This thesis investigates the commercialization of next-generation nuclear fission technologies, focusing on the barriers, strategies, and timelines necessary for their deployment. With the growing need for clean and reliable energy, nuclear fission offers a low-carbon solution, but its commercialization is challenged by regulatory, financial, and technological hurdles. The research uses a dual-method approach, combining desk research and expert interviews. Through desk research, commercialization timelines of 10 key companies developing next-generation nuclear reactors were mapped. These companies are at different stages, ranging from ideation to prototyping, with varying timelines influenced by strategic partnerships, regulatory approvals, and technological progress.

The expert interviews reveal significant barriers to commercialization, including lengthy regulatory approval processes, high upfront costs, and public skepticism surrounding nuclear technology. Financial constraints, especially the difficulty in attracting investment due to long payback periods, were noted as major impediments. Experts also highlighted the need for technological innovation, particularly in materials testing and reactor designs, to meet stringent safety standards.

In response to these challenges, the thesis identifies strategies such as early engagement with regulatory bodies, diversification of funding sources, and open communication to address public concerns. Technological advancements, such as modular reactor designs and improved safety features, are critical to overcoming these hurdles. By combining the insights from commercialization timelines and expert interviews, this study offers recommendations to accelerate the commercialization process, emphasizing the need for policy support, innovative financial models, and continuous technological development. Nuclear fission remains a promising solution to the global energy crisis, but coordinated efforts are required to unlock its full potential.

The global wicked problem of the climate crisis has drawn significant interest and attention over recent years from world governments, industry leaders and researchers. In a collaborative effort to tackle this problem while maintaining economic and social development, in 2015 the United Nations developed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and countries globally committed to this initiative (United Nations Development Programme, 2024). The transport sector forms a crucial component of infrastructural development while also being a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and a sizeable share of these emissions are attributed to the use of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs), dependent on petroleum fuels. The globally recognised solution to replace ICEVs as of 2024 is through electrification of the transport sector, facilitated by the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs). Given the importance and significance of this relatively emerging technology, countries across the globe have formulated various strategies and made major efforts to enhance their country’s competitive positioning in the international trade of EVs.

Enhancing competitiveness in international markets in the EV sector is a viable method for nations to improve their energy security and independence from other potentially rival countries for their energy requirements. For instance, in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, many countries minimized ties with Russian products, despite Russia being the world’s largest exporter of oil to global markets, further stressing upon the need for countries to strengthen their positions in electric mobility and EV trade, since the incumbent car companies that built their reputations on ICE vehicles have also started updating their vehicle line-ups and incorporating EVs due to the constantly evolving nature of the transport sector. Moreover, the government support through industrial policy subsidy measures directed towards their domestic industries to bolster EV production also communicates concerns about employment for incumbent ICE vehicle producers, as with the growth of adoption in any emerging technology, or EVs in this case. Hence, the continuously evolving trade competitiveness dynamics require focused research to support policymakers in recognising the factors that may have a positive or negative impact on EV export performance. This can further facilitate the introduction of effective policy measures to improve international competitiveness in a sector such as EVs, which is of paramount importance in the widespread uptake of Net-Zero technologies.

There is an abundance of research analysing different aspects of the adoption and uptake of EVs in global, national and regional settings. Additionally, the extant literature also contains works that analyse the determinants of international competitiveness in established industries such as agriculture, forestry and the automotive sector. However, there is a lack of research on the international competitiveness of countries in the EV sector. Hence, the primary objective of this study was to fill this knowledge gap by providing a cross-country, empirical analysis of the determinants of international competitiveness in the EV sector, such as technological innovation, cost-competitiveness, green industrial policy measures and endowments in critical metals required for EV manufacturing. The following main research question guided this study: Which factors are most strongly associated with the export competitiveness of the electric vehicle industry across countries?...

While many researchers have researched the factors affecting standard consortium success, the size and diversity of a consortium were given the most importance. However, investigating the combined effect of these two factors on standard consortium success using specific indicators of success was limited. Past research required action on applying a new approach to determine the extent to which these variables work together toward the success of standard consortia. It was also important to investigate the network configurations of consortia given the multiple factors that come into play in the process of standardization over the years. This required a configurational approach with huge consortium-level data to test. The objective of this research is to find the configurations of size and diversity that lead to standard consortium success, in the ICT and telecommunications industry, success being represented by specific indicators. The data was collected from the websites ‘consortiuminfo.org’ and LinkedIn using Python packages and was analyzed using Crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA). This analysis was done considering two indicators of success individually and combined as a single variable, summing up to three analyses. The analysis revealed that the size and diversity of consortia are necessary conditions, but only diversity is found to be a sufficient condition for standard consortium success in this sample dataset of ICT consortia. The findings suggest that researchers should continue to explore the involvement of other factors along with the size and diversity as combinations instead of only analyzing the variables’ effects individually. Furthermore, by doing this the scope of the research broadens by breadth and depth as more data and more insights about factors of standard consortium success can be gathered.

