Björn Remneland Wikhamn

Structuring of the Open Innovation Field

Open Innovation is considered a ‘hot’ concept in research as well as in industry practice. At the same time, at least two critiques have been raised against the notion: that it is based on old theories and that the term is vague and nonprecise. Based on a bibliometrical analysis, this conceptual paper structures the emerging field of open innovation into two interrelated perspectives; the firm perspective and the ecosystem perspective. By that, it introduces an integrated framework for open innovation and shows how various concepts under the umbrella of open innovation are related to each other. A discussion is presented on how the two perspectives relate to earlier innovation management literature and how they are linked by ‘new’ interaction approaches, such as toolkits, innovation contests, crowdsourcing, and innovation intermediaries.

Two Different Perspectives on Open Innovation – Libre Versus Control

The concept of open innovation has successfully diffused in academia as well as in industry. However, criticisms have at the same time been raised regarding the lack of a precise definition and also similar past research has not been sufficiently recognized. This paper highlights two perspectives of openness related to innovation – open as ‘libre’ versus ‘controlled’ – arguing that they rest on different underlying assumptions and theoretical foundations related to knowledge and value production. The paper concludes that the general research on ‘open innovation’ implicitly utilizes both perspectives, which tends to give a somewhat fragmented and incoherent perception of what open innovation is and how it should be applied in practice.

ENACTING HARD AND SOFT PRODUCT OFFERINGS IN MATURE INDUSTRIES: MOVING TOWARDS SERVITISATION IN VOLVO

The purpose of the paper is to give an in-depth account of how Volvo Group is working with enabling open services innovation in the organization. It shows that implementing servitization and open innovation within an engineering-based industry such as heavy vehicles manufacturing, is a matter of substantial groundwork on several levels. This groundwork involves substantial analytical work as well as vast mobilizing of internal organizational support. The paper also empirically connects the notions of open innovation and servitization in a theoretical discussion. The article contributes to the emerging field of open innovation by providing an empirical case from a multinational corporation acting within a traditional industry. It highlights the strong efforts organizations are facing when enacting servitization and open innovation strategies within established practices.

OPEN INNOVATION AS A FACILITATOR FOR CORPORATE EXPLORATION

While open innovation is a management concept of increased attention in academia as well as in industry, studies have also shown that the implementation of open innovation can be a rather difficult and challenging process. Installed organisational structures, culture and knowledge are often portrayed as hinder for change. This study provides an in-depth case study, based on 50 interviews, of how a large pharmaceutical corporation implemented an open innovation initiative. Instead of considering existing internal knowledge and structures as problematic, these resources were rather utilised as cornerstones for value offerings in open innovation. Furthermore, employees’ engagement in open innovation resulted in a more open and dynamic climate, as well as an improved entrepreneurial image of the corporation internally as well as externally. The study contributes to the open innovation literature by advancing the understanding about the organisational implications of implementing open innovation in practice. As such, it provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners about implementing open innovation in practice.

Open innovation in SMEs: a study of the Swedish bio-pharmaceutical industry

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss how small and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs) utilize open innovation in practice. Open innovation has become a well-used rhetorical concept among key bio-pharmaceutical spokespersons, suggesting that it would help to renew the stagnated industry. We report a survey (N = 104) on Swedish SMEs in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, where we shed light on how widespread the knowledge and practical uses of open innovation activities actually are. The findings not only show that very few respondents are aware of the open innovation concept, but also that open innovation-related activities are to a large extent integrated within their ordinary innovation practices. The study also suggests that firms that are engaged in open innovation activities tend to be more innovation-productive than those who do not. Based on these findings, we propose that there is a casual relation between open innovation and entrepreneurial growth, in which open innovation activities can act as accelerators for entrepreneurial growth. At the same time, much ‘openness’ is still performed on informal and ad-hoc basis by SMEs in the industry.

Challenges of adopting constructive alignment in action learning education

ABSTRACT This paper will critically examine how the two influential pedagogical approaches of action-based learning and constructive alignment relate to each other, and how they may differ in focus and basic assumptions. From the outset, they are based on similar underpinnings, with the student and the learning outcomes in the center. Drawing from experiences of developing an action-based master program in management with the integration of constructive alignment in its curriculum, the purpose is to reflect on what difficulties emerge when adopting both perspectives simultaneously. Constructive alignment works under the premises that the learning goals can and should be decided beforehand in order to align them with learning activities and examination forms. This view brings a challenge for programs where the means of the learning process is provided, while it is much up to the students’ own responsibilities to drive the learning toward some self-governing and internalized learning outcomes.This paper will critically examine how the two influential pedagogical approaches of action-based learning and constructive alignment relate to each other, and how they may differ in focus and basic assumptions. From the outset, they are based on similar underpinnings, with the student and the learning outcomes in the center. Drawing from experiences of developing an action-based master program in management with the integration of constructive alignment in its curriculum, the purpose is to reflect on what difficulties emerge when adopting both perspectives simultaneously. Constructive alignment works under the premises that the learning goals can and should be decided beforehand in order to align them with learning activities and examination forms. This view brings a challenge for programs where the means of the learning process is provided, while it is much up to the students’ own responsibilities to drive the learning toward some self-governing and internalized learning outcomes.

Associations for Disruptiveness: The Pirate Bay vs. Spotify

Most studies on disruptive innovations adopt technology-centric assumptions when explaining how industries are affected by a technology’s creative destruction. This paper argues that the power of a technology lies in how it performatively associates with the cultural and social norms of the wider society. Hence, a technology is not disruptive or sustaining in itself but is potentially a productive outcome of network linkages with other social and material elements. To illustrate this claim, two digital music services will be analyzed, respectively a misfit and a maverick both challenging mainstream providers of music – The Pirate Bay and Spotify – in relation to each other and how they are positioned toward the transformation of the music industry as a whole.

EXPLORATION VS. EXPLOITATION AND HOW VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS ARE ABLE TO COMBINE THE TWO

This paper reports an in-depth qualitative study about innovation work in the Swedish video game industry. More specifically, it focuses on how video game developers are building ambidextrous capabilities to simultaneously addressing explorative and exploitative activities. The Swedish video game industry is a particularly suitable case to analyze ambidexterity, due to it’s extreme market success and continuous ability to adapt to shifts in technologies and demands. Based on the empirical data, three ambidextrous capabilities are pointed out as particularly valuable for video game developers; (1) the ability to separate between a creative work climate and the effectiveness in project organizing; (2) the balancing of inward and outward ideation influences, and (3) the diversity in operational means and knowledge paired with shared goals and motivations, derived from the love of video games and video game development.