This paper identifies different university spin-off (USO) roles related to resource interaction among business parties. It does so by mapping how USOs become part of business networks in terms of their roles relative to other parties. The theoretical frame of reference focuses on roles and resource interaction based on an industrial network approach to business markets. The empirical research is based onfive cases of USOs representing a variety in terms of technology, degree of newness, sector, and area of application. As a result of the analysis, three different roles are identified: the USO as resource mediator, resource re-combiner and resource renewer. These roles reflect how USOs adapt resources to, or require changes among, business parties' resources. The paper also discusses the main resource interfaces associated with the three roles and related challenges. The paper contributes to previous research through illustrating USOs' roles relative to business parties from a resource interaction point of view, and by pointing to the establishment of new companies in business networks as a way of implementing innovation. Finally, the paper discusses the managerial implications of the research in terms of the USO's need to understand which role to take and how to develop it.

This paper identifies different university spin-off (USO) roles related to resource interaction among business parties. It does so by mapping how USOs become part of business networks in terms of their roles relative to other parties. The theoretical frame of reference focuses on roles and resource interaction based on an industrial network approach to business markets. The empirical research is based onfive cases of USOs representing a variety in terms of technology, degree of newness, sector, and area of application. As a result of the analysis, three different roles are identified: the USO as resource mediator, resource re-combiner and resource renewer. These roles reflect how USOs adapt resources to, or require changes among, business parties' resources. The paper also discusses the main resource interfaces associated with the three roles and related challenges. The paper contributes to previous research through illustrating USOs' roles relative to business parties from a resource interaction point of view, and by pointing to the establishment of new companies in business networks as a way of implementing innovation. Finally, the paper discusses the managerial implications of the research in terms of the USO's need to understand which role to take and how to develop it.

This paper identifies different university spin-off (USO) roles related to resource interaction among business parties. It does so by mapping how USOs become part of business networks in terms of their roles relative to other parties. The theoretical frame of reference focuses on roles and resource interaction based on an industrial network approach to business markets. The empirical research is based onfive cases of USOs representing a variety in terms of technology, degree of newness, sector, and area of application. As a result of the analysis, three different roles are identified: the USO as resource mediator, resource re-combiner and resource renewer. These roles reflect how USOs adapt resources to, or require changes among, business parties' resources. The paper also discusses the main resource interfaces associated with the three roles and related challenges. The paper contributes to previous research through illustrating USOs' roles relative to business parties from a resource interaction point of view, and by pointing to the establishment of new companies in business networks as a way of implementing innovation. Finally, the paper discusses the managerial implications of the research in terms of the USO's need to understand which role to take and how to develop it.

A firm’s ability to innovate is critical to retaining its competitiveness and even survival: in the long run it is the capability to generate a stream of product and process changes that matters. Consequently to secure their position into the future, firms need to be able to develop, maintain and renew their Innovation Management Capability (IMC). In order to improve their firm’s IMC, managers need to know which ‘levers’ to pull. An extensive and diverse body of literature exists that has sought to identify these important factors, and several attempts at synthesis have been made which imply that organisations successfully able to innovate exhibit a number of generic characteristics. The contingency perspective presents a challenge to these views and raises questions about their universal applicability, whether or not different contexts demand different IMCs and to what extent there is variation in generic factors across different contexts. This paper presents a literature review on innovation management capability in relation to firms that are at the early stages of development, whether they are starting out or spinning-off from other organisations. Start-ups and spin-outs (SUSOs) constitute important motors for industrial change, and their IMCs are therefore important considerations. The aim of this review is to assess the pertinence of the IMC construct for organisations in the early stages of their development and uncover any contextual contingencies. The paper indicates that SUSOs are heavily reliant on their linkages, networks and connectivity. This would seem intuitive as at the outset a firm can benefit from having mentors, partners and networks. In the open innovation paradigm, where connectivity and links are essential, this is reinforced. The paper also indicates that the IMC is described somewhat differently for SUSOs than in the general literature, a finding that emphasises how firm newness impacts IMC.

