Table 1. Key concepts and examples of literature concerning the business ecosystem (BE) and dynamic capability theories, with linkages to some existing studies on wooden multistory construction (WMC) and retrofits.
Key concepts of the business ecosystem (BE) and embedded dynamic capabilities Earlier literature on new residential wooden multistory construction (WMC) focus Earlier literature on (wooden) retrofits
Value co-creation
(Kandiah and Gossain 1998; Aarikka-Stenroos and Ritala 2017; Senyo et al. 2019)

Niche creation
(Iansiti and Levien 2004)

Knowledge sharing and collaborative partnerships
(Wulf and Butel 2017)

Complementary capabilities
(Teece 2009, p. 15)

Symbiotic collaborative relationships
(Kandiah and Gossain 1998; Senyo et al. 2019)

Network management
(Aarikka-Stenroos and Ritala 2017)

Dynamic capabilities and strategic management and change
(Helfat et al. 2007; Teece 2009; Teece et al. 2016) 		Value creation in construction networks
(Pulkka et al. 2016)

Shared logic in WMC projects
(Toppinen et al. 2019a)

Collaboration, knowledge transfer, and end-user involvement in BE
(Brege et al. 2014; Stehn et al. 2021; Viholainen et al. 2021)

Benefits, barriers, and opportunities of WMC
(Riala and Ilola 2014; Gosselin 2017; Franzini et al. 2018; Toppinen et al. 2019b; Vihemäki et al. 2019; Lazarevic et al. 2020; Stehn et al. 2021; Mark-Herbert et al. 2023)

Internal and external competitiveness factors
(Toppinen et al. 2019b) 		Real estate development; need for complementarity & integrated solutions and mutual alignment of business models
(Rajakallio et al. 2017, 2018)

Energy efficiency: Business models in residential retrofits
(Brown 2018; Killip et al. 2020)

Renovations lacking standards or green certificates
(Mahapatra et al. 2013)

Decision-making and collaboration in retrofits
(Jafari and Valentin 2017; Kamari et al. 2017; Holtsröm et al. 2024)

Wooden retrofits: Technical studies from civil engineering
(Larsen et al. 2011; Cronhjort and le Roux 2014; Jaksch et al. 2016; Pomponi and D’Amico 2017)

User-orientation perspective
(Soikkeli and Sorri 2014)
Table 2. Description of the interviewees linked with emerging wooden retrofit business ecosystems (BEs), including affiliations, professions, and transcription codes.
Code BE actor type or branch of city Profession of interviewee Wooden retrofit project(s)
(no in total)
C-01 Material manufacturers and suppliers Project sales manager 8
C-02 Design engineers Wood technology manager 2
C-03 Design engineers Retrofit head of division 2
C-04 Design engineers Technology manager 2
C-05 Design engineers Wood structural design development manager 1
C-06 Architecture Architect 2
C-07 Construction company Property managing director 3
C-08 Energy efficiency product and service provider Managing director 1
C-09 Design engineers Managing director 2
C-10 Construction company Managing director 10
C-11 Architecture Architect 2
C-12 Design engineers Executive planner, head of unit 1
C-13 Energy efficiency product and service provider Sustainability consultant 2
M-01 City environment City environmental director Not applicable
M-02 Living and environment Director of environmental protection Not applicable
M-03 City environment Project manager Not applicable
M-04 Strategic land use, mobility, and housing politics Specialist adviser Not applicable
M-05 Real estate development Head of real estate development Not applicable
M-06 City environment Head of environmental protection Not applicable
M-07 Urban planning office Head of unit, city plan coordination Not applicable
M-08 Housing project development unit Contracted architect Not applicable
M-09 City environment Head of project Not applicable
M-10 Climate and environmental policy unit Development manager Not applicable
O-01 Rental housing company Managing director 2
O-02 Housing company Chair of housing company 1
I-01 Knowledge broker Associate professor Not applicable
I-02 Knowledge broker Project manager Not applicable
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Fig. 1. Illustration of research design consisting of multiple data sources (mod. background picture ©[artKaisen] via Canva.com).

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Fig. 2. Range of actors in the wooden retrofits in multistory buildings and their position in the business ecosystem (BE).

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Fig. 3. The identified 22 examples of wooden retrofit projects in Finland. View larger in new window/tab.

Table 3. Dynamic capabilities and the five early decision-making model forms and associated difficulty, applied by the key actors of a niche business ecosystem of wooden retrofit projects.
Key actors and decision-making process forms Difficulty level of decision-making  Location in city Dynamic capabilities
1) Private building owner decides, involves a construction company

Project code: D  		Low City center Private building owner senses and seizes the opportunity to make a profit in the more expensively rented city center with new apartments through rooftop stacking
2) City rental housing company decides, decision-making has positive synergies with city strategies and goals, involves a construction company

Project codes: C, I, J 		Low Suburban Both the city rental company and the city itself are sensing opportunities with awareness concerning climate, environmental, and low-carbon needs, seizing the opportunity for social facelifts in suburban areas
3) Construction company decides and executes, grounds housing companies

Project codes: E, F 		Low City center Construction company senses and seizes new business opportunities to make a profit if it is technically optimal, location is in expensive area
4) Housing company shareholders decide and involve a builder, e.g., construction company, developer, real estate agent, steward, or architect

Project codes A, B 		High City center Housing company senses and seizes the opportunity to finance other types of necessary renovations with rooftop stackings by selling the building rights and by acquiring new apartments, also through new shareholders to the housing company paying maintenance charges. The builder, building developer, or some key interested individual(s) senses and seizes the opportunity as well
5) Group self-build housing model: Housing company shareholders decide and involve a consultant, who either directly finds new residents for joint building or involves a real estate agent

Project codes: G, H 		High City center Housing company senses and seizes the opportunity to finance other types of necessary renovations with rooftop stacking by selling the building rights and by acquiring new apartments and also through new shareholders to the housing company paying maintenance charges