This thesis examines the interactions within standard-setting consortia within the Audio/
Video/Multimedia sector, focusing on large company dominance, geographical proximity,
and technological proximity. It aims to uncover how these factors individually
and collectively influence the success of these consortia. The guiding research question is:
“What combinations of large company dominance, geographic proximity, and technological
proximity lead to successful outcomes in standard-setting consortia?”
Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the study reveals that successful consortia
strike a balance in large company influence, maintain significant geographical proximity,
and ensure proper technological alignment. While large company dominance significantly
impacts consortium success, an optimal balance is essential to avoid power struggles and
foster effective collaboration. Geographical proximity, especially at the UN subregion level,
consistently contributes to success by enhancing trust and communication. Technological
proximity within industry groups is beneficial but must be complemented by other factors
to significantly impact outcomes. It’s clear that the success of consortia is best understood
through specific configurations of these variables rather than any single factor alone.
To evaluate consortium success, the study employs a multifactor framework focusing on the
creation of standards, their adoption, and scholarly recognition. This framework combines
qualitative and quantitative measures, providing a comprehensive assessment of consortium
performance.
The research makes a valuable contribution to the field by offering empirical evidence on
the strategic influence of large companies within standard-setting consortia. It extends
the understanding of how large firms drive innovation while balancing the contributions
of smaller participants. The study also offers nuanced insights into the roles of geographical
and technological proximities, emphasizing their combined effects on consortium success.
These findings are useful for both theoretical knowledge and practical applications,
informing technology management practices and shaping policies that support effective
standard-setting efforts.
From a Management of Technology perspective, this thesis demonstrates how strategic engagement
in standard-setting consortia can enhance a firm’s technological capabilities and
market positioning. Technology managers can leverage these insights to navigate standardsetting
processes more effectively, ensuring that their firms benefit from collaboration while
maintaining an optimal balance of influence.
However, this study acknowledges certain practical limitations. The findings, while insightful
for the Audio/Video/Multimedia sector, may need adaptation when applied to other
industries with different dynamics. Additionally, the reliance on publicly available data
from consortium websites and LinkedIn profiles may lead to practical challenges, such as
gaps or inconsistencies in the data, affecting decision-making. The study’s cross-sectional
approach provides a snapshot of current conditions but does not capture consortium dynamics
over time. Practitioners should consider these factors when applying the insights
to other contexts, and future research should aim to include a wider range of industries
and explore these dynamics longitudinally to inform more adaptive strategies.

Within the energy transition, green hydrogen stands as a key solution for decarbonizing sectors where direct electrification is not viable. This thesis focuses on the competitive landscape of hydrogen production in North-Western Europe, addressing the technological and geographical competition of locally produced green hydrogen. This research introduces a comprehensive analytical tool to assess the viability of various hydrogen production methods, which are competing value chains of European green hydrogen. By synthesizing institutional, economic, societal, and technical considerations, the model facilitates a direct comparison between different green hydrogen alternatives.

The research commenced by applying Hekkert’s (2011) TIS analysis as a tool for structural analysis to systematically map the system. The goal was to delineate its structure and identify potential key competing value chains within the scope of Europe. This initial phase involved a literature review and interviews to select value chains. The subsequent phase, which also used the TIS as a tool, focused on identifying key drivers and barriers within the system through a functional analysis, utilizing a structured approach to examine system functions. Expert interviews played a pivotal role in this stage, providing an understanding of the system's dynamics. In the last phase, the techno-economic analysis was performed by introducing barrier-driven scenarios. Allowing for insights into the cost components and the overall comparison in the levelized cost of hydrogen for every scenario.

The structural analysis showed that the European Commission set the scope with institutions, allowing for technologically mature low-carbon alternatives in this comparison. The functional analysis revealed the intricate interconnectivity of the system functions, illustrating how drivers and barriers can swiftly transform, reflecting the system's complex status. The primary barrier to green hydrogen adoption is its high cost, creating a deadlock with no demand or supply. Technological advancement and governmental intervention emerged as key solutions to this challenge. The techno-economic results show that the least cost-effective value chain is local green hydrogen, and the most cost-effective value chain is local blue hydrogen. Local green hydrogen faces challenges in competitiveness due to high energy prices and low capacity factors compared to other electrolyzer-based methods. Additionally, compared to other types, like blue hydrogen, it has higher overall investment and energy costs.

The ultimate aim is to navigate through the complexities of the hydrogen system, clarifying how various variables interconnect and influence each other. Tools like the one developed in this research provide a foundation for understanding this complexity. By understanding the impact of governmental interventions and other factors on final prices, stakeholders can engage in more strategic decision-making. To deepen the understanding of the system, it is recommended to conduct further interviews and research, exploring the alternatives within and outside the European system more comprehensively. Investigating what drives prices beyond mere economic factors will offer a clearer picture of their current status and potential future developments. This broader analysis will equip users with the insights needed to make informed decisions, considering both the economic and socio-technical dimensions that shape the hydrogen market's evolution.

Currently, there is no standardised process for monitoring and evaluation of nature-based flood defenses pilots in Dutch rivers and floodplains. Thus, piloted technologies cannot be compared fairly with other nature-based flood defense technologies and conventional solutions. This study developed such a process by way of a monitoring and evaluation framework, using a research-by-design approach. This monitoring and evaluation framework is incorporated into a knowledge base that was developed in parallel to store the results of monitoring and evaluating and to effectively share knowledge about each pilot for future reference. The primary intended users of the knowledge base are researchers, therefore requirements were elicited via interviews with matter experts. Findings from the interviews, combined with literature review, formed the basis of design and development for the monitoring and evaluation framework and knowledge base. A second round of interviews was held for iterative improvements of this design via feedback and subsequent revision. In total, three design-feedback iterations were done. The last provided validation results of the improved solution. The main findings indicate that a knowledge base approach has merit and it is suggested that Rijkswaterstaat adopt and improve this solution as a template within their innovation process. The innovation process at Rijkswaterstaat is being developed right now and has incorporated evaluation of pilots. Additional results are a large number of possible avenues for further development and future research.

Technology advancements and growing demands from citizens brought about a digital transformation of the Dutch public sector. As the digital standard rises higher and higher, the Dutch public sector is faced with the task to offer a strong digital environment and can choose to do so by either maintaining current IT infrastructures or by investing in alternatives.

