Meet Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai, PhD student at DSV

Modern, knowledge-intensive organisations are entangled in sophisticated networks of suppliers, competitors, customers and other actors. These ecosystems are the focus of Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai’s research interest.

Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai, DSV/SU, presenting his licentiate thesis on digital business ecosystems.
Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai presenting his licentiate thesis on digital business ecosystems. Photo: Åse Karlén.

On February 8, 2023, Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai presented his licentiate thesis in Computer and Systems Sciences. He is interested in the complex networks that are often called digital business ecosystems.

It feels great to have achieved this milestone

To demonstrate the complexity of such ecosystems, Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai started out by showing an image of how Netflix is dependent on a huge number of organisations and individuals. The map contained competitors like HBO and Disney+, platforms such as data centers and banks, IP holders like Dreamworks and Sony, content providers, investors, consumers, and many more.

Keeping track of relations and dynamics in digital business ecosystems is not an easy task. How can the ecosystems be managed? And if important actors leave – will the ecosystem survive?

Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai’s PhD project is geared towards healthcare, building on a Swedish case. In his presentation at the licentiate seminar, he argued that digital business ecosystem resilience rests on four pillars: diversity, efficiency, adaptability and cohesion.

 

Congratulations on your achievement! How do you feel?

– It feels great to have achieved this milestone for my doctoral studies. The licentiate seminar was an experience – both exciting and challenging in a good way. I had an excellent discussion with the opponent Irina Rychkov and examiner Uno Fors, chaired by Erik Perjons, and I received valuable feedback.

 

How did you become interested in this topic?

– The research topic first drew my attention when I applied for the PhD position here at DSV. It was suggested by my supervisors Janis Stirna and Jelena Zdravkovic. Later on, we combined the topic with my previous experience in healthcare and nursing research. It resulted in the adoption of a preventive healthcare digital business ecosystem case driven by a private company called Health Integrator.

 

What’s it like to be a PhD student at DSV?

– My experience as a PhD student has been affected by the pandemic to some extent. But in general, it has been a very supportive environment with plenty of opportunities to attend international conferences.

 

You are now continuing your work towards the PhD thesis. What do you hope to achieve?

– The most interesting and surprising part of my work so far is the realization that there are many currently operating digital business ecosystems, such as Netflix or Amazon, but few modelling approaches for analyzing and managing these constellations. We want to construct a method that supports the activities related to the analysis and management of digital business ecosystems.

– By having the method, we could improve the comprehensiveness of these ecosystems and facilitate the understanding for researchers. Practitioners could benefit from this by applying the method to design and analyze their ecosystems as well as ensure stable operations in terms of resilience, says Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai.

 

 

More information

Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai presented his licentiate thesis at the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV), Stockholm University, on February 8, 2023.

The title is “A Method for Designing Resilient Digital Business Ecosystems”.

The licentiate thesis comprises five papers which cover a systematic literature review, a survey study, a semi-structured interview study, prototyping, modelling and method construction in the field of digital health.

More information about the licentiate thesis in Diva

PhD Irina Rychkov, Université Paris, Panthéon, Sorbonne in France was the opponent. Professor Uno Fors, DSV, was the examiner. Associate professor Erik Perjons, DSV, chaired the session.

Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai’s main supervisor is professor Janis Stirna, DSV, and supervisor is professor Jelena Zdravkovic, DSV.

Project description for Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai’s PhD thesis project

Contact information for Daniel Chen Hsi Tsai

About the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV)

Text: Åse Karlén