The prevailing view in the existing literature is that open innovations (OI) increase the innovative performance of enterprises. The author examines whether the same OI practices…
Abstract
Purpose
The prevailing view in the existing literature is that open innovations (OI) increase the innovative performance of enterprises. The author examines whether the same OI practices are equally important for sole entrepreneurs, micro firms, small firms, medium-sized and large enterprises in introducing radical innovations and which set of OI practices is best for a firm, given the firm's size.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study probit models were used on a sample of 915 innovative Serbian enterprises.
Findings
OI is important for all enterprises introducing radical innovations. However, not all OI practices are equally effective in each enterprise size group. The set of OI practices leading to radical innovations depends on the firm size. Cooperation with others is not important for sole entrepreneurs and micro and large companies in introducing radical innovations. Still, cooperation's role is predominant in small and medium-sized enterprises. Also, certain OI practices are important for all enterprises, whilst others do not contribute to radical innovations, regardless of the firm size.
Practical implications
Owners/managers can save considerably by avoiding the allocation of resources to OI practices that result in little to no contribution to radical product commercialisation. At the macroeconomic level, these findings can help policymakers create adequate (tailor-made) public policies to achieve innovation in each specific group of firms.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates that not all OI practices are equally important for achieving radical production solutions in each group of enterprises.
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Barbara Bigliardi, Giovanna Ferraro, Serena Filippelli and Francesco Galati
Through a comprehensive review of the literature on open innovation (OI), this study aimed to achieve two objectives: (1) to identify the main thematic areas discussed in the past…
Abstract
Purpose
Through a comprehensive review of the literature on open innovation (OI), this study aimed to achieve two objectives: (1) to identify the main thematic areas discussed in the past and track their evolution over time; and (2) to provide recommendations for future research avenues.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the first objective, a method based on text mining was implemented, with the analysis focusing on 1,772 journal articles published between 2003 and 2018. For the second objective, a review based on recent and relevant papers was conducted for each thematic area.
Findings
The paper identified nine thematic areas explored in existing research: (1) context-dependency of OI, (2) collaborative frameworks, (3) organizational dimensions of OI, (4) performance and OI, (5) external search for OI, (6) OI in small and medium-sized enterprises, (7) OI in the pharmaceutical industry, (8) OI and intellectual property rights, and (9) technology. The analysis of the most recent papers belonging to the more investigated areas offers suitable suggestions for future research avenues.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no review has yet been undertaken to reorganize the OI literature.
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Mokter Hossain and Ilkka Kauranen
– The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the extant literature on open innovation (OI) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the extant literature on open innovation (OI) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
An examination of the literature was undertaken to review the studies on open innovation in SMEs. The selected articles were classified in different themes and analyzed accordingly.
Findings
The study finds that adopting OI by SMEs improves their overall innovation performance. The authors found that a larger number of studies are based on a quantitative approach. Surprisingly, unlike in many other disciplines, scholars of North America have had a limited contribution. European scholars, along with some scholars from Korea and China, have been active in developing this field of OI in SMEs.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides theoretical and managerial implications. With thematic analysis, along with identifying gaps, conflations, and contradictions in the literature, this study proposes an agenda for future exploration.
Originality/value
The value of this study lies in the integration of the limited but scattered studies on OI in SMEs.
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Moulay Othman Idrissi Fakhreddine and Yan Castonguay
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are currently showing an increasingly open innovation (OI) approach. Public policies supporting the adoption of OI by SMEs are becoming a…
Abstract
Purpose
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are currently showing an increasingly open innovation (OI) approach. Public policies supporting the adoption of OI by SMEs are becoming a priority for policymakers. Therefore, the aim of this article is to contribute to the literature by mapping scholars' policy recommendations for implementing OI among SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature (SRL) on the topic to achieve this purpose. A total of 99 academic articles were selected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases to suggest the main scholars' policy recommendations to implement OI among SMEs.
Findings
Results indicated that scholars' policy recommendations for OI adoption in SMEs can be organized into: research and development (R&D), networking, collaboration, knowledge and intellectual property rights (IPR), ecosystem, managerial capabilities, funding and incentives and sustainability policies.