A firm’s ability to innovate is critical to retaining its competitiveness and even survival: in the long run it is the capability to generate a stream of product and process changes that matters. Consequently to secure their position into the future, firms need to be able to develop, maintain and renew their Innovation Management Capability (IMC). In order to improve their firm’s IMC, managers need to know which ‘levers’ to pull. An extensive and diverse body of literature exists that has sought to identify these important factors, and several attempts at synthesis have been made which imply that organisations successfully able to innovate exhibit a number of generic characteristics. The contingency perspective presents a challenge to these views and raises questions about their universal applicability, whether or not different contexts demand different IMCs and to what extent there is variation in generic factors across different contexts. This paper presents a literature review on innovation management capability in relation to firms that are at the early stages of development, whether they are starting out or spinning-off from other organisations. Start-ups and spin-outs (SUSOs) constitute important motors for industrial change, and their IMCs are therefore important considerations. The aim of this review is to assess the pertinence of the IMC construct for organisations in the early stages of their development and uncover any contextual contingencies. The paper indicates that SUSOs are heavily reliant on their linkages, networks and connectivity. This would seem intuitive as at the outset a firm can benefit from having mentors, partners and networks. In the open innovation paradigm, where connectivity and links are essential, this is reinforced. The paper also indicates that the IMC is described somewhat differently for SUSOs than in the general literature, a finding that emphasises how firm newness impacts IMC.

No business day ends without news on a merger or an acquisition and most managers have experience of acquisitions and/or mergers. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A), that is, the acquisition of (the majority of) the shares in a target company or the legal unification of two organizations into one, are recurrent phenomena in business life (Cartwright and Schoenberg, 2006; Meglio and Risberg, 2010) appearing in waves (Martynova and Renneboog 2008; Shleifer and Vishny 1991). M&A not only result in changed shareholder value, but also in changed industry structures, reconsidered competitive landscapes, and form new key players in markets (Chandler, 1962; Cox, 2006; Finkelstein, 1997).

Stakeholder research (e.g., Parmar, Freeman, Harrison, Wicks, Prnell and de Colle, 2010; Rowley, 1997) emphasizes the multi-actor, multi-interest perspective to strategic decisions. A value chain perspective on firms suggests customers and suppliers as important stakeholders of firms (e. g., Normann and Ramirez, 1993) and indicates that customers and suppliers may actually act vis-à-vis an M&A. But the picture of customers and suppliers as tradable assets or potential beneficiaries from the acquirer’s point of view seems to dominate. In this paper we particularly address the stake at stake for customers and suppliers in M&A. The following questions are asked:

 To what extent are customers and suppliers acknowledged in the M&A literature?

 How are customer and supplier stakes in M&A described?

For a firm, customers and suppliers are important stakeholders in their business activities, including such strategic activities as mergers and acquisitions. But how has this been depicted in previous research? In this paper we review articles on mergers and acquisitions to find out in what way customers and suppliers are recognized in the research on mergers and acquisitions. The paper is a review of 1,632 articles. The analysis proposes six categories: customers and suppliers in vertical integration; customers as an aggregated market; customers and suppliers as resources; customers (and suppliers) being affected by changed market conditions; the merger or acquisition following from or leading to power imbalances in relationships to customers/suppliers; and customers and suppliers as actors or reactors.

For a firm, customers and suppliers are important stakeholders in their business activities, including such strategic activities as mergers and acquisitions. But how has this been depicted in previous research? In this paper we review articles on mergers and acquisitions to find out in what way customers and suppliers are recognized in the research on mergers and acquisitions. The paper is a review of 1,632 articles. The analysis proposes six categories: customers and suppliers in vertical integration; customers as an aggregated market; customers and suppliers as resources; customers (and suppliers) being affected by changed market conditions; the merger or acquisition following from or leading to power imbalances in relationships to customers/suppliers; and customers and suppliers as actors or reactors.

