Organising for a Sustainable Shift in the Underground Mining Industry: A Qualitative Case Study on the Building of Dynamic Capabilities

Abstract: Following increased awareness of social and environmental challenges, the underground mining industry is currently entering a shift towards sustainable development. To adapt to the changes, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) supplying the underground mining companies are now rethinking their technology and offering configuration. An established research stream, dynamic capabilities, has grown in acceptance as enabling strategic change. In a single case study, this paper makes an attempt to understand how an incumbent OEM within underground mining can develop a foundation for new dynamic capabilities while implementing a new business model. The authors conclude that by creating an inter organizational unit as a stakeholder for the new business model, many of the incumbency related challenges can be overcome and the building of a foundation for dynamic capabilities can be facilitated.