Research limitations/implications
Only relevant articles about this topic have been included due to the reliance on the interpretations of the authors. The analysis of the literature revealed that the authors did not always distinguish policies dedicated to SMEs and those dedicated to large companies. Moreover, policies are not matched according to each OI dimensions (e.g. inbound, outbound and coupled OI).
Originality/value
The article uses a systematic literature review method that combines qualitative and quantitative analyses. This method contributes to theoretical development of OI policies dedicated, in particular to SMEs. This paper also provides policymakers and researchers with insights on the scope of OI policies that could support economic growth.
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Antonello Cammarano, Mauro Caputo, Emilia Lamberti and Francesca Michelino
The purpose of this paper is to provide a patent-based framework for investigating the effect of previous and current open innovation (OI) adoption on firms’ knowledge management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a patent-based framework for investigating the effect of previous and current open innovation (OI) adoption on firms’ knowledge management strategies and type of innovation output.
Design/methodology/approach
Patent data are employed for gauging innovation practices, exploitation vs exploration strategies, specialization vs diversification choices and type of innovation. The study is performed on a sample of 1,280 patents granted to 66 top R&D spending bio-pharmaceutical companies. The year of analysis is 2010.
Findings
The previous recourse to specific innovation practices influences the current practice selection. R&D collaboration, outsourcing and mergers and acquisitions are employed to pursue exploration. Past purchase of patents increases the likelihood to achieve architectural and radical innovation in current activities.
Research limitations/implications
The work recommends the use of patent data to gauge many key elements for knowledge and innovation management. Results exhort scholars to investigate innovation practices at the knowledge domain level in order to detect specific behaviors.
Practical implications
The study provides a methodology for supporting decision-makers in assessing firms’ OI adoption, also performing the benchmark with competitors and R&D partners. Given the high computational effort required for applying the methodology, the authors are planning to give access to the software specifically developed for this study.
Originality/value
The work contributes to the current debate considering the effect of a combination of innovation practices on knowledge management strategies and type of innovation output, with a particular focus on OI activities. Moreover, the separation between the impact of previous and current innovation practices provides useful insights.
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Mohammad Javad Asgari, Amir Zakery and Mir Saman Pishvaee
This paper aims to investigate the impact of the factors affecting open innovation (OI) intensity, in terms of three components of cooperative innovation, resource search and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the impact of the factors affecting open innovation (OI) intensity, in terms of three components of cooperative innovation, resource search and external research and development (R&D), as well as the impact of OI intensity on commercialization performance in small and medium-sized enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
The data obtained from the distributed questionnaire among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Isfahan Science and Technology Town (ISTT) in Iran, was analyzed using inferential and parametric statistics to examine the research hypotheses. In this analysis, structural equation tests were used to confirm or reject the research hypotheses using Smart PLS software.
Findings
The results indicate that all three OI components influence commercialization in technology-based firms of ISTT, while the most important one is cooperative innovation. Among the factors affecting OI components, innovative incentives are the most effective one that increases both external R&D and cooperative innovation. Facilitators and limitations of open innovation are also affecting OI intensity, with lower priorities.
Practical implications
Science park managers and policymakers should lay the ground for enhancing the cooperation intensity among firms. Cooperation intensity is the most effective open innovation component to improve commercialization performance.
Originality/value
Open innovation antecedents and its consequence on commercialization performance have been investigated for the same time in SMEs of a science park.
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Many economists and politicians have declared the price mechanism to be the most effective coordination mechanism. On the contrary, the economic perspectives at the beginning of…
Abstract
Purpose
Many economists and politicians have declared the price mechanism to be the most effective coordination mechanism. On the contrary, the economic perspectives at the beginning of the twenty‐first century reveal that an increase in the supply of products does not necessarily engender an increasing demand. That is why more and more economists agree that every society not only can, but also must, choose the combination of coordination mechanisms that are most appropriate under its specific conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
Economic development and growth are approached as being dependent on the development of society and vice versa. The empirical relation between economic openness of a country and the structure of its industrial relations is analysed in relation to different economic outcomes. Special attention is paid to the question whether a policy to engender smaller income differentials does or does not provide a positive drive for the structural change towards a modern information technology‐based economy.