Studies concerning corporate mergers and acquisitions are mainly focused on the merging companies. Recently though, there has been an increased interest concerning connected companies, e.g. those firms having customer, supplier or other business relationships with participants in a merger or acquisition. In many countries, there is a legal prerequisite to report intended business concentration to the national competition authority for investigation. This paper investigates decisions made by a competition authority and in addition looks at studies where connected companies are mentioned by the authorities in such decisions. In very few of the investigated decisions, 2.4%, is a third party identified. Our conclusion is that customers and suppliers, if at all effected, are seen as reactive rather than active partners in a concentration. And, the concept supplier or customer relationship is not used.

Purpose: Companies engage in business relationships for a variety of reasons, including specialization, product development, and building competitive networks. Research has demonstrated that mergers and acquisitions (M&As) may challenge ongoing business relationships. The purpose of this article is to investigate whether and how competition authorities consider business relationships when evaluating M&As.

Methodology: The article uses the documentation from 450 M&As reported to the Swedish competition authority to capture the way in which an authority evaluates M&As. The Swedish competition authority evaluation corresponds to other national and international evaluation procedures.

Findings: The findings indicate that the competition authorities neglect an important aspect of business life, namely companies forming business relationships. The competition authorities evaluate M&As on the basis of risk for price increases, and consequently disregard such issues as heterogeneity in demand and offerings, and values built into existing business relationships.

Originality/Value/Contribution: The article contributes to research on business relationships through exploring how a public authority deals with such relationships. It also contributes to research on mergers and acquisitions through examining how these activities are evaluated by competition authorities. Furthermore, the article contributes to competition research by reflecting on competition law concerning M&A regulations in relation to business relationships.

Purpose: Companies engage in business relationships for a variety of reasons, including specialization, product development, and building competitive networks. Research has demonstrated that mergers and acquisitions (Mandamp;As) may challenge ongoing business relationships. The purpose of this article is to investigate whether and how competition authorities consider business relationships when evaluating Mandamp;As. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethodology: The article uses the documentation from 450 Mandamp;As reported to the Swedish competition authority to capture the way in which an authority evaluates Mandamp;As. The Swedish competition authority evaluation corresponds to other national and international evaluation procedures. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanFindings: The findings indicate that the competition authorities neglect an important aspect of business life, namely companies forming business relationships. The competition authorities evaluate Mandamp;As on the basis of risk for price increases, and consequently disregard such issues as heterogeneity in demand and offerings, and values built into existing business relationships. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanOriginality/Value/Contribution: The article contributes to research on business relationships through exploring how a public authority deals with such relationships. It also contributes to research on mergers and acquisitions through examining how these activities are evaluated by competition authorities. Furthermore, the article contributes to competition research by reflecting on competition law concerning Mandamp;A regulations in relation to business relationships.

Purpose: Companies engage in business relationships for a variety of reasons, including specialization, product development, and building competitive networks. Research has demonstrated that mergers and acquisitions (M&As) may challenge ongoing business relationships. The purpose of this article is to investigate whether and how competition authorities consider business relationships when evaluating M&As.

Methodology: The article uses the documentation from 450 M&As reported to the Swedish competition authority to capture the way in which an authority evaluates M&As. The Swedish competition authority evaluation corresponds to other national and international evaluation procedures.

Findings: The findings indicate that the competition authorities neglect an important aspect of business life, namely companies forming business relationships. The competition authorities evaluate M&As on the basis of risk for price increases, and consequently disregard such issues as heterogeneity in demand and offerings, and values built into existing business relationships.

Originality/Value/Contribution: The article contributes to research on business relationships through exploring how a public authority deals with such relationships. It also contributes to research on mergers and acquisitions through examining how these activities are evaluated by competition authorities. Furthermore, the article contributes to competition research by reflecting on competition law concerning M&A regulations in relation to business relationships.

