Open innovation in SMEs: a case study of a regional open innovation platform (original) (raw)

Design elements of innovation contests supporting Open Innovation in SMEs - An action research study

Journal of innovation management, 2021

While innovation contests and intermediaries are widely used in large companies to source knowledge from the outside, it is not clear how contests could be utilized to break the barriers that SMEs face in pursuing Open Innovation. In this paper, we shed light on the topic by analysing ten innovation contests that have been successfully run in three European countries with the specific aim to create innovation opportunities between SMEs and higher education institutions, research centres, other companies, or end users. The analysis resulted in the identification of common elements that played a crucial role in these innovation contests, but were overlooked in previous research. Moreover, we collected early evidence supporting the case for innovation contests as tools to support Open Innovation policies for SMEs. On that basis, we propose a new framework that can be used by innovation intermediaries to design innovation contests specifically aiming at supporting Open Innovation in SMEs.

A FRAMEWORK TOWARDS AN OPEN INNOVATION APPROACH FOR SMES

The literature indicates that implementing Open Innovation as a formal management practice in organisations remains a challenge. Open Innovation (OI) is receiving increased focus in academia and industry, but practical implementation and application guidance for users are still limited. This is even more relevant for the application of Open Innovation in small and medium sized enterprises (SME). Open Innovation is still largely an emerging field of research in academia, with larger organisations receiving most of the focus. In this paper the authors introduce a framework for the development of an Open Innovation approach for SMEs, based on models and frameworks from the literature. Following a design sciences method, the authors review various models and frameworks on innovation and general implementation best practices, and deduct core elements that can be applied in an Open Innovation Framework. The framework is based on a continuous improvement cycle that aims to mature the Open Innovation capability within the organisation through various iterations. The framework comprises of four main components, six sub‐components and twenty three core elements. The four main components of the framework are: Plan and Prepare for OI, Perform OI, Measure and Evaluate OI, and Improve and Mature OI. The framework suggested in this paper can be used towards the development of an Open Innovation approach for SMEs. Such an approach should include descriptive elements for the implementation and application of Open Innovation within the context of SMEs.

Open Innovation Strategies in SMEs

Global Cases and Initiatives

Open innovation in entrepreneurships already finds its acceptance at all levels of the business industry for adding value to the business. The value could be in the form of economic gain or enhancement of knowledge leading to a sustained financial base. Open innovation adopts various strategies to accomplish the task for enhancing the value gain. Varying by size, nature, pattern, or characteristics of the firm various strategies are being adopted by enterprises. Though largely known to be familiar in corporate business houses, in recent years open innovation is also becoming increasingly familiar in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the trend is rapidly increasing. However, despite the potency of open innovation strategies, most of the enterprises are yet to find a sustained business model, especially for the SMEs working at the periphery of that value chain. This forms the basis of the current study. This chapter is trying to formulate a business model incorporating partnersh...

Local Open Innovation: A means for public policy to increase collaboration for innovation in SMEs

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2020

Our study focuses on how public policy can effectively increase collaboration for innovation among firms, entrepreneurs, research institutions and the public sector in a way that is easily accessible and beneficial for SMEs. In recommending Local Open Innovation (LOI), this paper helps to shape regional innovation policies by strengthening regional networks to efficiently facilitate collaborative innovation. Considering cognitive barriers and constrained resources and capabilities for applying open innovation (OI) in SMEs with unrestricted scope, a local approach offers advantages to facilitating OI. In light of our findings, we present the impact of such a policy mechanism on the adoption of OI, the unique combination of features of the LOI process, and how they affect collaboration. We also present the respective stakeholder relations, barriers preventing SMEs from engaging in OI and potential remedies LOI offers to overcome these barriers. We conclude with varieties of LOI for strengthening regional development in different contexts.

Research and Practices on Open Innovation

Global Cases and Initiatives

Innovation has become a recognized driver of economic prosperity of a country through sustained growth of its entrepreneurships. Moreover, recently coined term open innovation is increasingly taking a lead in enterprise management in terms of sustained profitability. Foci of researchers and practitioners are revolving around innovation methods, processes, and strategies. This chapter seeks to find out open innovation researches and practices that are being carried out circumscribing development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a longitudinal study. Along this context the study is investigating into researches that are being carried out by leading researchers and research houses across the globe, and at the same time, it also investigates open innovation practices that are being carried out for the development of SMEs. Before its conclusion, the chapter attempts to develop a framework for future research practices.

Regional open innovation system as a platform for SMEs: A survey

International Journal of Foresight …, 2007

Emerging changes in the knowledge era has brought out the idea of open innovation, suggesting that ideas for innovations can emerge or go to market from outside the company as well as inside. A regional open innovation system, the innovation network comprised of different actors working towards a creation of innovations in a certain region, can offer a favourable platform for collaboration between companies. We examine a concept for a regional innovation system as a cooperational platform enabling the open innovation approach from the SMEs' point of view. Results from a survey of 175 SMEs in four EU regions are reported in order to highlight the situation of the collaborative field of the regional innovation system to map the potential of external sourcing and exchanging of innovations in these regions. Based on the results of the survey, suggestions of an efficient model for open innovation empowering collaboration inside the regional innovation system are presented.

Open Innovation in SMEs: From closed boundaries to networked paradigm

Title: Open Innovation in SMEs: From closed boundaries to networked paradigm Successful innovation is a key to business growth. In the realm of technological development, innovation processes have been transformed into various forms, like open innovation, crowdsourcing innovation, or collaborative innovation. This research would like to focus on open innovation processes to reach out to the common stakeholders in the entrepreneurship system through small and medium enterprises. It has been observed that to provide innovative services or products to the outer periphery of the customer chain, SMEs play an important role. Hence, focusing innovation for SMEs would lead to a newer dimension of innovation research for better business and economic growth. The research emphasizes on various open innovation strategies for SMEs at the outset by focusing transformation of innovation processes from a closed boundary leading to a networked paradigm, try to provide some overview on a few innovation strategies, and develop a business model. The paper also discusses about some challenges and barriers that SMEs are facing in implementing open innovation strategies. Before conclusion, it put forwards issues of future research.