# Collaborative Networks: A Pillar of Digital Transformation
## 7 Discussion of New Research Challenges
#### 3.3.1.1 Smartness and data-richness
* New models of collaboration at strategic level, approaches to select and align collaboration strategies, and focus on agile business models. * Analysis and management of collaboration risks, modelling of uncertainty and its propagation over collaborative networks. * Trust management associated to new business models. * Models of benefits distribution, risk and responsibility sharing. * Combination of new collaborative business models with issues of social responsibility, ethical models, and compliance with regulatory frameworks. **Monetization of collaboration**  
_Context_: Although plenty of arguments can be found in literature on the benefits of collaboration, it is also often seen as a burden due to the extra overheads e.g., communication efforts, alignment of strategies and work methods, etc.) and specific skills that collaboration requires. It is thus necessary to find ways of making benefits (value generated by collaboration) more explicit and quantifiable. _Further research_: Developing appropriate indicators and metrics that make the value of collaboration explicit and measurable. It is also interesting, from a CN governance perspective, to study how the adoption of specific indicators can affect the behavior of network members. _Resilience and sustainability_  
**Approaches for resilience and anti-fragility in collaborative networks**  
_Context_: The current business world and society in general face major turbulence, having to cope with an increasing number of disruptive events of large impact. In such context, the sustainability of business ecosystems and other collaborative networks depends on finding appropriate approaches to cope with disruptions (be resilient) and even trying to \"become\" stronger after a disruption (be antifragile) [116]. _Further research_: Finding **novel approaches and strategies to implement resilience and anti-fragility** in collaborative networks context. This needs to be complemented with the design of proper assessment indicators. **Better understand the collaboration-competition interactions**  
_Context_: Despite the growing hyper-connectivity and the increasing wide-spreading of the business ecosystems concepts, often collaboration-competition tensions between agents co-exist in the same environment, as represented by the term \"_coopetitive_ environment\". This requires the development of better understanding of collective behaviors and collective emotions in order improve sustainability. _Further research:_ Developing advanced behavioral models for collaborative networks, including incentives and expectations management. **Further develop the sustainability dimension**  
_Context:_ Sustainability is nowadays a major challenge for all industrial sectors. This is directly reflected in the efforts to improve processes and usage of resources, reducing the ecological footprint as well as coping with related directives from governments and other international bodies. The development of concepts such as circular economy is also a result of this trend. Collaborative networks have been pointed out as an important enabler for the effective implementation of such concepts [114], which require collaboration among multiple heterogeneous, autonomous, and distributed stakeholders. Furthermore, there is a need for a smooth combination of human capabilities and artificial intelligence within industrial systems in order to reach improved efficiency and better working conditions. _Further research:_ Address **sustainability issues at all layers of the manufacturing** systems, from the shop floor to the production management systems and value-chain networks. This aim includes:  
* Progressing from an \"enterprise-centric perspective\" towards a \"business ecosystem-oriented perspective\". * Aligning developments with the objectives of the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development [125]. * Increasing collaboration with other knowledge areas, such as environment engineering and social innovation.