Action research study of an initiated cross-industry collaboration - Assessing opportunities and project risks in a strategic alliance jointly developing energy solutions within commercial real estate

Sammanfattning: This master’s thesis is an assessment of opportunities and project risks within an initiated collaboration agreement between E.ON Sverige AB, ABB AB and Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson. The aim of the cross-industry agreement is to jointly develop smart energy solutions and it has initiated a pilot project within the area commercial real estate. The master’s thesis aimed to analyse and assess how opportunities and project risks was managed within the project. The thesis students carried out an iterative action research methodology in four phases and actively took part in the pilot study in relation to timing. The findings revealed that the concept internet of commercial buildings is interesting, but to initiate a pilot project may have been less suitable in order to test the concept. However, along with a collaboration model, the pilot project was useful for the companies to get to know each other and learn how to work together. The main conclusions within the master’s thesis is that collaborations should be regarded as a unit of its own and focus on formulating its own common objectives to be able to handle opportunities and project risks, and to be able to measure success.