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The electricity sector is in the midst of a structural change driven by new technologies. In Brazil, the electricity sector regulation has mechanisms to foster innovation, including investments in R&D. Recently, the regulatory agency and the industry have been calling for approaches to increase the rate at which R&D departments generate solutions that end up being adopted. As a result, novel approaches to R&D project management have entered the agenda. In this context, the objective of this paper is to characterise Agile Product Development and its application in a highly regulated sector. The paper presents a systematic literature review with the debates about Agile and new product development. Then, a case study exploring an early adoption of the Agile approach in R&D project management in the Brazilian electricity sector is presented. Results include the identification of the Agile features most frequently mentioned in the literature. Moreover, the case study explores the Agile features that were more easily absorbed in early adoption, such as iterative patterns, and discusses implementation challenges in team structure, feedback loops, and communication.

À minha família, principalmente mãe, pai e irmão, pelo incentivo ao estudo desde os primeiros anos de vida e pelo apoio e recursos fornecidos para viabilizar meu estudo. Aos companheiros da Universidade de São Paulo, pelo apoio na minha pesquisa e formação como pesquisadora, em especial ao Luiz Durão, que me apoiou desde que o mestrado era apenas um sonho. Aos amigos de São Paulo, que me ajudaram a construir um lar em uma nova cidade. Ao meu orientador, Eduardo Zancul, pela oportunidade, apoio e confiança.

Goal:The paper aims to increase the understanding of the results and challenges that arise when running R&D projects based on multiple partners and the integration of Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile concepts.Design / Methodology / Approach: We followed a case study approach in the electricity sector. Two project cases were studied, using triangulated data from interviews, internal documents, and nonparticipant observations. Results:The results of the Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile concepts application in R&D projects show improvements in knowledge absorption, solution improvement through collaborative insights between partners, and identification of short-term opportunities. Some challenges, however, were identified, such as noisy integration, the role of the project manager requiring a sophisticated skillset, and complicated decision-making processes. Limitations of the investigation:The conclusions have the inherent limitations of a case study conducted in one industrial sector and two projects led by one company. Practical implications:The evolving competitive landscape demands more effective pathways to foster innovation. Recent approaches to innovation have challenged R&D practices. This study discusses a new way of addressing R&D efforts with multiple partners by integrating Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile concepts.Originality / Value: The combined and coherent application of concepts derived from Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Agile in R&D practices in the electricity sector is new. The high volume of R&D activity in the electricity sector makes this in-depth analysis both relevant and valuable.

PurposeAlthough there is a growing research stream on Performance Measurement and Management Systems (PMMS) in Ecosystems literature, current research offers limited theoretical insights into how PMMS deal with two types of strategies in uncertain ecosystems: ecosystem-based strategy – EBS (at the focal firm level) and ecosystem strategy – ES (at the ecosystem level). This study aims at identifying how PMMS are employed to deal with different types of strategies in uncertain ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed an inductive, rich multiple case approach in five focal firms with platform ecosystems. Data collection involved multiple sources of information (primary and secondary data), combing retrospective and longitudinal perspectives. Data analysis combined replication and comparison logic with coding.FindingsThis study identifies four major distinctive dimensions of Ecosystem PMMS under uncertainty: (1) Integrative Performance (considering the different ecosystem actors’ performance), (2) Interdependence Performance (mutual, yet not necessarily convergent amongst ecosystem partners), (3) Regulative Performance (paradoxical in nature, having to cope with both flexibility and stability) and finally (4) Phased Learning Performance (non-linear).Research limitations/implicationsOur primary contribution is a new framework for PMMS literature: a performance measurement and management system for dealing with strategies in ecosystems. This framework enables managing performance regarding both types of strategies (EBS and ES) and their interplay in uncertain ecosystems.Practical implicationsThe ecosystem management requires focal firms to measure and manage the overall ecosystem’s performance, and it varies according to the type of strategy adopted in each case. Our framework provides dimensions that guide firms to build and implement PMMS for an ecosystem consistent with the ES. Therefore, it may improve performance, especially in uncertain business contexts.Originality/valueThe findings enrich PMMS literature in an ecosystem context related to the ES in uncertain environments.

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