This book discusses the main issues, challenges, opportunities, and trends involving the interactions between academia, industry, government and society. Specifically, it aims to explore how these interactions enhance the ways in which companies deliver products and services in order to achieve sustainable competitiveness in the marketplace.

Sustainable competitiveness has been widely discussed by academics and practitioners, considering the importance of protecting the environment while sustaining the economic goals of organizations. The Quintuple Helix innovation model is a framework for facilitating knowledge, innovation and sustainable competitive advantage. It embeds the Triple and the Quadruple Helix models by adding a fifth helix, the “natural environment.” The Triple Helix model focuses on the university-industry-government triad, while the Quadruple adds civil society (the media- and culture-driven public) as a fourth helix. 

The Quintuple Helix modelfacilitates research, public policy, and practical application of sustainable competitiveness principles. Applying the most recent developments and theoretical insights of this model, the contributors to this volume address such questions as: how do government, academia, industry and civil society actors interact for promoting sustainable competitiveness at the country (regional) level? How do these actors influence sustainable operations management at the company (business) level? In so doing, they shed new light on the dynamics of economic growth, sustainability and competitiveness.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Multiple Helix Ecosystems for Sustainable Competitiveness.- Chapter 2 Multiple Helix Approaches to Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation: A Case Study of the Great Barrier Reef (Australia).- Chapter 3 Governance for Partnership Sustainability: An Approach from the Agency Theory.- Chapter 4 Revisiting the Triple Helix Innovation Framework: The Case of Abengoa.- Chapter 5 The Role of Triple-Helix Collaboration in the Development of Cleantech Entrepreneurship: Lessons Learned From the Øresund and Moscow Regions.- Chapter 6 Key factors on green product development: influence of multiple elements.- Chapter 7 Sustainability, Lean and Eco-efficiency symbioses.- Chapter 8 Integrating sustainability metrics in the supply chain performance measurement system.- Chapter 9 Improving Production Flexibility in an Industrial Company by Shortening Changeover Time – A Triple Helix Collaborative Project.- Chapter 10.- Sectoral Systems of Innovation and Nanotechnology. Challenges Ahead.- Chapter 11 Impact of venture capital on the growth of university spin-offs.