Radically new ideas, or disruptive innovations, would expect to come from inside companies, or possibly in their collaboration with other parties. However, they may also be 'forced' on a company from outside, and then be so without necessarily bringing any solutions on how to deal with the new situation. The energy sector is bound to deal with major changes. For SMEs acting in the sector, their ability to take on, or even invent, new solutions to meet such pressures may be limited. The sector is marked by high investment costs and the sector is also highly regulated in terms of what to produce. In this study we explore how prepared SMEs are to meet radical change in the energy sector. Managers from ten SMEs in Finland completed an Innovation Fitness survey and were interviewed. The study indicates how the SME managers are unprepared for new external requirements and need to better orient themselves before actually being able to tackle arising issues. The paper points to the importance of actively searching the environment for changes. It contributes to the innovation literature through pointing to how innovation may be forced from the outside, and deal with fighting for its survival, rather than be seen as a competitive advantage from inside out.

IMP research is often treated as an empirical perspective describing complexities of repeated business-to-business exchanges and their embeddedness. While building on some common understandings and concepts, this paper asks: How homogeneous is the IMP research? This paper uses cluster analysis to capture the roots and various sub-groups of IMP research as means to depict the question of homogeneity (i.e. a core focus in the research) or heterogeneity (i.e. using references from other fields or specific to sub-fields) of the IMP thought. In this scientific work in progress paper we introduce how we design to use bibliographical methods in order to harvest data from an extensive amount of IMP-related articles written from the 1970’s onwards. In this first attempt to reveal IMP we used overall 294 articles yielded to 10,615 co-citation relationships. A threshold of minimum number of citations of a cited reference was set to five (5) to capture such references that have been cited in multiple publications. We introduce visual mapping of defined subject area clusters and as an example we describe shortly clusters. Perhaps not surprisingly our findings suggest that IMP research is not so homogenous, with at least four clear clusters of IMP-research each utilizing different key referenfernces. 

IMP research is often treated as an empirical perspective describing complexities of repeated business-to-business exchanges and their embeddedness. While building on some common understandings and concepts, this paper asks: How homogeneous is the IMP research? This paper uses cluster analysis to capture the roots and various sub-groups of IMP research as means to depict the question of homogeneity (i.e. a core focus in the research) or heterogeneity (i.e. using references from other fields or specific to sub-fields) of the IMP thought. In this scientific work in progress paper we introduce how we design to use bibliographical methods in order to harvest data from an extensive amount of IMP-related articles written from the 1970’s onwards. In this first attempt to reveal IMP we used overall 294 articles yielded to 10,615 co-citation relationships. A threshold of minimum number of citations of a cited reference was set to five (5) to capture such references that have been cited in multiple publications. We introduce visual mapping of defined subject area clusters and as an example we describe shortly clusters. Perhaps not surprisingly our findings suggest that IMP research is not so homogenous, with at least four clear clusters of IMP-research each utilizing different key references.

IMP research is often treated as an empirical perspective describing complexities of repeated business-to-business exchanges and their embeddedness. While building on some common understandings and concepts, this paper asks: How homogeneous is the IMP research? This paper uses cluster analysis to capture the roots and various sub-groups of IMP research as means to depict the question of homogeneity (i.e. a core focus in the research) or heterogeneity (i.e. using references from other fields or specific to sub-fields) of the IMP thought. In this scientific work in progress paper we introduce how we design to use bibliographical methods in order to harvest data from an extensive amount of IMP-related articles written from the 1970’s onwards. In this first attempt to reveal IMP we used overall 294 articles yielded to 10,615 co-citation relationships. A threshold of minimum number of citations of a cited reference was set to five (5) to capture such references that have been cited in multiple publications. We introduce visual mapping of defined subject area clusters and as an example we describe shortly clusters. Perhaps not surprisingly our findings suggest that IMP research is not so homogenous, with at least four clear clusters of IMP-research each utilizing different key references.