Findings
Although some authors argue that smaller income differentials coincide with lower productivity rates, this study reveals that there is no such trade‐off. Different sets of coordinating mechanisms determine economic performance. The market mechanism is therefore not the overriding force determining economic development. On the contrary, income and education seem to be two drivers of the sectoral shift to an ICT‐based service economy.
Originality/value
Different sets of coordination mechanisms seem to support the same economic performance. This implies that governments should once again take responsibility for structuring the economy and society – that is to enforce a system of reliable justice for the vast majority of citizens.
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This paper aims to understand the contribution of research and transfer institutes (RTIs) to digitising in traditional Marshallian industrial districts (IDs). This study answers…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand the contribution of research and transfer institutes (RTIs) to digitising in traditional Marshallian industrial districts (IDs). This study answers how to digitise small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in IDs capitalising on RTIs? As collective actors, RTIs introduce change in local/regional innovation systems where they are embedded.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses qualitative evidence based on interviews and secondary data analysis on digitising the Vinalopo Footwear district in Spain.
Findings
This paper provides empirical insights about how RTIs perform research and development (R&D) and non-R&D activities to digitise, facilitated by leading firms that frequently engage with RTIs. Subsequently, leading firms interact and diffuse Industry 4.0 within their networks of SMEs. RTIs activate digitising in districts avoiding the manifested reluctance of SMEs to engage with them, capitalising on leading firms’ networks orchestration.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the chosen research approach, the findings are limited to the chosen setting and method.
Practical implications
This paper includes implications for policymakers, responding to the paradox of how to activate knowledge transfer from RTIs to SMEs, when the latter are reluctant to use RTIs.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need to study how to digitise IDs and clusters.
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Shraddha Bhadauria and Vinay Singh
This paper aims to explore the relationship between open innovation (OI) and absorptive capacity (AC) using a bibliometric analysis of existing literature.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the relationship between open innovation (OI) and absorptive capacity (AC) using a bibliometric analysis of existing literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The bibliometric analysis is used to review the covered research articles in the Web of Science (WoS) database. The time span covered over 20 years from the year 2000 to 2020.
Findings
The study suggests that it is an attracting and growing field for researchers, and there exists a close relationship between OI and AC. Further, the literature has parted into three research streams (1) AC and OI: dependency and interchangeability; (2) OI and its future avenues (3) OI and AC: critical factor for firm innovation performance which elaborate various future scopes to study.
Research limitations/implications
The study's limitations exist with the biasness in database selection criteria, such as the possible non-inclusion of crucial articles.
Practical implications
The study’s implications are to discern close association and path dependency of AC and OI; and facilitate the innovation performance of the firm via developing of AC.
Originality/value
The approach used is a novelty, and the conclusions can better understand the relationship between both terms (OI and AC). Thus, it can help increase firm innovation performance.
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Ignacio Odriozola-Fernández, Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent and José M. Merigó-Lindahl
The open innovation (OI) paradigm suggests that firms should use inflows and outflows of knowledge in order to accelerate innovation and leverage markets. Literature examining how…
Abstract
Purpose
The open innovation (OI) paradigm suggests that firms should use inflows and outflows of knowledge in order to accelerate innovation and leverage markets. Literature examining how firms are adopting OI practices is rich; notwithstanding, little research has addressed this topic from the perspective of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Given the relevance of SMEs in worldwide economies, the purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of research on OI in SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 112 academic articles were selected from the Web of Science database. Following a bibliometric analysis, the most relevant authors, journals, institutions and countries are presented. Additionally, the main areas these articles cover are summarized.
Findings
Results are consistent in that the most prolific authors are affiliated with the universities leading the ranking of institutions. However, it is remarkable that top authors in this field do not possess a large number of publications on OI in SMEs, but combine this research topic with other related ones. At the country level, European countries are on the top together with South Korea.
Research limitations/implications
Despite following a rigorous method, other relevant documents not included in the selected databases might have been ignored.
Practical implications
This paper outlines the main topics of interest within this area: impact of OI on firm performance and on organizations’ structure, OI as a mechanism to hasten new product development, the analysis of the inbound/outbound dimensions of OI, and legal issues related to intellectual property right management when OI is implemented.
Originality/value
The study uses a combination of bibliometric indicators with a literature review.