At the moment the most promising alternative seems to be cloud technology. Cloud technology, or more specifically public cloud technology, provides the option to ’rent’ computing resources remotely from an external party. It is already widely in use within the private sector, as well as in some European governments. However, to introduce public cloud technology some hurdles must be overcome, such as concerns related to data security or the dependence on soft- and hardware that has been superseded but is difficult to replace. To gain more insight into the issue of the public cloud being a viable option to accommodate future digital transformation, it is first and foremost important to know what variables play a role in the decision-making process: what are the incentives to answer this question with either a ’yes’ or a ’no’? The objective of this study will therefore be to investigate this landscape of variables that influence the decision to adopt public cloud technology. It starts with the identification of variables from current research and reports, and then explores possible interrelationships. The identification and classification of these relationships could eventually help to bring about a well-considered decision about public cloud adoption in the Dutch public sector.

Reviewing current research related to variables that influence cloud adoption, three research gaps emerged. Firstly, current research was delineated to the Netherlands and therefore failed to capture geographically specific variables, such as legal or cultural characteristics. Secondly, authors that analysed the decision-making process of adopting cloud technology neglected any interrelations between different variables. Thirdly, existing theories fell short in capturing the full scope of could computing adoption decisions, being either too generic or not specific enough.

To address the knowledge gaps and simultaneously fulfil the objective of this study, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and Fuzzy Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (MICMAC) methods are used. ISM aims to simplify complex relationships between a system of variables by providing a graphical representation of the hierarchical structure of that system. Fuzzy MICMAC is used to assess the strength of the relationship between the variables. In total, 22 interviews with experts in the field were held as input for the analysis. The experts worked in the Dutch public sector and were familiar with the decision-making process related to cloud computing adoption.

In the first step of ISM, relevant current literature and official Dutch documents and reports were used to create a list of eight variables that would have a negative effect on the decision to adopt cloud computing within the Dutch public sector. These were classified as the ’barriers’. Additionally, a list of eight positive variables was created and classified as the ’drivers’. Then, the ISM Fuzzy MICMAC steps were followed for both lists.

Key findings for ISM can be described as ’how many’ other variables are influenced by a certain variable, or by ’how many’ other variables this certain variable influences (including indirect effects). For Fuzzy MICMAC, results can be described by using the terms driving power, i.e. how ’strong’ does a variable influence other variables in the system, and dependence power, i.e. how ’strong’ is a variable influenced by other variables.

For the barriers, Regulations and government policy was the variable that had the most influence on other variables within the barrier system. The barrier that influenced other variables the strongest however (i.e. had the highest driving power), was Lack of knowledge and capabilities. Both Internal resistance to change and Negative business case were influenced by the highest number of other variables and did not affect any new variables. The variables with the highest dependence power were Internal resistance to change and Data security concerns.

For the drivers, Bigger knowledge market, Ease of use and Improved hard- and software were the variables that had the most influence on other variables within the drivers’ system. The driver with the highest driving power was Improved hard- and software. Governmental strategy was influenced by the highest number of other variables and did not affect any new variables. The variables with the highest dependence power were Lower and flexible cost and Governmental strategy.

The findings of this research have practical and theoretical implications. Practical, because they can support decisions about cloud within the Dutch public sector. Theoretical, since the findings suggest new variables, interrelations and theories related to public cloud computing. Furthermore, it uses ISM Fuzzy MICMAC, which is often used in the context of novel technologies, but never before for cloud computing adoption decisions.

Future research could address the limitations of this study, such as the exclusion of a feedback loop from the experts during the identification of the variables. Alternatively, research could use the Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM) method to investigate the relationships further.

Over the past decades, global efforts have been made to address climate change and improve the well-being of our planet. The European Union (EU) has set ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets and strategies to combat climate change. Bio-energy, specifically biofuels produced from biomass, has gained significant attention as a crucial component in decarbonizing energy and production systems. While renewable energy sources like solar and wind are primarily used for electricity generation, bio-based processes focus on producing biofuels for heat, power, transportation, and biochemistry sectors. Therefore, biomass can play a crucial role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries that are challenging to electrify, such as the chemical industry, heavy road transport, and marine and aviation sectors. However, the chemical industry, a major energy consumer and emitter of CO2, relies heavily on fossil fuels as feedstock and energy sources, necessitating a shift to carbon-free alternatives.
The biomass-to-syngas pathway, which involves converting biomass into bio-based syngas through gasification, has emerged as a promising solution for a more sustainable chemical industry. However, the development of this value chain faces technical and commercial challenges. Technical challenges include tar formation and product impurities, while commercial challenges include financing limitations, low market maturity, and sustainable feedstock availability. Moreover, handling and using biomass as a feedstock itself present constraints such as transportation limitations, variable composition and properties, low energy density, and high moisture and oxygen content. These challenges hinder the competitiveness of bio-based syngas production against fossil fuel alternatives and impede the development of the biomass-to-syngas value chain.
To address these challenges, the integration of torrefaction technology into the value chain has been proposed as a promising approach. Torrefaction enhances biomass densification, reduces moisture content, and improves the overall viability of the biomass-to-syngas value chain. However, the commercial implementation and economic feasibility of torrefaction remain uncertain. Additionally, research primarily focuses on technological improvements and lacks a deeper understanding of system integration, practical implementations, and stakeholder perspectives.
This research aims to bridge these knowledge gaps by actively engaging with stakeholders across the value chain to address the challenges of developing the biomass-to-syngas value chain and propose comprehensive solutions through stakeholder involvement. It explores the system integration of torrefaction technology, considering industry stakeholders' perspectives. The research employs a step-wise approach, focusing on an in-depth case study of the Dutch chemical industry. Data is collected through an exploratory literature review, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, a questionnaire, and a webinar serving as a panel discussion platform.
The research identifies 44 barriers hindering the development of the biomass-to-syngas value chain and the integration of torrefaction technology. These barriers primarily stem from deficiencies in innovation-specific institutions, network formation and coordination, and the production system. Stakeholders and experts agree that technological and logistical challenges can be overcome. However, addressing failures in innovation-specific institutions, such as the lack of economic and policy incentives and an unfavorable regulatory environment, is crucial for driving the development of the value chain. Based on these findings and insights obtained through expert reflection the research develops comprehensive solution statements and formulates five strategies to address the identified barriers, including cohesive policies, industry-tailored subsidies, standardized certifications and regulations, enhanced network formation, and decentralized torrefaction technology integration.
In conclusion, this research underscores the significance of the biomass-to-syngas pathway as a key driver for a sustainable chemical industry. By addressing technical and commercial challenges and the integration of torrefaction technology, comprehensive strategies have been formulated to overcome barriers and unlock the value chain's full potential. These findings thereby provide actionable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to drive the sustainable development of the biomass-to-syngas value chain.