The acknowledgement of a research tradition by other disciplines shows its contribution to the development of the broader body of scientific knowledge. This paper investigates the contribution of IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing) research to broader research disciplines by analyzing how researchers within and beyond IMP have cited core IMP articles. First, through quantitative bibliometric analysis, the paper identifies the diffusion to other research disciplines. Thereafter, through qualitative analysis, the impact of the IMP perspective is captured to understand how strong these imprints are. The analyses show that IMP research has been noticed among a range of adjacent research disciplines. However, the use of IMP references has generally been rudimentary, and without a deeper understanding of the IMP ontology, meaning that IMP still has some “weak ties” to the other disciplines. Establishing IMP's contribution through enduring imprints would need further engagement with researchers from other research disciplines and publications in top journals. The paper contributes empirically with how the IMP perspective has spread beyond the IMP Group and theoretically by adding insight into how research ideas travel and transform to other disciplines. 

The acknowledgement of a research tradition by other disciplines shows its contribution to the development of the broader body of scientific knowledge. This paper investigates the contribution of IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing) research to broader research disciplines by analyzing how researchers within and beyond IMP have cited core IMP articles. First, through quantitative bibliometric analysis, the paper identifies the diffusion to other research disciplines. Thereafter, through qualitative analysis, the impact of the IMP perspective is captured to understand how strong these imprints are. The analyses show that IMP research has been noticed among a range of adjacent research disciplines. However, the use of IMP references has generally been rudimentary, and without a deeper understanding of the IMP ontology, meaning that IMP still has some “weak ties” to the other disciplines. Establishing IMP's contribution through enduring imprints would need further engagement with researchers from other research disciplines and publications in top journals. The paper contributes empirically with how the IMP perspective has spread beyond the IMP Group and theoretically by adding insight into how research ideas travel and transform to other disciplines. 

The acknowledgement of a research tradition by other disciplines shows its contribution to the development of the broader body of scientific knowledge. This paper investigates the contribution of IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing) research to broader research disciplines by analyzing how researchers within and beyond IMP have cited core IMP articles. First, through quantitative bibliometric analysis, the paper identifies the diffusion to other research disciplines. Thereafter, through qualitative analysis, the impact of the IMP perspective is captured to understand how strong these imprints are. The analyses show that IMP research has been noticed among a range of adjacent research disciplines. However, the use of IMP references has generally been rudimentary, and without a deeper understanding of the IMP ontology, meaning that IMP still has some “weak ties” to the other disciplines. Establishing IMP's contribution through enduring imprints would need further engagement with researchers from other research disciplines and publications in top journals. The paper contributes empirically with how the IMP perspective has spread beyond the IMP Group and theoretically by adding insight into how research ideas travel and transform to other disciplines.

Increased focus in popular press has been directed at how individuals born at different times differ in their preferences and ways of acting. Generation Z (Gen Z) refers to individuals born in the 1990s that are often described to be self-centred but also entrepreneurial, potentially based on how the abilities to get at permanent position has changed during the last decades. The purpose of this study is to investigate: What does Gen Z consider important organizational innovation factors at a future workplace? Based on a questionnaire directed at individuals as part of Gen Z, we focus our analysis on innovation enablers, to thereby also see how Gen Z’s expectations fit with needs to continuously and increasingly rapidly renew operations. With this study we contribute to a greater academic understanding of a new and in Sweden relatively unexplored Gen Z. The practical implication of the study is to provide employers with guidelines on how to create successful innovation incubation environments at their workplace.

Increased focus in popular press has been directed at how individuals born at different times differ in their preferences and ways of acting. Generation Z (Gen Z) refers to individuals born in the 1990s that are often described to be self-centred but also entrepreneurial, potentially based on how the abilities to get at permanent position has changed during the last decades. The purpose of this study is to investigate: What does Gen Z consider important organizational innovation factors at a future workplace? Based on a questionnaire directed at individuals as part of Gen Z, we focus our analysis on innovation enablers, to thereby also see how Gen Z’s expectations fit with needs to continuously and increasingly rapidly renew operations. With this study we contribute to a greater academic understanding of a new and in Sweden relatively unexplored Gen Z. The practical implication of the study is to provide employers with guidelines on how to create successful innovation incubation environments at their workplace.

