Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Living Labs as a Method of Knowledge Value Transfer in a Natural Area

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2023 Workshops (ICCSA 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14106))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 848 Accesses

Abstract

The Protected areas are clearly defined geographical spaces, recognised as such and dedicated to the long-term conservation of nature, with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. They provide environmental, social and economic benefits to society, which can be enjoyed at local, regional and international levels and support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [1].

In its first definition, according to the American model, a nature conservation area was understood as a different, exceptional site of uncontaminated nature, where human intervention was almost absent. The local community is excluded from land use because it is considered a threat to the preservation of natural ecosystems.

However, the success of these areas requires better collaboration with indigenous peoples, community groups and private initiatives, which are crucial.

However, these governance models must be participatory, because any conservation and promotion measures are more likely to fail without the education and direct involvement of different social actors.

The term Living Lab was introduced in the early 2000s to describe a user-centred research methodology to detect, validate and refine complex solutions in multiple and evolving real-life contexts. They were recognised as a dynamic multi-stakeholder network, that aims to stimulate and manage user-driven innovation in real-world contexts and to promote the interaction between technological and socio-economic forces.

This scenario allows the following research question to be formulated: “Can Living Labs represent a sustainable participatory model for sharing environmental, social and economic values in a natural area?”.

In order to answer this question, a brief outline of the definition of Living Labs and the different approaches used will initially be provided. The methodology to be applied to natural areas for solving the management problems related to the complex heritage that characterise today's natural areas in general will then be illustrated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. UN. Trasforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Dudley, N.: Guidelines for applying protected area management categories. In Guidelines for applying protected area management categories (2010). https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.ch.2008.paps.2.en. Accessed 21 Nov 2022

  3. Croy, W.G., Moyle, B.D., Moyle, C., Lee, J.: Perceived benefits of parks: the roles of information source exposure and park use. J. Sustain. Tour. 28(11), 1723–1742 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kettunen, M., et al.: Integration approach to financing of biodiversity: evaluation of results and analysis of options for the future (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sturiale, L., Scuderi, A., Timpanaro, G., Matarazzo, B.: Sustainable use and conservation of the environmental resources of the etna park (UNESCO Heritage): evaluation model supporting sustainable local development strategies. Sustainability 12, 1453 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Peano, A.: Aree protette e governo del territorio. In: Parchi d’Europa. Verso una politica europea per le aree protette, Edizioni ETS, Pisa (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Pappalardo, G., Pilato, M., Bracco, S.: To what extent are local communities involved in the governance of protected areas? experiences from a case study in Sicily (Italy). Qual. Access Succ. 16, 102–109 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Maxwell, S.L., et al.: Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century. Nature 586(7828), 217–227 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sidali, K.L., Huber, D., Schamel, G.: Long-term sustainable development of tourism in South Tyrol: an analysis of tourists’ perception. Sustainability 9, 10 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Weaver, D.B., Lawton, L.J.: A new visitation paradigm for protected areas. Tour. Manag. 60, 140–146 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lal, P., et al.: Valuing visitor services and access to protected areas: the case of Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda. Tour. Manage. 61, 141–151 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Brundtland, G.H.: Our common future-call for action. Environ. Conserv. 14(4), 291–294 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Modica, G., Zoccali, P., Di Fazio, S.: The e-participation in tranquillity areas identification as a key factor for sustainable landscape planning. In: Murgante, B., et al. (eds.) ICCSA 2013. LNCS, vol. 7973, pp. 550–565. Springer, Heidelberg (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39646-5_40