Existing research has shown that due to the increasing digitalization and the adoption of digital technologies and complex (big) data solutions, along with higher firm-level productivity, comes a growing and more dynamic threat environment. Organisations rely on data and digital environments. These environments enlarge the potential attack surface, as every end-point device or network node is a potential entry for malicious actors. The (un)intentional insider threat is also increasingly important for the protection of Intellectual property (IP) and business assets. Not only the attack surface has grown over the years, but also the consequences of security breaches have become more severe. Loss of confidentiality, integrity and availability can heavily disrupt working practices or even threaten the continuity of organisations.

The stakes for organisational security have therefore never been higher. Current trends in coping with this new threat landscape are, among others, to increase oversight and ensure strict regulations, both via internal policy and external regulators. Extant literature also emphasises an increase in security spending, as well as technical measures to protect business assets. This paper proposes a framework for determining the maturity of security governance within organisations. Security governance is concerned with the alignment of business goals on the one hand and security goals on the other hand, i.e. working productively and working securely. Good governance would mean that both business- and security goals can be reached without conflicting interests; preferably even by complementing one another. The research argues that security governance consists of more than merely technical measures and punitive oversight. It also parts from existing views about how more security (spending, measures, policies, etc,) is better and how security is predominantly addressed in isolation. Instead, security governance should be in alignment with ’the business’ of an organisation. This brings forward the notion of security governance, as the alignment between security policies and business goals.

Literature has found that these two concepts can often be conflicting, as more security in most cases impacts productivity. Therefore, the concept of maturity is coupled with the research. Maturity emphasises the alignment between security goals and business goals. The research adopts both a conventional view of maturity, as well as a social view of maturity. The conventional view focuses on the effectiveness of security governance. A higher level of maturity indicates improving one or both of the pillars of governance, i.e. the contribution to business goals and security goals. This could mean working more productively/efficiently given certain security policies. Or - the other way around - working more securely whilst also doing projects efficiently. The social view focuses specifically on the way alignment between the two pillars of security governance is reached. It acknowledges that not all perceived governance problems in organisations have a single solution that can be imposed top-down. Instead, employees in organisations have to cope with different challenges and perceive issues related to security governance differently. The social view on maturity therefore argues that dialogue is required between a representative stakeholder group, with different viewpoints and expertise, whereby policies are drafted in concordance.

By means of a case study at Damen Naval - a large Naval shipbuilding organisation relying heavily on IP and bound by strict regulations - input was gathered regarding security governance in three individual security fields: ’access control’, ’data classification, and ’monitoring & incident response. Incorporating results from a literature review, individual interviews and
a focus group session, a framework was built with both a conventional assessment of security governance and a social aspect of how the alignment of policies (security- and business-related) can best be reached. The foundation of the framework consists of six dimensions of security governance:
1. Organisation-wide security and responsibility/accountability
2. Risk-based approach
3. Direction of acquisition and commitment of resources
4. Conformance with internal and external requirements
5. Security positive/conscious culture
6. Security performance measurement/alignment

These dimensions were used to guide and structure the individual interviews and led to a list of performance indicators. Each indicator steers on improving security (in terms of policy-setting) and/or productivity (in terms of contribution to business goals). The research showed that although the security fields were different from each other, most indicators could be applied to all the security fields, showing that the indicators are generalisable to an organisation-wide level. The indicators led to practical recommendations for security governance at Damen Naval. The most important takeaways are to better empower engineers in making decisions on data classification, as currently engineers feel uncomfortable in doing this due to the negative consequences of ’under classifying’, which leads to information being classified higher rather than lower. Also, performance expectations should be clear for employees and additional hours spent on dealing with security measures should not be absorbed by engineers. In line with this, more effort should be put into quantifying the total costs of imposed security measures, both direct and indirect. This will make current security policies better explainable or address issues that need to be improved.

The final stage of the research aimed at reaching concordance on security governance. This was researched via a focus group session in which the metaphor of a doctor-patient relationship about a negotiated treatment plan was used to see whether and to what extent this relationship would be possible in an organisation such as Damen Naval. Despite the fact that such a relationship is hard to pursue in a large organisation with multiple stakeholders as well as being limited in autonomy due to external legislators, the results indicate that concordance would be possible, although on different levels inter- and intra-organisational. Intraorganisational, this research suggests composing an organisational structure wherein employees of the business, ICT and security are represented to discuss matters that are related to security. The focus group session itself proved that this contributed to reaching alignment. Inter organisational, dialogue with external regulators should be pursued. Using the framework for security governance and the security performance indicators, potential misalignment can be determined systematically and a more comprehensive discussion can take place. Finally, future research could focus on improving the framework to enable a Capability Maturity Model (CMM) approach and to conduct a similar case study with the inclusion of an external regulator.

This thesis researches how actors of government, industry and academia in an international context should collaborate in order to successfully carry out knowledge/technology transfer. The case study is about Dutch-Moroccan international Triple Helix collaboration in horticulture.

