The Competitiveness Amplification Model

The Competitiveness Amplification Model (CAM)
About the model
This generic model aims at enhancing the competitiveness of a business sector, by increasing the ‘Pull’ for the sectors solutions in the international market. The model, named ‘The Competitiveness Amplification Model’, is based upon four main elements: ‘Pull’, ‘Analyze’, ‘Organize’ and ‘Co-create’ and uses ‘Danish Cleantech’ as its input and ‘Increased Global Competitiveness’ as its output. The model is replicable across industries and sectors and the input could therefore be anything.
At the outset, the model assumes a certain level of ‘Pull’, albeit weak or negligible, for a product or a solution and then goes through a continuous process of constantly enhancing this ‘Pull’ until it becomes self-sustaining. The first step requires a varied level of analysis, which could start from a macro level and lead to a micro level depending upon the degree of pull. Typically, a weak pull would mean starting at the macro level and progressing to a micro level once pull has been increased.
The second element of the model is to gather together the stakeholders that will be engaged in creating the solution with the aim of becoming more organized and thereby efficient as a group. This involves identifying and engaging all the stakeholders, having multilateral dialogues and building robust relationships. Once again, the level of the existing ‘Pull’ will determine the extent of organizing required.
Finally, the level of becoming organized as a group will feed into the level of the co-creation of a sustainable solution. The thinking here is that a solution that has been developed through an engaged dialogue involving all the stakeholders will be longer lasting and be able to compete technologically and commercially against other traditional solutions. This success will consequently generate a stronger ‘Pull’.
The Elements of the Competitiveness Amplification Model
Input and Output
The model is a process model and thus has an input and an output. The input gets amplified to generate a stronger output. In this version of the model, and as seen in the illustration of the model, the input is ‘Danish Cleantech’ and the output is ‘Increased Competitiveness Globally’, but it could potentially be anything.
Input
The input, ‘Danish Cleantech’, is based on an understanding that the Danish track record within cleantech, which is built upon a history of focusing on the environment on a political and other levels, has caused a network of strong Danish cleantech stakeholders to exist. That is, Danish Cleantech is defined as strong, competitive Danish competencies within cleantech. These consist of technologies, know-how, consultancies and vision makers, research institutions and political stakeholders. All in all, Danish Cleantech as the input for the Competitiveness Amplification Model comprises nationally competitive cleantech stakeholders.
Output
The output is ‘Increased Competitiveness Globally’. That is, as ‘Danish Cleantech’ goes through the Competitiveness Amplification Model, the competitiveness of the sector will increase. This is de- fined as a larger global share of the complex cleantech challenges market. Moreover, innovation is created through working with integrated solutions, that is, co-creation and increased pull for Danish cleantech will ultimately increase competitiveness on a global scale.
Use of the model
The various levels and measurement parameters presented above for each of the elements are only pointers in an attempt to quantify the four elements, namely, ‘Pull’, ‘Analyze’, ‘Organize’ and ‘Co-create’. Users of this model can easily define their own set of levels and criteria based upon individual needs and situations. The model will still be relevant.
The model is intended to be widely adopted by any organization looking to increase pull for its products and services.
Pull
Definition
Pull is defined as the demand for Danish cleantech solutions from the global cleantech market.
Assumptions
* Knowledge of Danish cleantech will increase the pull for Danish integrated solutions
* Pull has to be created, that is, it will not happen by itself
* It is easier to push a product than to create a pull for an integrated solution.
* Pull is customer driven
* A basic pull for Danish cleantech already exists
Levels
The levels of pull range from 1 to 5, where 1 is the point at which 80 - 100% of the marketing budget is spent on a particular market, but it only represents 0-20 % of the total business turnover. The assumption is that the knowledge of Danish cleantech will increase pull, and therefore minimize the need to spend resources on marketing. Hence, as pull from that market is increased, less will be spent on direct marketing, but the percentage of the market in the total business turnover will increase.
Analyze
Definition
Analyze is defined as analyzing a specific market for the opportunities Pull within cleantech. The preliminary market analysis will always follow a pull from the specific market.
Assumptions
* The market is predefined by the pull and will never be chosen randomly.
* An analysis will be conducted when approaching a new market.
* Danish cleantech stakeholders have the capacity and competencies to conduct and implement a market analysis.
Levels
The levels of analysis go from 1 to 5. The levels represent the process of going from a macro level to a micro level of analysis. This implies that as the pull is being amplified, the project opportunity will become more specific, which in turn will make the market analysis more focused.
Organize
Definition
Organize is defined as identifying and involving stakeholders on both sides, that is in Denmark and in the specific market in question. It also entails building a relationship between all these stakeholders which is based on three main elements, namely, coordination, trust and efficiency.
Assumptions
* There is a real interest in collaboration from all parties.
* Relationships will most likely start at an individual level, but should move to an institutional level.
* Engagement should move from a bilateral to a multilateral level.
* Trust must be established for organization to increase.
* The tighter the organization, the easier the project coordination and efficiency will be.
Levels
The levels of organize go from 1 to 5, and represent the development from being a loosely organized group to a tightly organized group. As it is assumed that the more tightly the group is organized, the more efficient the work will be, the levels represent the time it takes to reach the target set at the beginning of the process. That is, level 1 represents the point at which the time to reaching the target is 80 - 100% over- time, i.e. from what was anticipated, as the group at this point is loosely organized, and so on.
Co-create
Co-creation is defined as the process in which the partners of the group generate an integrated solution in collaboration with each other and in collaboration with the project owners.
Assumptions
* Co-created solutions are more sustainable than single technologies.
* Agreement that the Danish and the local partner will jointly create integrated solutions.
* All parties will have an equal say in the co-creation process.
* Co-creation will have a positive effect on pull.
Levels
The levels go from 1 to 5. As it is assumed that an integrated solution created through co-creation is more sustainable than single technologies, the levels represent the percentage by which the integrated solution will exceed the product life cycle of a standard single technology solution. That is, as the process of co-creation becomes more robust by moving up the levels, the percentage by which the integrated solutions exceed the normal product life cycle increases.
The Ten Recommendations For Working With The Competitiveness Amplification Model
A quick and user-friendly guide to work with the ‘Competitiveness Amplification Model’ is as follow
# Identify the right challenge aligned with your overall strategy.

# Identify the right stakeholder (ideally an implementing agency).
# Build a relationship with the agency while developing a champion.
# Engage with an NGO to act as a facilitator.
# Build a consortium, or group of stakeholders, to provide a holistic solution including capacity building.
# Consider financing options Co-create a solution between the (Danish) group and local stakeholders. 
# Co-create a solution between the (Danish) group and local stakeholders.
# Demonstrate both short + long-term solutions simultaneously through pilot projects.
# Foster a culture of open innovation and collaboration in your organization.
# Be flexible with regard to foreign cultures.
The model is developed by Complex Cleantech Solutions, a project under CLEAN

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