Increased focus in popular press has been directed at how individuals born at different times differ in their preferences and ways of acting. Generation Z (Gen Z) refers to individuals born in the 1990s that are often described to be self-centred but also entrepreneurial, potentially based on how the abilities to get at permanent position has changed during the last decades. The purpose of this study is to investigate: What does Gen Z consider important organizational innovation factors at a future workplace? Based on a questionnaire directed at individuals as part of Gen Z, we focus our analysis on innovation enablers, to thereby also see how Gen Z’s expectations fit with needs to continuously and increasingly rapidly renew operations. With this study we contribute to a greater academic understanding of a new and in Sweden relatively unexplored Gen Z. The practical implication of the study is to provide employers with guidelines on how to create successful innovation incubation environments at their workplace.

This paper is focused on automotive stamping tools and dies and the impact of 3D metal printing and metals related 3D printing on design and production of such tools and dies. The purpose has been to find out the current industrial potential of 3D printing, as far lead time, costs, shapes, material usage, metal piece size, surface roughness, hardness, strength, and machinability are concerned. The business transformational impact of 3D printing is also addressed in this paper. The obtained results show that the lead time can be halved, the costs are somewhat higher, and the strength, hardness, surface roughness and machinability of the 3D printed metallic tools and dies are as good as those of the conventionally made. The maximum size of a metal piece that can be 3D printed today by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is in the best case 500 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm. 3D printing can also be used to make the pattern used to make the mold box in iron and steel casting. It is also possible to eliminate the casting pattern, since the mold box can be 3D printed directly. All this has started to have a large business impact and it is therefore of great significance to outline and execute an action plan almost immediately.

This paper is focused on automotive stamping tools and dies as well as the impact of 3D metal printing and metals related 3D-printing on design and production of such tools and dies. The purpose has been to find out the current industrial potential of 3D-printing as far as lead time, costs, shapes, material usage, metal piece size, surface roughness, hardness, strength, and machinability are concerned. The business transformational impact of 3D-printing is also addressed in this paper. The obtained results show that the lead time can be halved, the costs are somewhat higher, and the strength, hardness, surface roughness, and machinability of the 3D-printed metallic tools and dies are as good as those of the conventionally made. The maximum size of a metal piece that can be 3D-printed today by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is, in the best case, 500 mm × 500 mm × 500 mm. 3D-printing can also be used for the pattern to make the mold box in iron and steel casting. It is also possible to eliminate the casting pattern, since the mold box can be 3D-printed directly. All this has started to have a large business impact, and it is therefore of great significance to outline and execute an action plan almost immediately.

This paper is focused on automotive stamping tools and dies and the impact of 3D metal printing and metals related 3D printing on design and production of such tools and dies. The purpose has been to find out the current industrial potential of 3D printing, as far lead time, costs, shapes, material usage, metal piece size, surface roughness, hardness, strength, and machinability are concerned. The business transformational impact of 3D printing is also addressed in this paper. The obtained results show that the lead time can be halved, the costs are somewhat higher, and the strength, hardness, surface roughness and machinability of the 3D printed metallic tools and dies are as good as those of the conventionally made. The maximum size of a metal piece that can be 3D printed today by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is in the best case 500 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm. 3D printing can also be used to make the pattern used to make the mold box in iron and steel casting. It is also possible to eliminate the casting pattern, since the mold box can be 3D printed directly. All this has started to have a large business impact and it is therefore of great significance to outline and execute an action plan almost immediately.

This paper is focused on automotive stamping tools and dies as well as the impact of 3D metal printing and metals related 3D-printing on design and production of such tools and dies. The purpose has been to find out the current industrial potential of 3D-printing as far as lead time, costs, shapes, material usage, metal piece size, surface roughness, hardness, strength, and machinability are concerned. The business transformational impact of 3D-printing is also addressed in this paper. The obtained results show that the lead time can be halved, the costs are somewhat higher, and the strength, hardness, surface roughness, and machinability of the 3D-printed metallic tools and dies are as good as those of the conventionally made. The maximum size of a metal piece that can be 3D-printed today by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is, in the best case, 500 mm × 500 mm × 500 mm. 3D-printing can also be used for the pattern to make the mold box in iron and steel casting. It is also possible to eliminate the casting pattern, since the mold box can be 3D-printed directly. All this has started to have a large business impact, and it is therefore of great significance to outline and execute an action plan almost immediately.