Cycling is a type of recreational activity that is rarely utilized for everyday travel needs except in some countries such as the Netherlands. Health can be improved as a result of increased mobility, and by encouraging people to use public transit or cycles instead of their automobiles, traffic jams, and pollution may be reduced. The adoption of cycling in a populated and vast area like India's capital region will benefit the nation from the perspective of the economy and combating global warming. The research gap identified is that The National Capital Region of India is currently experiencing similar challenges as the Netherlands did years ago like road accidents, high traffic, and air pollution. It is crucial to pinpoint the requisite factors affecting the region's transportation preferences and the existing literature does not focus on the relevant issues from the perspective of relevant stakeholders or how these stakeholders have varied objectives when it comes to the adoption and expansion of the different modes of transportation. To investigate this, the Dutch cycling practices were chosen because the Netherlands is regarded as the best country in the world to cycle.

This leads to the research question of the thesis and that is 'What can the National Capital Region of India learn from the Dutch cycling practices with the participation of key stakeholders?'. 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Dutch and Indian experts to collect relevant data. The Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework is used as the theoretical perspective in the thesis to analyze the data collected from the interviews and answer the research questions. The cycling success of Amsterdam and Copenhagen also helped in providing a conclusion and the results from the interviews are compared to see what India lacks when compared to the Netherlands with regard to the functions and structural dimensions of Technological Innovation Systems.

There were practical and meaningful insights from the findings of the research. The key ones which the Indian stakeholders can adopt are early learning for children, spreading awareness among people about cycling and its benefits, and political commitment. These factors mark the starting point for change and give the correct direction to the stakeholders to implement this change. It is imperative for children to learn about green transportation in their early life so they can understand numerous problems related to it like climate change and sustainability. This will also enable future generations to be more conscious and they will start demanding safe infrastructure for cycling. Politicians will then respond to public demands and create the necessary cycling infrastructure. Furthermore, policymakers can also adopt innovative ideas to make cycling a viable option for all social groups and try to change the perception of people towards cycling. The key findings from the research are interrelated in some or the other way as an action by a stakeholder can unfold an action by another stakeholder and hence collaboration among stakeholders is also necessary.

The research had variety of constraints. Due to various restrictions, primarily, the most relevant factors that influence the choice of transportation were determined. Only interviews with experts were conducted, however, interviews with other people who are not experts but want to cycle or cycle regularly would have offered new insights. Regarding future recommendations, the findings from this research can be used to establish a methodical approach on how to improve cycling utilization in the Indian capital region and identify the key elements that are currently lacking. Alternatively, instead of comparing the Indian capital to an advanced nation, it may be beneficial to do so with an emerging nation or a city as it would allow Indian decision-makers to better grasp the needs of the people and act with limited resources.

The current impact of the aviation industry on climate change poses little choice for aviation companies but to invest in sustainability. One way to do this is to develop and implement sustainable innovations in aircraft. However, the question is how it can be validated whether an innovation is sustainable. To do so, this research uses sustainability assessment methodologies and investigates, how the integration of sustainability assessment tools can support the decision-making process regarding investment in sustainable innovation. It presents the methodology for the sustainability assessment of sustainable innovation for aircraft while using two tools - Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). The first one is to assess the environmental impacts of an innovation, the second one is to determine its financial and also social implications.

The chosen sustainable innovation, upon which the case study is developed and the methods are tested, is the bio composite material for usage in aircraft interiors. In particular, the viability of replacing conventional composites in Boeing 787-8 aircraft business class seats with bio composites is considered. The thesis is conducted in collaboration with Collins Aerospace, which is the manufacturer of products for aircraft. Before realizing sustainability assessment, the technology is analysed using theoretical frameworks. In particular, the analysis is developed on technology drivers, challenges, and the current stage of development in the aviation and automotive industry. After that, the specific bio composite suitable for aircraft interior - geopolymer panel created in an EU project - is chosen for further sustainability assessment. Next, the case study includes the environmental assessment (comparative, fast-tracked LCA) and economic assessment (CBA) of the chosen material. The LCA concludes that usage of the bio composite reduces the carbon footprint and energy requirement by 38%; however, increases water consumption by 47%. The result from CBA is that due to the lower weight of bio composite material, an airline can save €3382±338 on 1 out of 18 business class seats during 5 years of aircraft operation; hence, this is by how much ’bio seat’ can be more expensive to be still profitable. Therefore, the case study proves that bio composites might be better than conventional composites from an environmental and economic point of view.

The case study presents that sustainability assessment provides information valuable for the decision-making process. Integrating environmental and economic assessment shows a bigger picture and broadens the perspective. Additionally, the analysis of technology based on theoretical frameworks provides important insights for both, decision-making and sustainability assessment. Also, the integration of LCA and CBA tools is concluded to be suitable for this purpose and the methodology is described. The problems associated with such tools combination are discussed, where double-counting is the challenge discovered in the study. In addition, the issues stated in the literature are evaluated, and the propositions on how these challenges can be overcome are indicated.