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. Ballon, P., Schuurman, D.: Living labs: concepts, tools and cases. Info 17(4) (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Leminen, S., Westerlund, M.: Living labs: from scattered initiatives to a global movement. Creat. Innov. Manag. 28(2), 250–264 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Rodrigues, M., Franco, M.: Importance of living labs in urban entrepreneurship: a Portuguese case study. J. Clean. Prod. 180, 780–789 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Van Geenhuizen, M.: Applying an RRI filter in key learning on urban living labs’ performance. Sustainability 11(14), 3833 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Pino, M., et al.: Contribution of the living lab approach to the development, assessment, and provision of assistive technologies for supporting older adults with cognitive disorders. Studia Informatica Universalis 11(2), 34–62 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Franz, Y.: Chances and challenges for social urban living labs in urban research. In: Proceedings of open living lab days conference. In: European Network of Living Labs, pp 105–114 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Mastelic, J., Sahakian, M., Bonazzi, R.: How to keep a living lab alive? Info 17(4), 12–25 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ståhlbröst, A.: A living lab as a service: creating value for micro-enterprises through collaboration and innovation. Technol. Innov. Manag. Rev. 3(11), 37–42 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Markopoulos, P., Rauterberg, G.W.M.: Living lab: a white paper. In IPO Annual Progress Report (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Core Labs. Archived 2006–07–16 at the Wayback Machine (2006). http://www.ami-communities.net/wiki/CORELABS. Accessed 21 Jan 2023

  24. Bergvall-Kåreborn, B., Ståhlbröst, A.: Living lab: an open and citizen-centric approach for innovation. Int. J. Innov. Reg. Dev. 1(4), 356–370 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Ballon, P., Pierson, J., Delaere, S.: Open innovation platforms for broadband services: benchmarking european practices. In: 16th European Regional Conference, at Porto, Portugal (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Schaffers, H., Cordoba, M., Hongistro, P., Kallai, T., Merz, C., Rensburg, J.: Exploring busniess models for open innovation in rural living labs. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Concurrent Enterprising, Sophia-Antipolis, France (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Eriksson, M., Niitamo, V.P., Kulkki, S.: State-of-the-art in Utilizing Living Labs Approach to User-centric ICT innovation - a European approach: Centre of Distance Spanning Technology at Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, Nokia Oy, Centre for Knowledge and Innovation Research at Helsinki School of Economics, Finland (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Schumacher, J.; Feurstein, K.: Living labs – a new multi-stakeholder approach to user integration. In: Presented at the 3rd International Conference on Interoperability of Enterprise Systems and Applications (I-ESA 2007), Funchal, Madeira, Portugal (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Dell’Era, C., Landoni, P.: Living lab: A methodology between user-centred design and participatory design: living lab. Creat. Innov. Manag. 23(2), 137–154 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Core Labs: Living Labs Roadmap 2007–2010: Recommendations on Networked Systems for Open User-Driven Research, Development and Innovation. In Open Document. Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, Centrum for Distance Spanning Technology (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Schäpke, N., et al.: Jointly experimenting for transformation? Shaping real-world laboratories by comparing them. GAIA: Ecol. Perspect. Sci. Soc. 27(1), 85–96 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Niitamo, V.-P., Kulkki, S., Eriksson, M., Hribernik, K.A.: State-of-the-art and good practice in the field of living labs. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Concurrent Enterprising: Innovative Products and Services through Collaborative Networks, Milan, Italy, pp. 349–357 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  33. European Commission Information Society and Media, Unit F4 New Infrastructure Paradigms and Experimental Facilities. Living Labs for user-driven open innovation. An overview of the Living Labs methodology, activities and achievements (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Frissen, V., van Lieshout, M.: To user-centred innovation processes: the role of living labs. In: TNO-ICT, Delft (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Feurstein, K., Hesmer, A., Hribernik, K.A., Thoben, K.D., Schumacher, J.: Living labs: a new development strategy. In: Schumacher, J., Niitamo, V.P. (eds.) European Living Labs - A New Approach for Human Centric Regional Innovation, pp. 1–14. Wissenschaftlicher Verlag: Berlin (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ståhlbröst, A., Bergvall-Kåreborn, B.: FormIT - an approach to user involvement. In: Schumacher, J., Niitamo, V.P. (eds.) European Living Labs- A New Approach for Human Centric Regional Innovation, pp. 63–76. Berlin, Wissenschaftlicher Verlag (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Molinari, F.: Living labs as multi-stakeholder platforms for the egovernance of innovation. In: Estevez, E., Janssen, M. (eds.) Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2011), pp. 131–140. Association for Computing Machinery, New York (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Rădulescu, M.A., Leendertse, W., Arts, J.: Living labs: a creative and collaborative planning approach. In: Franklin, A. (ed.) Co-Creativity and Engaged Scholarship, pp. 457–491. Springer, Cham (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84248-2_15

