnoud De Meyer; Singapore Management University Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259729356_Ecosystem_Advantage_How_to_Successfully_Harness_the_Power_of_Partners#:~:text=This%20article%20describes%20six%20keys,and%20engineering%20effective%20ways%20to

Abstract: Changes in the global environment are generating opportunities for companies to build advantage by creating loosely coupled networks or ecosystems. Ecosystems are larger, more diverse, and more fluid than a traditional set of bilateral partnerships or complementors. By leveraging ecosystems, companies can deliver complex solutions while maintaining corporate focus. This article describes six keys to unlock ecosystem advantage: pinpointing where value is created, defining an architecture of differentiated partner roles, stimulating complementary partner investments, reducing the transaction costs, facilitating joint learning across the network, and engineering effective ways to capture profit.

Links; https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Tagtheworld/_Digital_Hubs :

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Tagtheworld :

the Github-Page: https://fsj-digital.github.io/DigitalHub/