This thesis studies companies which developed open source software but adopted cloud protection licenses, a novel type of software licenses which protect their business from competitors but potentially affect their open source communities. It addresses the practical problem of executives of the companies who miss information about the effects of the license change on the health of their community. From a scientific perspective, there is no existing research about cloud protection licenses. The thesis presents the required background information, including software licenses and commercial open source software. It considers community activity and community structure as indicators of community health and presents corresponding research. Five propositions about the impact of the license change are presented and examined using data from projects of MongoDB, Elasticsearch and Redis by creating visualizations using CHAOSS and Python scripts. First, we expect that changing the licensing terms from an open source license to a cloud protection license leads to reduced community activity. We evaluated both major types of community activity, technical activity and social activity, and could not find support for the proposition but contradicting developments in all projects. Second, we expect less individuals joining the community. Here, the decomposed time series data indicates contradicting developments in the projects of MongoDB and Redis. Third, we expect more community members leaving the community. When assessing this proposition, we found that the decomposed time series data is congruent with the proposition in the project of MongoDB. However, the data of the projects of Elasticsearch and Redis indicates no support for it. Fourth, we expect increased knowledge concentration among individuals in the community. To evaluate the knowledge concentration among community members, the onion model is applied which associates each member with a role for each quarter. The development of the shares of the onion roles within the community is analyzed, and the results contradict the proposition. Fifth, we expect increased knowledge concentration considering organizations in the community. To examine the last proposition, the proportion of contributions authored by employees of the respective company is determined for each month and the development evaluated. There is no contradicting evidence in the data and the developments in the projects are congruent with the proposition. In summary, the data indicates that the impact of a license change to a cloud protection license on community health is rather small and constrained to the concentration of knowledge in respect to organizations. Therefore, we can recommend executives to adopt a cloud protection license if it addresses the strategic needs of their companies. This thesis continued the research on the impact of choice and change of software licenses on open source communities by including cloud protection licenses and previously disregarded aspects of community structure. It relates to the Management of Technology study program by taking the perspective of companies to analyze the effects of their strategic choices on their open innovation processes. By studying the effects of a license change, it examines a problem that is located at the intersection of technology, organizations, and strategy.

Alternative fuels can help the maritime shipping industry to lower its emissions. However, there are commercial risks that surround the adoption of these cleaner fuels. A book & claim based carbon insetting initiative could reduce these commercial risks and accelerate the decarbonization of the maritime shipping industry. Carbon insetting is the process of funding an emission reduction within the sector where the emissions that are being compensated originate from, through the purchase of certificates.

Book & claim facilitates the generation and trade of certificates for certain products & their properties. Combining carbon insetting with the book & claim chain of custody concept enables the generation and trade of scope 3 CO2 certificates for shippers when vessels bunker alternative fuels. Effectively enabling shippers that want their goods to be transported sustainably to pay the price premium for using alternative fuels, thereby facilitating change and sustainability in maritime shipping, without a change in logistics.

The purpose of this master’s thesis is to understand how the concept of book & claim based carbon insetting can enhance the competitive position of the port of Rotterdam for the bunkering of alternative fuels. By simultaneously understanding what potentially the most effective way is to implement this concept at the port. This is achieved through a literature review, together with a workshop conducted for Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoRA) employees.

The workshop results show that the participants have different views on how a book & claim based carbon insetting initiative should be approached. The participants’ answers covered a range, lying on two different ends of the spectrum for potential starting points.

A book & claim based carbon insetting initiative at the port of Rotterdam can potentially enhance the port’s competitive bunkering position for alternative fuels. Implementing this concept in the port would create a clear demand stream for alternative fuels, which will enable the scaling of the supply of alternative fuels within the port, improving their affordability.

Three frameworks were identified that each have their own approach to implementing book & claim based carbon insetting in the maritime shipping industry. These frameworks were evaluated based on six criteria, which were formulated from the results of the workshop. All three frameworks were evaluated for two scenarios based on the two different starting points addressed by the workshop participants.

Based on the above research results, a business strategy has been formulated for the PoRA regarding book & claim based carbon insetting. This proposed business strategy consists of general recommendations and a range of possible approaches the PoRA could take to support the concept.

Book & claim based carbon insetting for the maritime shipping industry is still in its infancy. It has the potential to lower the commercial risks surrounding the adoption of alternative fuels, accelerating the development of a market for sustainable shipping. In turn, accelerating the decarbonization of the maritime shipping industry while potentially enhancing the competitive bunkering position of the port of Rotterdam for alternative fuels if such an initiative is set up in the port.

Conventional meat (CVM) and the related livestock industry are considered to contribute significantly to negative environmental impacts, animal suffering and threats to public health. Nevertheless, the demand for meat is still growing which is majorly due to global population growth. Lab-grown cultured meat (CM) is anticipated to be environmental-friendlier, animal-friendlier and potentially allows for public health benefits. However, it is not yet introduced in the market and faces multiple development challenges related to the technology, consumer acceptance and socio-politics. Furthermore, while CM stakeholders possibly aim for a meat transition, the challenges are hardly addressed in transition context. Transitions are generally studied across the levels of landscapes, regimes and niches using the Multi-level perspective (MLP). Moreover, Strategic niche management (SNM) can be used for assessing the internal processes that determine the success of a niche. On the basis of the MLP, SNM and the CM niche industry, this research therefore is intended to answer the following research question: What are the barriers to the transition of cultured meat from niche to regime perceived by stakeholders? Hence, this study provides niche stakeholders insight into supporting and accelerating a CM transition. For this purpose, the case of the Dutch CM industry is chosen. By means of conducting interviews with academic, business, government and society stakeholders combined with an analysis of related policy documents, 12 barriers are identified. The landscape level involves mutually reinforcing barriers (The environmental paradox & The Dutch political climate). The CVM regime level also involves reinforcing barriers that provides its dominant and stable character (Socio-Cultural lock-in, Techno-Economic lock-in, Institutional-Political lock-in and Regime perspectives). The CM niche industry level in turn, involves barriers that impede the process of the articulation of expectations (Operational constraints & Imagining), impedes network formations (Insufficient incentives & Network disunity) and impedes learning processes (Limited accumulation of knowledge & Dependent on innovation diversity). As these niche processes also reinforce each other, the CM niche industry possibly is entangled in a vicious circle, affecting niche nurturing and hindering reciprocal interactions between the levels. The barrier interactions and reciprocal interactions between the levels combined, determine that the window of opportunity for a CM transition is potentially only limitedly on the rise. Moreover, the effects of moderate landscape change, gradual regime reorientation to the landscape, limited institutional change and an insufficiently well-developed niche, are indicators that the transition is potentially on a transformation pathway. Based on the theoretical implications of this study, future research should aid a better articulation of niche expectations by the CM industry to attract new stakeholders and enhance learning processes. Furthermore, studying the CVM regime capabilities and specifying intentions in relation with CM, especially since the regime barriers could become CM enablers, potentially gives further insight into how the transition could be governed. With regard to practical implications, the potentially occurring transformational directionality failures could be addressed with mission-oriented innovation policies. Moreover, the possible transformational demand articulation failures would optimally be resolved if participation possibilities with the general public for exploration would be implemented. The mentioned failures also relate to transformational reflexivity failures for which CM stakeholders should anticipate the effects that impact the pathways for transition. Furthermore, when comparing the used policy documents with the interviews, the documents predominantly address the need for facilities and incentives regarding the CM niche industry. Although this also is constructive and necessary for the establishment of the Dutch CM industry, the influential landscape and regime developments are hardly considered. Hence, addressing the regime with true pricing for CVM and the landscape with implementing societal challenge-based mission policy instruments, possibly also accelerates the transition. Although CM is still fraught with uncertainty and has not yet been introduced in the market, approved by the regulatory authorities and is yet to be scaled up, it could have a major impact on a better sustainable future. In the end, as it will benefit all, that projection in itself makes CM worthy of further investigation.