This paper is focused on automotive stamping tools and dies and the impact of 3D metal printing and metals related 3D printing on design and production of such tools and dies. The purpose has been to find out the current industrial potential of 3D printing, as far lead time, costs, shapes, material usage, metal piece size, surface roughness, hardness, strength, and machinability are concerned. The business transformational impact of 3D printing is also addressed in this paper. The obtained results show that the lead time can be halved, the costs are somewhat higher, and the strength, hardness, surface roughness and machinability of the 3D printed metallic tools and dies are as good as those of the conventionally made. The maximum size of a metal piece that can be 3D printed today by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is in the best case 500 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm. 3D printing can also be used to make the pattern used to make the mold box in iron and steel casting. It is also possible to eliminate the casting pattern, since the mold box can be 3D printed directly. All this has started to have a large business impact and it is therefore of great significance to outline and execute an action plan almost immediately.

This paper is focused on automotive stamping tools and dies as well as the impact of 3D metal printing and metals related 3D-printing on design and production of such tools and dies. The purpose has been to find out the current industrial potential of 3D-printing as far as lead time, costs, shapes, material usage, metal piece size, surface roughness, hardness, strength, and machinability are concerned. The business transformational impact of 3D-printing is also addressed in this paper. The obtained results show that the lead time can be halved, the costs are somewhat higher, and the strength, hardness, surface roughness, and machinability of the 3D-printed metallic tools and dies are as good as those of the conventionally made. The maximum size of a metal piece that can be 3D-printed today by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is, in the best case, 500 mm × 500 mm × 500 mm. 3D-printing can also be used for the pattern to make the mold box in iron and steel casting. It is also possible to eliminate the casting pattern, since the mold box can be 3D-printed directly. All this has started to have a large business impact, and it is therefore of great significance to outline and execute an action plan almost immediately.

This article introduces Industrial Marketing Management's special issue on start-ups and networks. To begin with, we stress the relevance of understanding the context wherein entrepreneurship unfolds – a context filled with social, technical and economic connections to which the start-up needs to relate. We also present and confront three network perspectives which bring different insights to the interplay between start-ups and networks: Social Network (SN) theory, the Industrial Marketing & Purchasing (IMP) view, and Actor-Network Theory (ANT). Next, we introduce the 12 papers of this special issue and place them on a continuum covering a start-up's process of network embedding and including the three periods of establishment, consolidation and stabilization. We conclude with a research agenda suggesting five avenues for further research: (1) tracing start-ups' process of network embedding, (2) mapping the connections between the different networks affecting a start-up, (3) grasping the negative effects of networks on start-ups, (4) making longitudinal case studies on start-ups and networks more comparable via common analytical tools, and (5) investigating how policy influences the complex interplay between start-ups and networks.

This article introduces Industrial Marketing Management's special issue on start-ups and networks. To begin with, we stress the relevance of understanding the context wherein entrepreneurship unfolds – a context filled with social, technical and economic connections to which the start-up needs to relate. We also present and confront three network perspectives which bring different insights to the interplay between start-ups and networks: Social Network (SN) theory, the Industrial Marketing & Purchasing (IMP) view, and Actor-Network Theory (ANT). Next, we introduce the 12 papers of this special issue and place them on a continuum covering a start-up's process of network embedding and including the three periods of establishment, consolidation and stabilization. We conclude with a research agenda suggesting five avenues for further research: (1) tracing start-ups' process of network embedding, (2) mapping the connections between the different networks affecting a start-up, (3) grasping the negative effects of networks on start-ups, (4) making longitudinal case studies on start-ups and networks more comparable via common analytical tools, and (5) investigating how policy influences the complex interplay between start-ups and networks.