BACKGROUND: Management literature pays insufficient attention to the strategic potential of collaboration. While normally encountered in supply chain management literature as discourse on supply chain effectiveness, this study shows that in a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) world, the role of collaboration needs to be re-examined. OBJECTIVES: To understand how technology has enabled collaboration between companies to the extent that a collaboration should be viewed as an external business environmental factor. METHOD: A qualitative, grounded theory approach was followed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 senior managers of a global technology-driven company manufacturing electrical heat tracing systems. Data were analysed using a three-stage coding process to develop an essential narrative. RESULTS: Technology has presented new possibilities for collaboration across supply chains and industries. This results in co-creation of product offerings between companies opening new markets. Collaboration is no longer only an internal tool that can facilitate efficiency and effectiveness between collaborating partners but spills over as an influence on strategy from the external environment. CONCLUSION: If a collaborative climate is not nurtured and supported by all parties involved, a business will not be able to reach its full potential especially in a 4IR world. Advances in technology have enabled new possibilities for companies to collaborate, both internally and with each other. CONTRIBUTION: Literature rarely extends the value of collaboration beyond the realm of the supply chain. This paper suggests that by viewing it as a macro-environmental factor, collaboration can be viewed as a strategic opportunity.

ORIENTATION: It is apparent that the conventional view of business ideas being born out of the needs of society is being re-conceptualised with the introduction of new technologies and as the business environment increases in complexity. RESEARCH PURPOSE: This study set out to understand how rapid advances in technology have impacted the basic assumptions for business demand, as expressed in, for example, van der Heijden's Business Idea model, and to comprehend how these assumptions have changed over time. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: This study stems from an intention to comprehend how technology has become a creator of demand. RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD: An interpretive, grounded theory approach was followed, soliciting views from 14 senior-level managers of a global, technology-driven company by using semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed using a three-stage coding process. This involves subjecting data to open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. MAIN FINDINGS: The analytic process revealed four themes: (1) business and demand, (2) business competitiveness, (3) technology and society and (4) technology and customers. Engagement with these themes revealed that technology is changing the nature of business models, business strategy and business processes. The pace of technological development has given rise to dynamic marketplace changes, where companies use new technologies to develop innovative product offerings that lead to more dynamic business models, processes and structures. In so doing, technology has become a driver of demand PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: Business leaders should take note that technological changes have a potential impact on the future strategy of companies, as this requires an alignment of these changes with supporting business processes. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: With cognisance of the central role technology is playing in the contemporary business environment, as a driver of demand, this study proposes a technology-driven demand (TDD) framework, as a re-evaluation of van der Heijden's Business Idea model.

É provável que a mudança climática afete a natureza, destino e transporte de elementos patogênicos/químicos no ambiente . Avaliamos as implicações das mudanças climáticas em mudanças na exposição humana a elementos patogênicos/químicos nos sistemas agrícolas no Reino Unido e discutimos os efeitos sobre os impactos à saúde, usando a contribuição de especialistas e literatura; efeitos à saúde da exposição a elementos patogênicos/químicos provenientes da agricultura; introdução de elementos químicos/patogênicos e caminhos de exposição humana a elementos patogênicos/químicos nos sistemas agrícolas. Definimos a base de evidência para efeitos de saúde de elementos químicos/patogênicos no ambiente agrícola; determinamos as possíveis implicações da mudança climática na introdução de elementos químicos/patogênicos nos sistemas agrícolas; e exploramos os efeitos da mudança climática no transporte ambiental e destino de diversos contaminantes. Consolidamos dados para avaliar as implicações das mudanças climáticas em relação à exposição humana indireta a elementos patogênicos/químicos nos sistemas agrícolas e recomendamos futuras pesquisas e mudanças políticas para administrar aumentos adversos nos riscos.

Climate change is likely to affect the nature of pathogens/ chemicals in the environment and their fate and transport. We assess the implications of climate change for changes in human exposures to pathogens/chemicals in agricultural systems in the UK and discuss the effects on health impacts, using expert input and literature on climate change; health effects from exposure to pathogens/chemicals arising from agriculture; inputs of chemicals/pathogens to agricultural systems; and human exposure pathways for pathogens/chemicals in agricultural systems. We established the evidence base for health effects of chemicals/pathogens in the agricultural environment; determined the potential implications of climate change on chemical/pathogen inputs in agricultural systems; and explored the effects of climate change on environmental transport and fate of various contaminants. We merged data to assess the implications of climate change in terms of indirect human exposure to pathogens/chemicals in agricultural systems, and defined recommendations on future research and policy changes to manage adverse increases in risks.

É provável que a mudança climática afete a natureza, destino e transporte de elementos patogênicos/químicos no ambiente . Avaliamos as implicações das mudanças climáticas em mudanças na exposição humana a elementos patogênicos/químicos nos sistemas agrícolas no Reino Unido e discutimos os efeitos sobre os impactos à saúde, usando a contribuição de especialistas e literatura; efeitos à saúde da exposição a elementos patogênicos/químicos provenientes da agricultura; introdução de elementos químicos/patogênicos e caminhos de exposição humana a elementos patogênicos/químicos nos sistemas agrícolas. Definimos a base de evidência para efeitos de saúde de elementos químicos/patogênicos no ambiente agrícola; determinamos as possíveis implicações da mudança climática na introdução de elementos químicos/patogênicos nos sistemas agrícolas; e exploramos os efeitos da mudança climática no transporte ambiental e destino de diversos contaminantes. Consolidamos dados para avaliar as implicações das mudanças climáticas em relação à exposição humana indireta a elementos patogênicos/químicos nos sistemas agrícolas e recomendamos futuras pesquisas e mudanças políticas para administrar aumentos adversos nos riscos.

Climate change is likely to affect the nature of pathogens/ chemicals in the environment and their fate and transport. We assess the implications of climate change for changes in human exposures to pathogens/chemicals in agricultural systems in the UK and discuss the effects on health impacts, using expert input and literature on climate change; health effects from exposure to pathogens/chemicals arising from agriculture; inputs of chemicals/pathogens to agricultural systems; and human exposure pathways for pathogens/chemicals in agricultural systems. We established the evidence base for health effects of chemicals/pathogens in the agricultural environment; determined the potential implications of climate change on chemical/pathogen inputs in agricultural systems; and explored the effects of climate change on environmental transport and fate of various contaminants. We merged data to assess the implications of climate change in terms of indirect human exposure to pathogens/chemicals in agricultural systems, and defined recommendations on future research and policy changes to manage adverse increases in risks.