Modern organisations are increasingly dependent on data to develop new products, services and to improve their operations. However, they are increasingly dependent on external data resources which has led to the rise of data marketplaces where data are traded. This rapid rise of data marketplaces has led to a fragmented data sharing landscape resulting in data discovery issues for data consumers and a lack of trust by data providers. Recently, the concept of platforms to integrate different data marketplaces to reduce fragmentation has arised: data marketplace meta-platforms. However, these platforms still need to make sure that data providers stay in control over their data, as data providers will otherwise not be willing to share data at all. Staying in control over data for data providers is about data sovereignty. As data marketplace meta-platforms can reduce fragmentation in the data marketplace landscape, but relatively little is known regarding how data sovereignty can be achieved in that context, this research project explores governance mechanisms to enhance data sovereignty for data providers in the context of data marketplace meta-platforms.
Using existing literature, four antecedents of data sovereignty were identified: data ownership, data access, data usage and data storage. Next, the current state of existing data marketplaces and data sharing initiatives was analysed using industry literature and insights from expert interviews. This analysis indicated that the use of a common legal basis among participants of data sharing ecosystems is often the first step. Additionally, processes were data providers arrange a data sharing agreement with data consumers and certification of entrants and participants are adopted in practice.
Analysis of the data marketplace meta-platform context identified three areas of challenges for data sovereignty in the meta-context, namely DMMP-ecosystem where data providers fear DMMP-dominance. Secondly, at the level of the data provider, there is a lack of capabilities to estimate required control and to estimate the value of data assets. Thirdly, data access and usage is difficult to arrange at the level of a data transaction between data providers and consumers. The use of DMMPs to exchange very different types of data, across different industry sectors further complicates the process of granting access and arranging data usage.
Using findings from the expert interviews, three categories of solutions were identified: architectural, trust-related and technology. Architectural solutions are about the structure of the DMMP and how decisions rights and ownership are distributed across the platform and its users. Trust-related solutions are both about building and sustaining trust, for example by use of certifications, and by increasing autonomy for data providers. Lastly, technology-related solutions such as data tagging and labelling can help to enhance visibility over the data chain and to further help data providers to stay in control over their data.

Climate change is getting increasingly more attention as the effects become more and more visible and new reports emphasize the urgency to undertake action. The chemical industry has a big role to play in the sustainability transition. The adoption and diffusion of sustainable innovations in the industry can help facilitate this transition. However, there are barriers in place that hinder the development of sustainability in the industry. Overcoming these barriers is the first step in accelerating the transition. However, driving forces play a role as well, by motivating companies to become more sustainable and helping them in the transition.

Due to the growing share of renewable energy sources (RESs) to counter global warming and fossil fuel depletion, the energy sector is electrifying at an increasing pace. However, not all sectors can electrify fully or at an even speed. The industry sector for instance, is heavily reliant on fossil fuelled feedstocks. Power-to-X is named in literature to resolve that dependency. A practical example of the Power-to-X principle is the electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen. The Dutch government aims to have 500MW of electrolyzers capacity installed by 2025, and 8GW by 2030. However, currently there is 1MW of capacity installed. This thesis aimed to find the rationale behind the discrepancy between the reality and the set targets. In this thesis, the Technical Innovation System (TIS) is analysed in an effort to delineate what the impact of the innovation system is on the development of the technology.

With the use of a structural-functional analysis as proposed by Hekkert et al. (2011), an inductive research approach is taken, and the following research question is answered:

How do the systemic functions impact the implementation and development of electrochemical synthesizes of hydrogen in the Netherlands and how can this performance be improved?

The data is gathered via 13 expert interviews. The seven key processes are assessed. By doing so, the impact of the systemic functions is given. The resource mobilization scored a 2, the entrepreneurial activity, knowledge diffusion, guidance of the search, and market formation a score of 3, and knowledge development and creation of legitimacy a score of 4. In total, 36 systemic problems arose from the analysis. The systemic problems concentrate around the market uncertainty, lack or absence of institutional guidance and incentives, reluctant attitude of stakeholders, and insufficient resource availability. Systemic problems occurred in all system functions.

