T-shape professionals co-working in smart contexts: VEGA(ST) – venice gateway for science and technology

Abstract

The places where people routinely gather to interact and work can be thought of as territories with boundaries that provide a smart context to achieve personal and professional goals. For example, the Venice Gateway for Science and Technology of VEGA(ST) is such a smart context, in the form of a co-working space. In this paper, smart contexts are explored using the integrated framework of Service Science, Management Engineering, Design Arts Public Policy (SSME +DAPP) and the Viable Systems Approach (VSA) research methods, which encourage the development of T-shaped professionals with depth and breadth. We explore the importance of: (1) adopting a win-win logic between the external environment and the resource holders of the wider enterprise-territory system, (2) the creation of smart contexts, as a symbol of sharing, where interaction and actor involvement facilitate the co-creation of value for the collective welfare, and (3) co-working spaces as a way to encourage T-shape professionals to develop their broad dynamic capabilities and their in depth competencies.