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  39. Sturiale, L., Scuderi, A.: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and adjustment of the marketing strategy in the agrifood system in Italy. CEUR Workshop Proc. 1152, 77–87 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Zavratnik, V., Kos, A., Stojemnova Duh, E.: Smart villages: comprehensive review of initiatives and practices. Sustainability 10, 7 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Scuderi, A., Sturiale, L.: Evaluations of Social Media Strategy for Green Urban planning in Metropolitan Cities; Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, pp. 76–84. Springer, Heidelberg (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Scuderi, A., La Via, G., Timpanaro, G., Sturiale, L.: The digital applications of “Agriculture 4.0”: strategic opportunity for the development of the Italian citrus chain. Agriculture 12(3), 400 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL): Living Lab Handbook For Urban Living Labs Developing Nature-Based Solutions. living Lab Handbook For Urban Living Labs Developing Nature-Based Solutions by European Network of Living Labs - Issue (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Lupp, G., Zingraff-Hamed, A., Huang, J.J., Oen, A., Pauleit, S.: Living labs—a concept for co-designing nature-based solutions. Sustainability 13, 188 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Zavratnik, V., Superina, A., Stojmenova Duh, E.: Living labs for rural areas: contextualization of living lab frameworks, concepts and practices. Sustainability 11, 3797 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Bertoldi, F., Schaffers, H., Ruland, R., Schoepfer, E., Rossi, A., Fusco, L.: Stimulating innovation in the frascati living lab through supporting business incubation. In: Cunningham, P., Cunningham, M. (eds.) Collaboration and Knowledge Economy: Issues, Applications, Case Studies, vol. 5, pp. 723–730. Ios Press, Amsterdam (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Zingraff-Hamed, A., et al.: Stakeholder mapping to co-create nature-based solutions: who is on board? Sustainability 12, 8625 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Scuderi, A., Sturiale, L., Timpanaro, G., Matarazzo, A., Zingale, S., Guarnaccia, P.A.: Model to support sustainable resource management in the “etna river valleys” biosphere reserve: the dominance-based rough set approach. Sustainability 14(9), 4953 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Dvarioniene, J., et al.: Stakeholders’ involvement for energy conscious communities: the Energy Labs experience in 10 European communities. Renew. Energy 75, 512–518 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Steen, K., van Bueren, E.: The defining characteristics of urban living labs. Technol. Innov. Manag. Rev. 7, 21–33 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the University of Catania “PROGETTO DI RICERCA UNICT- PIACERI 2020/22 Linea 3 “Starting Grant” (Responsible: prof. Alessandro Scuderi).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agriculture Food and Environment Department (D3A), University of Catania, v. S. Sofia, Catania, Italy

    Alessandro Scuderi, Giulio Cascone, Giuseppe Timpanaro, Giovanni La Via & Paolo Guarnaccia

  2. Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAR), University of Catania, v. S. Sofia, Catania, Italy

    Luisa Sturiale

Authors
  1. Alessandro Scuderi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Giulio Cascone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Giuseppe Timpanaro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Luisa Sturiale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Giovanni La Via
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Paolo Guarnaccia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luisa Sturiale .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Osvaldo Gervasi

  2. University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy

    Beniamino Murgante

  3. University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Ana Maria A. C. Rocha

  4. University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Chiara Garau

  5. University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy

    Francesco Scorza

  6. University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    Yeliz Karaca

  7. Polytechnic University of Bari, Bari, Italy

    Carmelo M. Torre

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Scuderi, A., Cascone, G., Timpanaro, G., Sturiale, L., La Via, G., Guarnaccia, P. (2023). Living Labs as a Method of Knowledge Value Transfer in a Natural Area. In: Gervasi, O., et al. Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2023 Workshops. ICCSA 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14106. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37111-0_37

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37111-0_37

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-37110-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-37111-0

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics