Jan Ole Rypestøl

Associate Professor

Department of Working Life and Innovation

Email: jan.o.rypestol@uia.no
Phone: +47 37233408
Mobile phone: +4790631591

Office A236 (Jon Lilletuns vei 3, 4879 Grimstad, Norway)

Research groups

RIST – Research centre for studies of innovation for sustainable transition

Areas of responsibility

Jan Ole Rypestøl is employed as an associate professor at the Department of Working Life and Innovation at the University of Agder (UiA) in Grimstad. Rypestøl holds a doctorate (PhD) in International Management from UiA, a master’s degree (MSc) in Innovation and Knowledge Development from UiA, and an interfaculty Candidatus Magisterii degree (Cand Mag) in social studies from Kristiansand Teacher Training College (KLH), the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), and the University of Bergen (UIB).

Rypestøl is Program Coordinator at Master of Innovation and Knowledge Development and an experienced supervisor for Master students.

Jan Ole Rypestøl researches regional industrial restructuring, and his research has been published in high-ranking journals, including Regional Studies (Taylor & Francis), Geoforum (Elsevier), Entrepreneurship and Regional Development (Routledge), and Industry and Innovation (Routledge).

In addition to his current academic position at UIA, Rypestøl also holds a part-time position as a senior researcher for NORCE Norwegian Research Centre. At NORCE, he is the project leader of the team which provides analytical services for Norges bank, the central bank of Norway, concerning regional industrial development in Southern Norway.

Rypestøl’s most recent external research assignment is The Regional Report 3/2023 commissioned by Norges bank, and his most recent scientific publications are: Eriksen, A.E.L., Isaksen, A., & Rypestøl, JO. (2023) Exploring Regional Industrial Culture. Changing Industrial Culture and Human Agency in a Norwegian Region. European Planning Studies; Rypestøl, J.O., Kyllingstad, N., & Martin, R. (2022). Asset modification for regional industrial restructuring in times of economic crises, European Planning Studies; Rypestøl, J.O., Martin, R., & Kyllingstad, N. (2022). New Regional Industrial Path Development and Innovation Networks in Times of Economic Crisis. Industry and Innovation; Isaksen, A., & Rypestøl, J.O. (2022). Policy to support digitalisation of industries in various regional settings. A conceptual discussion. Norwegian Journal of Geography,76(2),

Research

The main focus of Rypestøl's research is regional business development with an emphasis on regional restructuring. This field of interest combines several disciplines, such as economic geography, entrepreneurship, innovation and institutional economics. In his research, Rypestøl seeks to combine system and actor perspectives to increase understanding of the role of various change agents in restructuring processes.

Academic interests

Jan Ole Rypestøl`s research interest covers regional industrial restructuring, entrepreneurship research and innovation studies.

Selected publications

In addition to the scientific publications (see below), Rypestøl has also published about 40 different research reports. Most of these are exempt from public access, but some are available at www.norceresearch.no

Tuition

Jan Ole Rypestøl is responsible for the course ORG454, Innovation theory. The course is a 7,5 credits course that is thought at the master level. In addition, Rypestøl has lectured the topics of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to engineering graduates (TFL 200) for several years.

Short biography

Outside academia, Rypestøl has extensive experience from business life. This experience includes ten years as an international serial entrepreneur and business leader, as well as ten years as a supervisor and consultant in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Firlus, Benjamin Hans; Martin, Roman & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2023). Weaving sustainability: Asset modification and green path development in Norway’s outdoor textile industry. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-1951. 77(5), p. 269–280. doi: 10.1080/00291951.2023.2271494. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The article contributes to the literature on industrial path development through its focus on asset modification for green path development in the Norwegian outdoor textile industry. The authors drew on the concepts of green path development and asset modification to develop a theoretical framework that describes green industrial restructuring as a process by which firms build on various firm-level and system-level assets that are altered through different asset modification modes, which in turn leads to different green path development outcomes. The framework was applied in a study of the greening of the Norwegian outdoor textile industry. A case study was based on data from interviews with firm leaders and industry experts. The findings show that all modes of asset modification are at play in the ongoing greening process. However, asset upgrading and asset creation play a central role. Furthermore, firm-level assets in combination with system-level assets at national and supranational scales are particularly important inputs to the greening of the industry. The authors conclude that in contrast to findings from previous research on industrial path development, regional-level assets play a minor role, which can be explained by the lack of geographical clustering and local embeddedness of the industry.
Eriksen, Anna Maria Emelie Langemyr; Isaksen, Arne & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2023). Exploring regional industrial culture. Changing industrial culture and human agency in a Norwegian region. European Planning Studies. ISSN 0965-4313. doi: 10.1080/09654313.2022.2162333. Show summary
This paper explores the role that industrial culture and human agency play in regional industrial development. It makes three contributions. First, it discusses and explores the concept of regional industrial culture and examines its relevance for regional industrial development. Second, it identifies and investigates two main forms of regional industrial culture: one self-interest dominated type and one community dominated type. Third, the paper discusses how firm – and system-level agencies can contribute to changing the dominant form of industrial culture at the regional level. The paper also provides a study of the regional industrial culture and change in the culture by key actors and agency in the Molde region in Western Norway since 2010. The empirical study demonstrates that the concepts of self-interest and community dominated culture and their link to firm – and system – level agency is relevant to capture and describe a regional industrial culture and potential changes within it. We found that the industrial cultural change in the Molde region could be regarded as mainly being the outcome of system level agency performed by both firm – and system – level actors.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2022). Exploring the social dimension of regional industrial restructuring. In Callegari, Beniamino; Misganaw, Bisrat Agegnehu & Sardo, Stefania (Ed.), Rethinking the social in innovation and entrepreneurship. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISSN 9781839108167. doi: 10.4337/9781839108174.00011.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole; Kyllingstad, Nina & Martin, Roman (2022). Asset modification for regional industrial restructuring in times of economic crises. European Planning Studies. ISSN 0965-4313. p. 1–20. doi: 10.1080/09654313.2022.2105643. Show summary
Contributing to the literature on regional industrial restructuring, this article presents findings on how firms modify assets to overcome an economic crisis. Empirically, this article draws on interviews with 33 firms in the oil and gas (O&G) industry in Southern Norway, which experienced a major crisis caused by a fall in global oil prices in 2014–2015. We investigate how the crisis affected the asset base of the local firms, how they modified their firm-level assets to restructure, and how and to what extent they drew on system-level assets to overcome the crisis. We find that the firms experienced a substantial asset drain. Asset reuse was the prevailing mode of asset modification in the early phase of the crisis, while asset bridging through collaboration with other organizations became more important in the later phase of the crisis. With exception of the local university, system-level assets were of little relevance to the firms. The study shows that during crises firms benefit from well-aligned firm- and system-level assets and from a regional industrial milieu that supports inter-organizational collaboration.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole; Martin, Roman & Kyllingstad, Nina (2022). New regional industrial path development and innovation networks in times of economic crisis. Industry and Innovation. ISSN 1366-2716. doi: 10.1080/13662716.2022.2082271. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper presents novel research on how exogenous shocks and economic crises affect innovation, knowledge networks, and new path development in regions. Conceptually, we take a regional innovation systems perspective which views new path development as the outcome of innovation and knowledge exchange between firms and other actors, facilitated by a common institutional framework. Empirically, we draw on interviews and network data from the oil and gas industry in southern Norway. Following a long period of prosperity, the industry was hit by the oil price shock in 2014 and entered an economic crisis. The findings suggest that the shock triggered the firms to commit even more forcefully to innovation and to expand their knowledge networks geographically. To cope with the crisis, they applied a variety of strategies, which can be associated with different forms of path development. We draw conclusions for innovation policy in the context of exogenous shocks and crises.
Isaksen, Arne & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2022). Policy to support digitalisation of industries in various regional settings: A conceptual discussion. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-1951. 76(2), p. 82–93. doi: 10.1080/00291951.2022.2060857. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
ABSTRACT The purpose of the article is to analyse regions’ varying preconditions for digitalisation of industry and, on that basis, discuss regionally tailored policy strategies to stimulate digitalisation. Building on both regional innovation system and asset modification approaches, the authors suggest a theoretical framework that identifies regions’ potential for digitalisation from their stock of relevant assets at the firm and innovation system level. The analysis identifies four types of regions with different preconditions for supporting digitalisation of industries. This in turn provides the foundation for a discussion of the role of actor-based and system-based policy strategies to support digitalisation in each type of region. From the existing literature, the authors discuss empirical examples of digitalisation within each of the four types of regions but also highlight that individual regions need to tailor the portfolio of policy support within the identified strategy, as each region is structurally and institutionally unique.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole; Isaksen, Arne; Eriksen, Anna Maria Emelie Langemyr; Iakovleva, Tatiana Aleksandrovna; Sjøtun, Svein Gunnar & Njøs, Rune (2021). Cluster development and regional industrial restructuring: agency and asset modification. European Planning Studies. ISSN 0965-4313. doi: 10.1080/09654313.2021.1937951.
Kyllingstad, Nina; Rypestøl, Jan Ole; Schulze-Krogh, Ann Camilla & Tønnessen, Maria (2021). Asset modification for regional industrial restructuring: digitalization of the culture and experience industry and the healthcare sector. Regional studies. ISSN 0034-3404. 55(10-11), p. 1764–1774. doi: 10.1080/00343404.2021.1878126. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper researches how firm- and system-level asset modification and alignment underpin and direct new path development from digitalization. It suggests that asset reuse mostly promotes path extension or path upgrading, while asset creation and asset destruction will be more evident in the process of path emergence. The empirics support asset modification as a key mechanism for regional restructuring from digitalization, but suggest that the typology should be more nuanced. Specifically, the empirics demonstrate asset upgrading as a key mechanism.
Isaksen, Arne; Eriksen, Anna Maria Emelie Langemyr & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2020). Regional industrial restructuring: Asset modification and alignment for digitalization. Growth and Change. ISSN 0017-4815. 51(4), p. 1454–1470. doi: 10.1111/grow.12444. Show summary
This paper provides a conceptual framework to understand the innovation-based restructuring of industries in a regional context. The framework includes how firms create new assets, reuse existing assets and destruct hampering assets to support innovation processes. The framework also covers how such asset modifications take place at the innovation system level. A core argument is that innovation activity is strengthened and regional restructuring supported when firms’ internal assets are aligned with assets at the regional innovation system level. We illustrate the framework with empirical examples of how digitalization as an innovation process takes place in firms in traditional manufacturing industries and in local newspapers in the Agder region in southern Norway.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2020). Regional Industrial Restructuring. In Farinha, Luis; Santos, Domingos; Ferreira, João J.M. & Ranga, Marina (Ed.), Regional Helix Ecosystems and Sustainable Growth. Springer. ISSN 978-3-030-47696-0. p. 125–146. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-47697-7.
Isaksen, Arne; Trippl, Michaela; Kyllingstad, Nina & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2020). Digital transformation of regional industries through asset modification. Competitiveness Review: an international business journal. ISSN 1059-5422. 31(1), p. 130–144. doi: 10.1108/CR-12-2019-0140.
Trippl, Michaela; Baumgartinger-Seiringer, Simon; Frangenheim, Alexandra; Isaksen, Arne & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2020). Unravelling green regional industrial path development: Regional preconditions, asset modification and agency. Geoforum. ISSN 0016-7185. 111, p. 189–197. doi: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.02.016. Show summary
Regions across the world are searching for ways to fashion new green growth paths and to promote green shifts in mature industries. The article aims to explore conceptually and based on illustrative empirical examples from the literature how green restructuring unfolds in regions. We propose a framework that explicates how regional preconditions in form of pre-existing industrial structures, organisational support structures, institutional set-ups and natural assets are transformed into various types of green path development through agentic processes of asset modification.
Isaksen, Arne; Kyllingstad, Nina; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Schulze-Krogh, Ann Camilla (2019). Entrepreneurial discovery processes in different regional contexts: A conceptual discussion. In Mariussen, Åge; Virkkala, Seija; Finne, Håkon & Aasen, Tone Merethe (Ed.), The Entrepreneurial Discovery Process and Regional Development. New Knowledge Emergence, Conversion and Exploitation. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-138-57455-7. p. 35–53. doi: 10.4324/9781351273763-3.
Isaksen, Arne; Kyllingstad, Nina; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Schulze-Krogh, Ann Camilla (2018). Differentiated regional entrepreneurial discovery processes. A conceptual discussion and empirical illustration from three emergent clusters. European Planning Studies. ISSN 0965-4313. 26(11), p. 2200–2215 . doi: 10.1080/09654313.2018.1530143.
Kyllingstad, Nina & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2018). Towards a more sustainable process industry: A single case study of restructuring within the Eyde process industry cluster. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-1951. 73(1), p. 29–38. doi: 10.1080/00291951.2018.1520292.
Johnsen, Hans Christian Garman; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Berge, Marianne (2018). Coping with methodology: Validity and knowledge about the future. In Johnsen, Hans Christian Garman; Holtskog, Halvor & Ennals, Richard (Ed.), Coping with the Future: Rethinking Assumptions for Society, Business and Work. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-138-55932-5. p. 126–148. doi: 10.4324/9780203712894-9.
Johnsen, Hans Christian Garman; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Schulze-Krogh, Ann Camilla (2018). Coping with economic policy: Innovation policy in times of disruption. In Johnsen, Hans Christian Garman; Holtskog, Halvor & Ennals, Richard (Ed.), Coping with the Future: Rethinking Assumptions for Society, Business and Work. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-138-55932-5. p. 69–83.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Aarstad, Jarle (2018). Entrepreneurial innovativeness and growth ambitions in thick vs. thin regional innovation systems. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. ISSN 0898-5626. p. 639–661. doi: 10.1080/08985626.2018.1444104.
Martin, Roman & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2017). Linking content and technology: on the geography of innovation networks in the Bergen media cluster. Industry and Innovation. ISSN 1366-2716. 25(10), p. 966–989. doi: 10.1080/13662716.2017.1343132.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2017). Regional industrial path development: The role of new entrepreneurial firms. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. ISSN 2192-5372. 6(3), p. 1–19. doi: 10.1186/s13731-017-0064-1.

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Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Martin, Roman (2016). Linking Content and Technology - On the geography of innovation networks in the Bergen media cluster.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2015). Regional industrial path development.
Ellingsen, May-Britt; Krane, Martin Sollund & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2019). Barometer Nord. Forventningsbarometer for Nord-Norge. NORCE Norwegian Research Centre. ISSN 978-82-8408-023-9.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Isaksen, Arne (2018). New Regional Industrial Path Development: Entrepreneurs, Knowledge Exchange, and Regional Contexts. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 978-82-7117-890-1. Full text in Research Archive
Mølland, Eirin; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2017). Regional Rapport - Norges Bank 1/2017. Agderforskning.
Strickert, Sissel; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Kyllingstad, Nina (2017). Omstilling Agder - En gjennomgang av gründertiltaket Veksthuset i en ekstraordinær tid. Agderforskning.
Mølland, Eirin; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2016). Regional Rapport - Norges Bank 4/2016. Agderforskning.
Mølland, Eirin; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2016). Regional Rapport - Norges Bank 3/2016. Agderforskning.
Mølland, Eirin; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2016). Regional Rapport - Norges Bank 2/2016. Agderforskning.
Mølland, Eirin; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2016). Regional rapport - Norges Bank 1/2016. Agderforskning.
Aarstad, Jarle & Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2016). En evaluering og analyse av NCE Media: Klyngenivå og bedriftsnivå. Høgskulen på Vestlandet.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2015). Nasjonal rapport - Norges Bank 4/2015. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2015). 4/2015 - Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2015). Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk 3/2015. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2015). Runde 2/2015 - Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2015). Runde 1/2015 - Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2014). Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk 4/2014. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2014). Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk 3/2014. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2014). Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk 2/2014. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2014). Økonomisk analyse for region Sør, Norges Banks regionale nettverk 1/2014. Agderforskning.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole (2014). Banebrytende nyetableringer? En kartlegging av nyetablerte bedrifter med potensiale til å starte nye næringer på Agder. Agderforskning.
Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Isaksen, Arne (2013). Samarbeid og konkurranse - om klyngevekst og oppgraderingsmekanismer i IKT næringen på Agder. Universitetet i Agder.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2013). Nasjonal Rapport - 4 2013 Oppdragsgiver: Norges Bank *Unntatt offentlighet*. Agderforskning.
Jørgensen, Geir; Hansen, Kenneth; Rypestøl, Jan Ole & Vangstad, Arild (2013). REGIONAL RAPPORT FRA REGION SØR FOR RUNDE 4 2013 Oppdragsgiver: Norges Bank *Unntatt offentlighet*. Agderforskning.

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Published Apr. 16, 2024 10:49 AM