The relevance of the seven system functions is questioned in the context of sustainable technologies since this analysis showed the extremes housing within SF4. Additionally, the use of a label score and an analysis score delivered a method for decreasing the subjective influence of the researcher with the ability to indicate weights to an argument. Both add to existing innovation literature and could be considered by future TIS analysists. Furthermore, this analysis showed the impact the innovation system has on the development of the technology. This is in contrast with existing techno-economic research on the challenges for hydrogen electrolysis, whom reason from the perspective of the technology. Further research could include adoption theory, in which the preferences of consumers are added, whilst the TIS analysis would result in the current capabilities of the system to uphold to these preferences.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have one of the highest annual energy consumption per capita and rank within the top 10 countries with highest CO¬2 emissions. All of the countries have low levels of renewable energy share in the total energy consumption. Among these countries, UAE has been relatively proactive in promoting the use of renewable energy. The UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050 aims at achieving 50% of clean energy share in the total energy consumption by 2050. However, this strategy published by the government does not mention anything about the development of green hydrogen. On the other hand, several articles and reports have highlighted the large potential for the development of green hydrogen in UAE along with other GCC countries. However, these studies do not address the potential barriers that UAE might face in the development of a green hydrogen supply chain. Therefore, this thesis aims to identify the barriers to the development of green hydrogen in UAE and provide suggestions to overcome them based on the interrelationships and priorities explored in this research. The following research questions are asked: “What are the barriers for large-scale development of green hydrogen in UAE?” and “What are the most influential barriers to the development and what interrelationships exist between them?”
In order to identify the barriers to the growth of green hydrogen in UAE, a combination of literature study and expert interviews was implemented. A total of 20 barriers are identified categorised in technical, economic, institutional and social barrier groups. Next, a methodology is chosen which helps us map the interrelationships between the barriers and identify the most important barriers to be tackled first. A combination of two methods is used in tandem to achieve the desired results. A combination of DEMATEL and BWM, two multi-criteria decision methods is used. This methodology is implemented to obtain two vital pieces of information; firstly, DEMATEL provides information on the interrelationships of barriers and identifies the best and worst criteria for implementing BWM. Secondly, the barriers are ranked on their influence on the system through BWM which provides us the order of priority the barriers should be tackled. Another novelty of this research is that the information derived from DEMATEL helps in filtering out the criteria and takes into consideration the cause-and-effect groups while choosing the best and worst criteria for implementing BWM, thus making the process convenient and reliable.
After the application of this methodology to the identified 20 barriers, we are able to highlight the interrelationships that exist between the barriers and the order of priority they should be tackled in for successful development of green hydrogen in UAE. “Lack of legislature for hydrogen”, “Preference towards fossil fuels”, “High initial costs” and “Lack of incentives, tax breaks and subsidies” are found to be most critical barriers that need immediate attention. “High storage, transmission and distribution”, “Lack of privatization in energy sector”, “Lack of awareness in society” and “Safety issues of hydrogen” are other important problems that need to be tackled. Next, recommendations are provided for overcoming these barriers considering the interrelationships established.
Solutions are proposed to solve these barriers in the form of policy requirements, pilot project schemes, addition of courses on the subjects of renewable energy in curriculums and other methods which best tackle the specific barrier in question. For example, to overcome the lack of legislature for hydrogen, suggestions for addressing all the barriers it affects; these would include promoting installation of renewable energy, provision of grants/funds for installation of green hydrogen production facilities, establishing subsidy schemes or incentives and promote adoption of alternative sources of energy and move away from fossil fuels. Preference towards fossil fuels can be tackled by promoting the applications of hydrogen alongside subsidies for using them, phasing out subsidies for use of fossil fuels and implementation of carbon taxes to encourage the use of hydrogen and implementing small scale demonstration of hydrogen technology in applications like public transport. Similarly, solutions are provided for all barriers. Due to the complex interrelated nature of the barriers, some solutions alleviate other barriers automatically.
This study identifies the barriers to green hydrogen development in UAE, provides the order of priority to tackle the barriers and provides recommendations on overcoming the barriers. The outcomes of this study can aid the policymakers in UAE in formulation of a hydrogen strategy. Additionally, the methodology of DEMATEL-BWM used in this research can be implemented to other topics of energy transition. This study also provides a foundation for analysing further analysing the hydrogen economy in UAE. Finally, the limitations of this study are highlighted and recommendations for future research are provided.

In this research, a literature review is done to create a framework on all current known criteria other countries' VC firms set when selecting a Tech start-up. The framework also includes possible governmental and economic influences that could affect the decision-making of Chinese VC firms. Subsequently, nine in-depth interviews have been held with three different perspectives: Chinese VC firms, European start-ups, and Specialists with an external view on Chinese VC investments in Europe. By conducting interviews, it was possible to get in-depth information on Chinese investments in the past. With this, valuable information on essential criteria for Chinese VC firms when investing in Europe is obtained. After data gathering, transcripts were made, and data were grouped into themes using open coding. Finally, a within-case- and cross-case analysis have been executed to trace possible causal relationships regarding selection criteria of Chinese VC firms on one side and governmental and economic aspects on the other side. Based on the findings of this research, European start-ups can better assess the risks and understand the decision-making of Chinese VC firms investing in Europe. It appears that mainly governmental decisions from China and Europe influence the decision making of Chinese VC firms investing in Europe. Especially Chinese governmental capital requirements need to be considered before investments in European start-ups; however, VC firms try to circumvent the Chinese regulations as far as possible. The influence of the Chinese government comes forward in the fact that: 1. The investment needs to contribute to the Chinese economy 2. The European start-up should not compete with investments in start-ups funded by the Chinese government. In addition, European rules restrict Chinese investors from investing in sensitive technologies, making it increasingly challenging for Chinese investors to invest in specific European sectors. This happens mainly due to the negative coverage of US politics on China. Furthermore, this study has identified criteria Chinese VC firms particularly use when investing in European Tech start-ups. It was found that Chinese VC firms mainly focus on the following categories: 1. experience, personality, and capabilities of entrepreneur and team 2. characteristics of the market 3. characteristics of product 4. financial considerations. More specifically, based on the interviews, a list of 21 selection criteria is found that European start-ups could consider when attracting Chinese VC investments. To conclude, since every investment is unique, and the strategy of VC firms differs, it is good to consider all criteria found in this study, including the criteria found in previous literature of other countries' VC firms to get a better overview on the requirements Chinese VC firms set when investing in European High-Tech start-ups.